Routing Options

Options for Routing are available if the SolidWorks Routing add-in is activated. You can also change routing file locations.

To specify routing options:

Either:

1. Click Options (Standard toolbar) or Tools, Options.

2. On the System Options tab, select Routing.

Reset All returns all system options, not only those on the active page, to the system defaults.

- or -

1. Click Routing, Routing Tools, Routing Options Setup.

2. Select the Settings tab.

General routing settings

Automatically route on drop of flanges/connectors. Select to automatically create a route sub-assembly and start a route when a routing component such as a flange, tube fitting, or electrical connector is dropped into an assembly.

Automatically route on drop of clips. For flexible tubes and electrical cables. Select to automatically generate a spline from the current route end through a drag-and-drop clip when the clip is placed in a route.

Use automatic naming for route parts. When selected, the software automatically assigns names for route parts. When cleared, the software asks you to enter a name whenever a route part or assembly is created.

Always use default document template for routes. When selected, the software automatically uses the default template specified in the Routing Template field in Routing File Locations. When cleared, the software asks you to specify a template whenever a route assembly is created.

Automatically create sketch fillets. Automatically add fillets at intersections as you sketch. The fillet radius is based on the selected elbow part, bend radius, or maximum cable diameter. This option applies only to 3D sketches that are used as paths of routing assemblies.

Automatically add dimensions to route stubs. Dimensions the length of the stubs that extend from connectors or fittings to ensure that these route segments update correctly when the connectors or fittings are moved.

Enable route error checking. In addition to standard error checking, checks routes for the following errors and flags affected items with in the FeatureManager design tree and What’s Wrong dialog box.

In piping and tubing routes:

• Missing elbows. Detects missing or deleted fillets and arcs.

• Missing constraints. Detects missing or deleted constraints at tees, crosses, etc.

• Misaligned reducers. Detects misaligned route property values at reducers.

In electrical routes

• Minimum bend radius violations.

Display error balloons. (Available only when Enable route error checking is selected.) Displays error messages where you can click How do I fix this? for detailed suggestions for fixing the error.

Component rotation increment (degrees). You can rotate elbows, tees, and crosses during placement by holding down Shift and pressing the left and right arrow keys. Select a value for the rotation increment in degrees.

Text size for connection and route points. Scales text for connection and route points to a fraction of the document's note font. At the bottom of the size range, the text disappears but you can still select the points.

Include coverings in the Bill of Materials. Includes coverings in BOMs for routing assemblies.

Save route assembly externally. Saves route assembly as an external file. Clear to save the route as a virtual component, instead.

Save route parts externally. Saves routing components as an external file. Clear to save components as a virtual component, instead.

Piping/Tubing

Create custom fittings. Automatically creates custom configurations of the default elbow fitting when needed. This is done only in cases where a standard elbow configuration can be cut down to create a custom elbow.

If your company standards do not permit cut-down elbows, clear Create custom fittings. You may need to modify the 3D sketch to use only fillets with standard bend angles.

Create pipes on open line segments. Generates a pipe for 3D sketch segments that are connected to a fitting at only one end. For example, if you have not yet added a flange at the end of the route, the last segment of the sketch (beyond the last fitting in the run) is an open segment. If this option is cleared, no pipe is generated on the open segment.

Electrical cabling

Enable minimum bend radius check for cables. Reports an error if the bend radius of an arc or spline in the route is less than the minimum specified for the cable in the cable library.

Enable minimum bend radius check for wires. Reports an error if the bend radius of an arc or spline in the route is less than the minimum specified for the individual wire or cable core in the cable library. If there are many wires in the assembly, this option might result in slower performance.

A default bend radius check is always performed on tubing and electrical routes. It reports an error if the bend radius of an arc or spline in the route is less than three times the tube or bundle diameter.

Slack percentage. Automatically increases the calculated cut length of electrical cable by the slack percentage to account for sagging, kinks, and so on, that may occur in actual installations.