SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic - Exercise 8

In this exercise, you learn how to manage the PLCs.

This exercise is based on the electrical project you created in SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic - Exercise 7. If you did not complete it, you can download this electrical project file and unarchive it in SOLIDWORKS Electrical.

PLC Management

Add thisPLC:
  • Brand: Schneider Electric

    Part: TWDLCDA16DRF

    Nine Digital inputs + Seven Digital outputs

  1. Click Electrical project > PLCs .
  2. Click PLC management > Add PLC > PLC manufacturer part.
  3. Allocate the requested part.

Input/Output Management

  1. Create the following:
    • Nine digital inputs with Sensor #1 to Sensor #9 designations
    • Seven digital outputs with Solenoid #101 to Solenoid #107 designations
  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click PLC management > Inputs/Outputs .
    • Click Electrical project > Inputs/Outputs .
  3. Click Inputs/Output management > Add several Inputs/Outputs > Digital PLC Input.
  4. Add the nine digital inputs and seven digital outputs that you created.
  5. Select the channel and click Properties to add a description.
    You can also select the channel by clicking Description.
Next, save the digital inputs in a macro.
  1. Select the inputs to create the PLC macro.
  2. In Input/Output management, select the User I/O group.
  3. Click Input/Output management > Save into macros to add the macro to the group you created.
Next, associate this I/O with the N1 PLC channels.
  1. In PLC management, select the nine Digital PLC inputs and click Associate I/O.
  2. In PLC management, select the nine Digital PLC inputs and click Select.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the seven Digital PLC outputs.
Next, insert a page break between the inputs and outputs.
  1. Click Electrical projects > PLCs .
  2. Right-click the last Digital PLC input and select Add/Remove a page break.

Editing the Macro Associated with a Circuit

In the PLC board drawing configuration, the circuits are associated with a macro. Edit the macro associated with the digital input to replace the pressure sensor symbol with a thermal sensor symbol.
  1. Do one of the following to open the PLC drawing configuration:
    • Click Electrical project > Configurations > PLC drawing.
    • In the panel, right-click an electrical project and select Configurations > PLC drawing.
  2. In the Configuration dialog box, open the properties of the configuration.
  3. In PLC drawing configuration, under Circuits, for Circuit type, select Digital PLC input.

    The module is drawn in the upper part of the drawing.

  4. Under Symbol on top, click Macro modification.

    The macro is added to the Pages tab of the panel and opens in the graphics area.

  5. Right-click a symbol, select Symbol > Replace and select a pressure sensor symbol.
  6. Close the macro.

    The configuration automatically updates.

Generating PLC Drawings

You can generate PLC drawings and redirect them to a folder titled PLCs and open the drawings to complete them according to Appendix 8.
  1. Click Project > PLCs .
  2. In PLCs manager, click Generate drawings .
  3. In the Selection of: Books, Folder dialog box, click New folder and create the PLCs folder.
  4. Select the folder.

    The drawings are generated automatically.