Equipment Specs and Compatible Units

The process of importing CUs and associating with equipment specs is an iterative process. Imported CUs are translated from a WMS or previous Designer Classic implementation to work with Designer XI. During implementation workshops, the customer gathers information about components, equipment, and specifications, which help identify and define how Compatible Units (CUs) are referenced in the Designer XI component library.

Designer XI does not enforce uniqueness of equipment specs but does require specs for any drawn CUs and GIS non-spatial objects like pole assemblies. Specs do not describe the equipment’s role in the network (e.g., primary, secondary) but rather the basic functionality of an equipment type and associated attributes.

Later, the role of a piece of equipment is identified through core analysis functionality built into Designer XI, which determines how it is used in the design. For example, a conductor bank attached to the high side of a transformer or to another primary has a primary role. A conductor bank attached to the low side of a transformer has a secondary role.

A CU and its equipment specification or spec equates to a component. In other words, a component is equal to one drawn item on the map in the Designer XI application or one GIS feature. Keep in mind there may be many GIS features that match to one spec (e.g., the GIS may contain thousands of 15 kVA 1 phase transformers). When pushing to GIS, a component is translated to a GIS feature.