Sounds like it was worth the money to you. I have used software that generates wire numbers, line numbers wires ect. That company has since gone away. I have the promis-e demo but have not had time to seriously check it out.
Hi Mike,
I've used Promis-e for 10 months on at least 4 projects. I can't remember which version I used before I quit the job.
The are some really strong points and some bad points abt it. As a Systems Integrator or Control System designer, it is a great tool.
1. You can create a library of you commonly used components into an Access database.( to include price, physical size, current, etc..)
2. You can also create libraries of drawing symbols for PLC I/O cards, circuit breakers, contactors. Also provided as part of the CAD package a large chunk of drawing symbols for Allen-Bradly, Schneider, Cutler Hammer, etc.etc..
3. With these symbols and database, a designer can directly put his ideas on drawing. I can create 29 pages of drawing within 3 days, complete with wire numbers.
4. Create Automatic wire numbering ( need to purchase separately).
5. Works well for IEC or JIC type drawing conventions.
6. You can place drawings, symbols and database on network server so you can control the drawing standard for your company.
Bad points.
1. It is essentially a database tool, not a CAD tool. ACAD is just a platform to fill in the database fields.
2. If you mess up the database, your drawings are stuffed!
3. Initial set up cost can be high. My estimate is you would probably need to invest at least 40 hrs setting up, or should I say, customizing to your need. This include drawing new symbols, filling up you equipment database, etc.
4. I learned this the hard way...always do wire numbering last. If you already do it early in your design, any changes later on will make you wire numbers very confusing to you clients. This is especially if you use page-line wire numbering convention.
5. It is not exacly great for upgrade work drawings. For example, if you have an existing set of drawings in ACAD and you need to do improvement work with Promis-e, it would take some time to figure out how to integrate the drawings, and to ensure that there is no duplicate device IDs.
6. Need to plan your drawings properly, eg. Page 1 to Page XXX. Failure to plan will almost certainly mean that you will complete 90% of the drawing within 10% of the alloted time and the other 10% of the drawing within 90% of the alloted time.
Hope this helps. If you are in Australia or Asia Pacific, I can give you the name of the distributor.
I would seriously recommend checking it out. I was a VIA user and made the switch to Promis-e when they made the mistake of changing over to AutoCad Electrical. We had so many problems with ACAD... anyway. Let me know what you think...
I use a product called See Electrical Expert. I've used all the other ones, promis-e, eplan, autoCad electrical... this one is by far the best, and the cheapest.
Actually, no, they don't. I was even out of their "maintenance" and it only cost me a fraction of the original purchase price. I was charged a renewal fee and the maint cost and I was sent a free update!
I too have landed a new job were Promis*e is installed and being used. I too have been looking for information. I have been researching it and this is what I have found. Most of the postings are 5-6 years old. ECT was the company supporting Promis*e software and I have read that they did a fairly good job of supporting their users. However, a company named Bently has purchased it and is treating the Autocad version like a red-headed stepchild. If you have Microstation, it might be another story, but so far, I have been unable to get them to return my email. I do have a tutorial, but it is rather poor. It briefly tells how to create new stuff from scratch, but it does a poor job of telling you how to copy previous projects, or modify existing projects.
> Does anyone have any experience with promis-e software from ect? It's an add on to acad.
It has so much power, but not one single feature works correctly all the time. Glitchiest software I have ever used. ever. Worse than most freeware, except costs about $5000.00. Been running it about 8 months now, ready to quit my job because of it and it alone. Really it's nothing more than a poor database management tool.
<b>Moderator's note:</b> I debated a long time before posting this message. In the end, I edited out some of the comments and took it from all caps (considered shouting in many cases) and posted this. I figure it gives the manufacturer a chance to see what people are saying about their product. And also it will give them a chance to respond.
