Productivity gains of up to 75%, compared with manual methods of working, are being achieved by users of electrical design and testing software designed by electrical engineers.

Electrical software brings productivity gains Productivity gains of up to 75%, compared with manual methods of working, are being achieved by users of electrical design and testing software from Amtech, according to research which the company has recently carried out among its customers. The keys to these large gains are the ease of use of the software which is designed by electrical engineers for electrical engineers, the extensive range of pre-configured reports which are ready for instant printing, and the large database of manufacturers' data which makes it unnecessary for users to search out and manually enter information about transformers, cables, circuit breakers and other key installation components. 'Electrical contracting is a very competitive business, and all contractors have an essential need to control their costs', said Amtech's Sales Director, Mark Tindall.

'Our software is specifically designed to help them achieve this, without in any way compromising the quality of the service they offer'.

'The research we've done clearly demonstrates that the software successfully addresses these requirements, and that it allows large cost savings to be achieved easily', continued Tindall.

'In fact, we firmly believe that any contractor who continues to use manual methods will, in the very near future, find themselves so uncompetitive that it will be difficult, if not impossible, for their business to survive'.

The research carried out by Amtech also reveals that the software provides other benefits, such as producing better, more accurate and more comprehensive documentation, and alerting the user to possible design errors at a time when they can be corrected quickly and inexpensively.

The Amtech software range includes the ProDesign system for the design and evaluation of electrical installations, the FastTest NICEIC-endorsed test and inspection package, and the Protect protection study and device selection package which is available in LV and HV versions.

All the products have been shown to deliver major productivity benefits.

'To get the best from any software, even products as intuitive as ours, a little training is needed', said Tindall.

'For this reason, we support all of our packages with a comprehensive programme of inexpensive training courses.

In addition, we provide expert telephone support for registered users, and we issue updates on a regular basis, so that the software always reflects the latest developments in regulations and standards.

All of these elements, we believe, contribute to maximising the efficiency and productivity gains which our customers can achieve'.