- Prerequisites For Electrical Routing
Before you begin an electrical route subassembly, have the following available:
- Creating a Route for Connectors to be Components of the Subassembly
- Creating a Route for Connectors to be Components of Main Assembly
- Auto Route
The Auto Route tool automatically creates route geometry. For example, in the case of electrical routing, a spline is generated to connect the short stub lines of the connectors and create a route.
- From-To List
The From-To List is an Excel spreadsheet that defines:
- Flatten Route
- Electrical Connectors
You can use electrical connector parts supplied with the software, or create your own parts. Follow these steps to make connectors.
- Inline Components
- Creating Custom Connector Tables Templates
- Cable Clips
Cable clips and other similar hardware (cable clamps, tie wraps, brackets, and so on) are often used to restrain electrical cables or flexible tubes at selected points along their route.
- Edit Wires
After you define paths between connectors in the route subassembly, you can associate cable/wire data with the paths. The route diameter updates to reflect the diameter of the cables or wires you select for each path.
- Displaying Electrical Attributes
When editing a cable route, you can query the electrical attributes of the selected route segment.
- Electrical Attributes PropertyManager
The Electrical Attributes PropertyManager appears when, while editing a cable route, you query the electrical attributes of the selected route segment.
- Bends
You can create bends and tangency at the junction of three cable segments.
- Splices
You can add splices to electrical routes.
- Manually Defining Connectivity Data
If you create an electrical route using Start by Drag/Drop, you can define connectivity data in the Edit Wires PropertyManager without specifying paths. Then you can use Guidelines in the Auto Route PropertyManager to manipulate the paths.
- Ribbon Cables
You can model flexible or folded ribbon cable routes.
- Flex Cables
You can route single strip flex cables between two connectors as part of electrical routes from and selecting Flex Cable as the subroute type. You can also drag and drop a flex cable component into a route assembly.
- Electrical Ducting, Trunking and, Cable Tray
- Standard Cables and Tubes
You can create a library of standard cables and tubes. The information for standard cables and tubes is stored in an Excel spreadsheet.
- Bill of Materials for Electrical Routes
In a flattened drawing of an electrical route, you can insert the following tables that display items specific to electrical routes:
- Selecting Wires for Electrical Library
Select wires or cables to use in the route in the Electrical Library dialog box, which appears when you click Add Wires in the Edit Wires PropertyManager.
- Import Cable/Wire Data PropertyManager