Drawing professional circuit diagrams on Linux & MacOS - Not possible?
Engineers with a MacBook or Linux computer know the problem - the majority of software for industry is only available for Windows. Unfortunately, this also applies to the majority of ECAD tools such as ePlan or WSCAD. The following article provides an overview of the various system requirements for software for industrial circuit diagram creation.
Overview table
| Software | Windows | MacOS | Linux |
|---|---|---|---|
| ePlan | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | No ❌ |
| Treesoft CAD | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | No ❌ |
| WSCAD | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | No ❌ |
| WiringPlan | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
| Zuken e3.series | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | No ❌ |
| AutoCAD Electrical | Yes ✅ | No ❌ | No ❌ |
| KiCad | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ | Yes ✅ |
ePlan - the market leader ❌
There is probably hardly an enclosure builder or designer who does not know ePlan. The standard for the industry impresses with extensive functions. However, some training is required to be able to use the full scope of the product. In addition, the price is likely to deter some users.
The required operating system can also be a deterrent - all ePlan versions, including the latest ePlan P8, only run on Windows 10 and 11. Linux and MacOS versions are not available.
Treesoft CAD ❌
Treesoft has been around since 1986 and offers various software and services, including a program for creating circuit diagrams. Unlike many others, Windows 8.1 is also supported in addition to Windows 10/11. However, there is no version that runs with MacOS or Linux.
WSCAD ❌
WSCAD is advertised as being the "first AI-supported ECAD software". A kind of ChatGPT is built into the software to quickly answer questions about projects or execute commands.
When it comes to the operating system, however, WSCAD takes its cue from the other major manufacturers. Only Windows 10/11 is supported, but neither Linux nor MacOS.
WiringPlan ✅
Unlike the other programs for creating circuit diagrams, WiringPlan runs directly in the browser. This means that it is platform-independent and runs under Windows, Linux, MacOS and even on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This is particularly practical if the maintenance engineer needs to make changes to the plan directly on site.
Zuken ❌
Zuken also offers several software products for electrical engineering - from control cabinets and cable harnesses to PCB design. The software for control cabinets, e3.series, only supports Windows or Windows Server as the operating system.
AutoCAD Electrical ❌
Autodesk probably offers the most comprehensive product portfolio. Known primarily for mechanical CAD solutions such as AutoCAD, Inventor and Fusion360, they also offer solutions for electrical engineering. AutoCAD Electrical is particularly interesting for panel builders. Here too, however, only 64-bit versions of Windows are supported.
KiCad ✅
KiCad, which is the only tool in this list that is open source and therefore free to use, is particularly well known in PCB production. Another advantage is the generous system requirements - KiCad runs under Windows, MacOS and Linux.
Summary - It's a Windows World
Most industrial tools for creating circuit diagrams for control cabinets and machines only support Windows as the operating system. Only the open source program KiCad and the browser-based solution WiringPlan are also available for Linux or MacOS users.