INSPIRE ENGINEERING · IPE DESIGN

Switchboard design, estimation & engineering support.

Dedicated engineering support for Australian manufacturers. We work to the same drawings our own factory builds from — so every pack we issue is buildable, not just compliant.

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Our Core Difference

Factory-tested design.
Not just a drafting bureau.

Inspire Engineering manufactures LV switchboards and delivers electrical contracting projects. Because our engineers design for our own switchboard assembly facility, we know the real-world manufacturing constraints, busbar bending limits, component clearances, and heat dissipation challenges.

When we produce drawing packs, take-offs, or calculations for Australian switchboard builders, they are 100% production-ready, buildable, and compliant with all relevant Australian standards.

AS/NZS 61439 Assembly standards
90% Target First-pass accuracy
Dedicated Point Single named engineer
Time Zone Advantage Overnight pack turnarounds
Switchboard CAD design and schematic drawing workstation
CAD & Schematic Drafting Production-ready drawing packs
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Production-Ready Packs

Complete GAs, SLDs, escutcheons, busbar bending details, terminal schedules, and DXF sheet metal files ready for laser/punch.

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Estimating Desk Boost

Material take-offs, BOM structuring to your part numbers, copper/enclosure weights, and labor hour breakdowns to double your tender throughput.

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Calculations & Verification

Short-circuit withstand, temperature rise, voltage drop, maximum demand, and AS/NZS 61439 design verification documentation.

What we do

Three specialized engineering pillars.

Tailored specifically for LV switchboard builders, electrical contractors, and OEM panel manufacturers.

Switchboard Design & Drafting Engineering
CAD & Drafting
01

Switchboard Design & Drafting

Production-ready manufacturing drawing packs for LV switchboards, distribution boards, MCCs, control panels, and metering panels.

  • General arrangements, elevations, sections & dimensioned layouts
  • Single line diagrams (SLDs) & load schedules
  • Gear plate, component, escutcheon & door layouts
  • Busbar arrangements, support spans & jointing details
  • Control schematics, wiring diagrams, terminal & interconnection schedules
  • Sheet metal fabrication drawings & flat patterns / DXF for laser and punch
  • Cable schedules, gland plate layouts & termination details
  • Label, nameplate & engraving schedules
  • 3D models (Native + STEP) for 3D environments
  • As-built and O&M drawing updates
Switchboard assembly and material take-offs
Estimating & BOM
02

Cost Estimation & Optimisation

Take-off and pricing support for your estimating desk — lift the number of tenders you submit each week without adding local headcount.

  • Material take-offs from tender drawings, specs & consultants' briefs
  • Bills of materials (BOM) structured to your own inventory part numbering
  • Copper busbar, enclosure, switchgear & accessory quantification
  • Labour hour estimates broken down by build stage (fabrication, gear fit, wiring, test)
  • Complete quotation preparation formatted to your company template
  • Value engineering — component rationalisation & enclosure optimisation
  • Tender comparison & scope-gap / risk analysis
Engineering calculations and compliance inspection
Compliance & Verification
03

Engineering Calculations & Verification

The technical compliance evidence an assembly manufacturer has to hold and defend — under IEC 61439 internationally, and AS/NZS 61439 in Australia and New Zealand.

  • Short-circuit withstand assessment & prospective fault current review (calculation route per IEC/TR 61117)
  • Temperature rise verification per IEC/TR 60890, and busbar current-carrying capacity with enclosure derating
  • Busbar sizing, phase spacing & support span calculations
  • Maximum demand & load balancing analysis
  • Voltage drop and cable sizing / selection (IEC 60364-5-52 or AS/NZS 3008.1.1)
  • Protection discrimination, coordination studies & cascade assessment (IEC / AS 60947-2 device data)
  • Earthing and protective conductor sizing
  • Design verification documentation packs and compliance reports — issued against IEC 61439 or AS/NZS 61439 as the project requires

Compliance

Standards Framework — IEC & AS/NZS

We work to your drawing standard and your project specification first, mapping IEC standards to AS/NZS equivalents across international and Australasian projects. Where a specification and a standard conflict, we raise an RFI — we never resolve it silently.

IEC Reference AS/NZS Equivalent Scope & Application
IEC 61439 series AS/NZS 61439 series LV switchgear and controlgear assemblies — general rules, power assemblies, distribution boards, construction site assemblies, public network assemblies, busbar trunking.
IEC 60364 series AS/NZS 3000 (Wiring Rules) Electrical installations — maximum demand, RCD selection, switchboard location and access clearances, circuit protection. Comparable scope; AS/NZS 3000 is a national standard, not an IEC adoption.
IEC 60364-5-52 AS/NZS 3008.1.1 Selection of cables — current-carrying capacity, voltage drop and derating factors.
IEC 60947 series AS 60947 series LV switchgear and controlgear device ratings, coordination, selectivity and cascading.
IEC 60529 AS 60529 Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP ratings).
IEC 62262 AS 62262 Degrees of protection against external mechanical impact (IK ratings).
IEC/TR 60890 · IEC/TR 61117 Applied under the AS/NZS 61439 assessment route Temperature-rise calculation method and short-circuit withstand verification by calculation.
IEC 61641 No direct AS/NZS adoption — applied where the contract specifies it Internal arc fault testing and arc containment classification.
IEC 60204-1 AS 60204.1 Electrical equipment of machines — control panels, MCCs and machine interface circuits.
National deviations & utility connection rules SIR, Victorian SIR, NSW Service Rules, Energex / Ergon / Western Power Metering, service and connection rules for the project's jurisdiction.
Client & asset owner specifications Applied in both markets Water authorities, mining, transport / rail, oil & gas — applied strictly ahead of standard rules where more onerous.
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AS/NZS & IEC 61439 Expertise: We are fluent in the concepts that matter: Original Manufacturer (OM) vs. Assembly Manufacturer (AM) responsibilities, the three design verification routes (testing, comparison, calculation), routine verification checklists, Forms of Internal Separation (including Forms 1, 2a/2b, 3a/3b, 4a/4b), and conditions governing device substitution.

Complete Drawing & Engineering Package

What you receive.

Every proposal we issue quotes against this register, so the scope is explicit from the start with zero ambiguity.

Ref Deliverable Format Notes & Inclusions
D-01 Drawing register & cover sheet PDF DWG Revision history, sheet index, customer approval blocks.
D-02 General arrangement (GA) PDF DWG Dimensions, mass, IP rating, form of separation, ratings block.
D-03 Front elevation & escutcheon layout PDF DWG Device positions, cut-outs, door swings, label positions.
D-04 Internal / gear plate layout PDF DWG Component footprints, clearances, duct routing, chassis mounting.
D-05 Single line diagram (SLD) PDF DWG Ratings, trip settings, cable references, metering CT/VT details.
D-06 Busbar arrangement & detail PDF DWG Bar dimensions, phase spacing, supports, joints & torque schedules.
D-07 Control schematics PDF DWG Per functional unit, cross-referenced line-by-line.
D-08 Wiring & interconnection diagrams PDF DWG Wire numbering to your exact factory convention.
D-09 Terminal schedule PDF XLSX Terminal strip layout, field wiring references, internal marshalling.
D-10 Cable schedule & gland plate layout PDF XLSX Sizes, glands, entry positions, segregation & knockout details.
D-11 Label & nameplate schedule XLSX Engraving text, sizing, colours, fixing methods (screws/adhesive).
D-12 Bill of materials (BOM) XLSX Structured with your internal part numbers & supplier descriptions.
D-13 Sheet metal fabrication drawings PDF DWG DXF Flat patterns, bend allowances, punch/laser tooling & hardware.
D-14 Calculation pack PDF XLSX Assumptions explicitly stated on the face of each calculation sheet.
D-15 Design verification documentation PDF Verification route evidence adhering to AS/NZS 61439 clause 10.
D-16 3D model Native STEP Where you work in a 3D CAD/BIM environment.
D-17 As-built / O&M drawing update PDF DWG Incorporating site redlines and factory test modifications.
D-18 RFI & technical query register XLSX Issued with every pack tracking all assumptions and clarifications.

Quality Assurance

Three-gate review process.

Every drawing pack undergoes three distinct checkpoints before it is dispatched to your team.

1
Gate 1: Designer Self-Check

A formal QA check sheet covering scope, current ratings, standards compliance, busbar clearances, buildability, and layer presentation.

2
Gate 2: Independent Senior Engineer Check

Technical correctness verification, AS/NZS 61439 compliance audit, conformance to your template conventions, and cross-sheet consistency.

3
Gate 3: Buildability Review by Production Team

Manufacturability, tool access, internal assembly sequence, and fastener availability — the vital check a standard drafting bureau cannot perform.

Our Accuracy Commitment

90% First-Pass Target

We measure accuracy on every single job and report scores monthly. If any pack falls below target, you receive a written root-cause analysis within two working days.

  • No-Charge Rework: Rework caused by our error is never billed.
  • Clear Variations: Changes requested from your side are agreed upfront.
  • Dedicated Contact: Direct access to a named senior engineer — never a generic shared inbox.
  • Time Zone Overlap: Daily sync windows with Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Perth timezones. Evening dispatches land in your inbox before morning.
Engineering QA and dielectric testing on switchboard
Gate 2 & 3 Verification Routine testing & clearance audit

Buildability in Action

From CAD drawings to physical switchboards.

We see the end result of drawings every day on our own factory floor — so we know what shop floor technicians need.

Sheet metal enclosure punching and laser cutting Fabrication
01. CNC & Sheet Metal

DXF flat patterns with exact bend deductions ready for immediate turret punch & laser cutting.

Switchboard assembly and copper busbar fitting Assembly
02. Busbar & Gear Fit

Precise phase spacing, support spans, and jointing details verified for tool access.

Installed switchgear corridor and distribution boards Commissioning
03. Site Integration

Gland plates, segregation forms, and cable entries designed for effortless on-site termination.

Commercial Options

How you can engage us.

Flexible engagement models structured in Australian Dollars (AUD) to match your workflow.

Start with a Paid Trial Package

We recommend starting with a small trial package. It allows us to capture your title block, drafting templates, and part conventions while the stakes are low, giving you measurable proof of our accuracy and speed before making any longer commitment.

Request trial proposal →

Data Security & Legal Protection

Your intellectual property remains 100% yours.

All client materials — drawings, tender specifications, 3D models, calculations, pricing schedules, and proprietary parts — are treated with strict confidentiality. Work product created vests entirely in your company upon invoice settlement.

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Isolated Per-Client Storage

Dedicated encrypted client repositories with comprehensive access logging.

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Named-Account Security

Strictly individual authenticated accounts; no shared credentials, no local storage on personal devices.

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Surviving NDAs & Undertakings

Individual binding confidentiality agreements with every engineer that survive employment.

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No Team Cross-Contamination

Designated team segregation ensuring engineers do not work concurrently across competing accounts.

Inspire Engineering switchboard design & technical team
Yakkala HQ Engineering Team Dedicated engineers working to Australian standards

Get Started

Scale your design & estimating desk today.

Speak directly with our engineering management team to review your drawing standards or arrange a pilot drawing package.

Discuss with an Engineer Email Drawings for Review