Electrical drawings: function based pages or voltage based pages?

[Henk-Jan Scholman]

Not sure if I use the correct English terms:

• function based: each page shows all electrical components and wiring that is needed to realize a function: e.g. level control Vessel A, transport conveyor belt C. Preferably along the functions as defined in IEC81346.

• voltage based: all components and wiring that connect to the same power supply voltage line are grouped to the same (set of) page(s). Main voltage (400VAC), control voltage (24VDC), PLC IO . This is still the most common used style.

My main argument to prefer function based over voltage based wiring diagrams is: re-use. In the same way one re-uses mechanical assemblies or software code...

... but...

... if one realizes that product structure is the basis of engineering (think IEC81346), and drawings are nothing more then a way to present information to the ones that have to built the product...

... it really no longer matters what style is used.

So to end the discussion whether wiring diagrams should be function based or voltage based, one must separate the drawings from the product structure: put it in a separate database.

[Matthias Probst]

some more question i want to bring in
- for which group of people the documentation is created
- how is the access of these group of people to the information