Connection Point PropertyManager

The Connection Point PropertyManager appears when you create a connection point in a routing fitting (for example a flange or an elbow).

Selections

Route Sketch Segment Defines the origin of a route by selecting one or more of the following:
  • Sketches
  • Circular edges
  • Circular or cylindrical faces
  • Sketch points or vertices
The software creates an axis normal to the plane or face. When you use the fitting in a routing subassembly, the software aligns the routing segment to this axis. An arrow shows the direction in which the route exits the fitting. If the arrow is pointing in the wrong direction, select Reverse direction.
Select route type Determines the type of routing material: Tube, Fabricated Pipe, Electrical, or User Defined.
For Electrical, also select a Sub-type:

Harness

Used in routes with a bundle of wires or cables.

Cable/Wire

Used in routes with a single cable.

Conduit

Used for components such as elbows, couplings, and end fittings. Use Auto Route to join the electrical components to the end fittings of the conduit route to indicate the path for the cables or wires through the conduit.

Ducting/Trunking

Used for closed-top electrical ducting.

Cable Tray

Used for rectangular section open-top ducting.

Ribbon Cable

For ribbon cable routes.

Flex Cable

For flex cable routes.
To attach wires or cable to a conduit route, the end fitting of the conduit must also contain a Harness or Cable/Wire connection point.

Defines the User Defined route type for air-conditioning and other mechanical styles of ducting. Type a Route type name. Under Cross Section select Rectangular or Circular.

Select Reverse Direction to reverse the direction of the route.

Parameters

Nominal diameter For pipe, tube, electrical conduit, and user-defined circular fittings: The nominal diameter of the port. This dimension corresponds to the NominalDiameter@FilterSketch dimension in pipe or tube parts. If the fitting has only one configuration, you can:
  • Type a value.
  • Click Select Pipe (or Select Tube), then browse to a pipe or tube and select a configuration to use its nominal diameter.

If the fitting has multiple configurations, specify the diameters in a design table, using column header Diameter@CPoint<n>.

For electrical connectors: Use the nominal diameter to calculate an approximate size of the cable or wire route. After you add the cables or wires to the route, you can adjust the size.
Height Sets the height and width for electrical ducts, cable trays, and rectangular user-defined routes.
Width
  Select From Part

Base configuration

Select a configuration to size the component to match the fitting.

Wall thickness

Sets standard diameter or height and width values from part.
  Alignment

Switch pin1 position

Read-only.) Based on configuration.
  Stub length Specifies the default stub length to extend from the connector or fitting when you insert it into routes. If set to 0, the software uses a stub length of 1.5 times the route diameter. You can set the stub length in design tables using the parameter StubLength@CPoint<n>. For ribbon cables and flex cables, leave stub length at 0 or set it to a value greater than half the width of the cable to assure that you create the folds near the connector properly.
  Minimum straight length (For tubes only) Specifies the minimum length of straight tubing required at the beginning and end of a route. You can set the minimum straight length in design tables using the parameter MinStraightLength@CPoint<n>.
  End length adjustment (For tubes only) Specifies a value to add to the cut length of the tube.
You can set the end length adjustment in design tables using the parameter EndLengthAdjustment@CPoint<n>. In the example below, an end length adjustment provides extra tube stock for the manufacturer to grip during the bending operation. After bending, the software cuts the tube at the connection point so that you can add the fitting to the end of the route.
  Specification field name (For pipes and tubes only) Filters choices of mating components with matching specifications. An optional field in the design table for parts with multiple configurations.
  Specification value (For pipes and tubes only) If the fitting has only one configuration, enter the value associated with Specification field name. If the fitting has multiple configurations, specify the values in a design table, using column header Specification@CPoint<n>.
  Port ID (For pipes and tubes only) Specifies the equipment routing ports used when you define a routing assembly from a P&ID file. Equipment routing ports determine routing connections. Without the port ID, SOLIDWORKS Routing connects equipment from the port with the closest matching diameter.
  Additional internal wire length (For electrical only) Specifies a value to add to the cut length of the cable to allow for strip back, termination, and so on.
You can also add to the cut length of the cable by setting a slack percentage in Routing Options. The software increases the calculated cut length of cable by the slack percentage to account for sagging, kinks, and so on, that may occur in actual installations.
  2D Schematic pin id (For electrical only) This field is only available for existing CPoints. Sets the connector pin numbers. If the connector is multipin and has multiple CPoints for each pin number, this option sets the corresponding pin number. If the connector is a multipin connector but has only one CPoint, this option sets all the pin numbers separated by a comma (,), for example 1,2,3,4.

(For ribbon cable and flex cable only) Sets the width of the cable.

(For ribbon cable and flex cable only) Sets the thickness of the cable.

Select Cable

(For ribbon cable and flex cable only) Sets the width and thickness values by selecting a ribbon cable from the Cable/Wire Library.

Alignment

(For ribbon cable and flex cable only) Specifies an edge with which to align the width of the cable.

Switch pin1 position

(For ribbon cable only) Switches the side designated as the Pin1 side as shown in the preview. In the cable assembly, the software indicates the Pin1 position by a red stripe along the cable.

Flip alignment direction

Switches the normal direction for flex cables, rectangular ducts, or cable trays.

Assign Port ID Information

You can assign port ID or pin information to the connection points through the Connection Point PropertyManager.

For the route type Electrical, the software displays the Assign Pin Information section. For the route types Tube and Fabricated Pipe, the software displays the Assign Port ID Information section.

Selected Entities Displays the entities from the Selections section.
CPoint Name Displays the connection point name, which you can edit.
Port ID or Pin Number Displays the port ID or pin number, which you can edit.

To create the connection points for the Selected Entities, select the check box for each row.