Introduction: Empowering Modern Electrical Design with SP3D & SPEL Training

In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, electrical design plays a pivotal role in the successful execution of large-scale engineering projects. Whether it's a petrochemical plant, oil refinery, power station, or a marine facility, electrical systems form the backbone of operations, ensuring safe and efficient power distribution, control, and communication across various units. Poor electrical planning can lead to costly delays, safety hazards, and compliance issues—making precise, error-free, and data-driven design more important than ever.

This is where smart, data-centric tools like SP3D-Electrical and Smart Plant Electrical (SPEL) come into the picture. Developed by Hexagon (formerly Intergraph), these tools allow engineers and designers to create, manage, and integrate electrical systems with a high degree of accuracy and coordination. SP3D-Electrical is widely used for 3D modeling of electrical components such as raceways, cable trays, and equipment, while SPEL enables electrical calculation, load analysis, cable sizing, and intelligent schematics, all within a data-rich environment. These tools not only reduce manual errors but also enhance interdisciplinary collaboration by sharing data seamlessly across different departments.

With the growing demand for smart infrastructure, renewable energy projects, and digital transformation in engineering, professionals across the globe are upskilling with SP3D and SPEL training. This dual expertise empowers electrical engineers, designers, and CAD professionals to stay competitive, job-ready, and versatile, opening doors to opportunities in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) firms, oil & gas companies, and infrastructure giants.

This blog by Multisoft Systems aims to give you a comprehensive overview of both SP3D-Electrical and SPEL online training—highlighting their capabilities, learning modules, integration benefits, career impact, and why mastering both can significantly boost your industrial design proficiency.

Overview of Intergraph Smart 3D (SP3D) and Its Electrical Module

Intergraph Smart 3D (SP3D) is an advanced, next-generation 3D modeling software developed by Hexagon for plant, marine, and materials handling projects. It enables the creation of accurate, intelligent, and data-centric designs across disciplines. SP3D's electrical module specifically addresses the needs of electrical engineers by providing tools for modeling raceways, routing cables, placing equipment, and integrating with other domains. Its database-driven architecture ensures real-time collaboration, error reduction, and efficient design workflows in large-scale industrial facilities.

Role of SP3D-Electrical in 3D Electrical Modeling of Industrial Facilities

SP3D-Electrical plays a critical role in the design and visualization of electrical systems in complex industrial environments. It allows engineers to build and manage 3D models of electrical infrastructure such as cable trays, conduits, junction boxes, and equipment. The platform ensures precise placement and alignment, supports real-time design validation, and helps detect spatial clashes with mechanical or civil components. This significantly reduces rework during construction and ensures safe, optimized layouts aligned with project standards and regulations.

Key Features

1. Equipment Modeling

SP3D-Electrical enables the accurate modeling and placement of electrical equipment such as transformers, control panels, motors, junction boxes, and power distribution units. The software provides a rich library of configurable templates and parametric tools to design equipment in compliance with engineering standards. Each modeled object contains embedded intelligence—such as tags, specifications, and connectivity rules—making it easier for designers to link with other components. This results in a more streamlined and reliable equipment layout process in industrial facilities.

2. Cable Routing

Cable routing in SP3D-Electrical ensures that all electrical connections between equipment and control systems are accurately represented in the 3D model. The tool allows designers to define cable paths, assign cable properties, and automate routing based on real-time spatial constraints. It significantly enhances productivity by eliminating manual routing errors and enabling automated cable reports. This feature helps ensure compliance with safety standards, minimizes signal interference, and optimizes space utilization within trays, conduits, and raceway systems.

3. Raceway Systems

SP3D-Electrical provides robust capabilities for modeling raceway systems such as cable trays, ladders, conduits, and duct banks. These components are vital for organizing and protecting electrical cabling throughout a facility. The software allows users to customize raceway sizes, define routing rules, and perform clash detection with structural and piping systems. With its smart object handling and real-time collaboration, raceway modeling in SP3D not only improves design quality but also supports effective coordination across disciplines during project execution.

Integration with Other SP3D Modules

One of the most powerful aspects of SP3D-Electrical training is its seamless integration with other SP3D modules, including piping, civil, structural, and instrumentation. This interoperability ensures consistent data sharing across all engineering domains, enabling a unified digital twin of the project. Electrical designers can collaborate with other teams in real time, making adjustments based on feedback and detected clashes. Such integration fosters multidisciplinary coordination, reduces engineering time, and accelerates project delivery with fewer conflicts and revisions.

Introduction to SmartPlant Electrical by Hexagon

SmartPlant Electrical (SPEL) is a powerful engineering software solution developed by Hexagon PPM (formerly Intergraph), designed specifically for electrical design, analysis, and documentation in complex industrial projects. It supports a data-centric approach, enabling engineers to create and manage electrical systems from conceptual design to detailed engineering within a centralized, intelligent environment. SPEL training streamlines processes across the electrical design lifecycle and ensures accuracy, consistency, and compliance with engineering and safety standards, making it an essential tool in EPC and owner-operator environments.

Purpose: Electrical Load Analysis, Design, and Documentation

SmartPlant Electrical’s primary purpose is to enable comprehensive electrical system planning, ensuring that industrial facilities are equipped with safe, efficient, and well-documented electrical infrastructure. It allows electrical engineers to carry out critical tasks such as load balancing, voltage drop analysis, and cable calculations, while also generating highly accurate design documents and reports. The tool enhances design efficiency and ensures alignment with international electrical codes and standards.

Key Objectives:

• Perform precise electrical load analysis to balance power distribution across systems.
• Facilitate accurate and automated design calculations, reducing manual errors.
• Generate all necessary project documentation (BOQs, load lists, schematics) in real time.
• Enable data reuse and standardization across electrical projects.

Core Functions

1. Electrical Load List Creation

SPEL allows engineers to build a detailed electrical load list, which is the foundation of any electrical design. Each load can be categorized, calculated, and linked to a specific equipment or panel, enabling accurate sizing and capacity planning. The tool also supports grouping of loads by area, voltage levels, or consumers, ensuring a clear overview of power demand and helping in effective load distribution across the plant.

2. Cable Sizing & Calculations

With SPEL, engineers can perform automated cable sizing based on load demand, voltage drop, distance, ambient conditions, and installation method. The system recommends the optimal cable type and size while ensuring compliance with electrical standards. This functionality drastically reduces manual errors, saves time, and enhances project safety by ensuring that cables can handle their intended loads without overheating or energy loss.

3. Panel and Breaker Sizing

SPEL provides intelligent tools for panel board design and breaker sizing. Engineers can define panel configurations, assign loads to circuits, and calculate breaker capacities based on load characteristics. It supports real-time updates, ensuring that any change in load reflects automatically in the panel schedule. This results in better protection design, reduced downtime, and enhanced electrical safety within the facility.

4. Intelligent Schematics

One of SPEL’s standout features is the ability to generate intelligent schematics that go beyond static drawings. These schematics are data-driven, meaning any change in design inputs reflects instantly across all associated drawings and reports. Engineers can produce loop diagrams, wiring schematics, and termination details with minimal manual effort, ensuring consistency, traceability, and reduced revision cycles during project execution.

Why Learn SP3D-Electrical & SPEL Together?

In the evolving landscape of industrial engineering and infrastructure development, the demand for integrated, intelligent, and multi-disciplinary design tools has never been higher. Learning SP3D-Electrical and SmartPlant Electrical (SPEL) certification together equips professionals with a powerful combination of 3D modeling expertise and electrical design intelligence, making them indispensable assets in the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) industry. While SPEL focuses on the core design, analysis, and documentation of electrical systems—such as load calculations, cable sizing, panel design, and schematic generation—SP3D-Electrical takes those designs and brings them to life in a spatial 3D environment, helping ensure that all electrical components are properly placed, routed, and integrated with the rest of the plant's layout. By learning both tools simultaneously, engineers can close the gap between electrical theory and physical implementation, ensuring that their designs are not only correct on paper but also practical, clash-free, and constructible on-site.

Moreover, training in both tools empowers professionals to manage the full lifecycle of electrical systems—from conceptual load distribution and wiring schematics to raceway modeling and cable routing in 3D. This dual capability leads to better coordination across disciplines such as mechanical, civil, and instrumentation, fostering a more collaborative and data-consistent environment. Projects that use both SPEL and SP3D benefit from fewer design errors, reduced rework, and shorter design cycles, thanks to improved interoperability and intelligent data flow between 2D design and 3D modeling environments. Professionals trained in both platforms are highly valued in large-scale projects where digital twins, BIM, and integrated engineering are now becoming the standard. Companies actively seek engineers with this blended skillset to reduce overhead costs, enhance project accuracy, and increase efficiency. Whether you're a fresh graduate looking to enter the field or an experienced engineer aiming to upscale your career, mastering both SP3D-Electrical and SPEL offers a strategic advantage, opening the door to more complex roles, international projects, and higher salaries. In essence, this combined knowledge bridges the design-execution gap and positions you as a multi-skilled professional ready for Industry 4.0 challenges.

Difference Between SP3D-Electrical and SPEL

Conclusion

Mastering both SP3D-Electrical and SmartPlant Electrical (SPEL) empowers professionals to bridge the gap between intelligent design and 3D electrical modeling. This dual expertise enhances project accuracy, reduces rework, and ensures smooth interdisciplinary collaboration. As industries increasingly adopt digital workflows, engineers skilled in both tools are in high demand across sectors like oil & gas, power, and infrastructure. Whether you're starting your career or upskilling, this training offers a competitive edge, better job prospects, and practical knowledge aligned with real-world engineering needs.

Embrace this opportunity to become a future-ready, multi-skilled electrical design professional. Enroll in Multisoft Systems now!