SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic - Exercise 10

In this exercise, you learn how to create a cabinet layout.

This exercise is based on the electrical project you created in SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic - Exercise 9. If you did not complete it, you can download this electrical project file and unarchive it in SOLIDWORKS Electrical.

For reference while following this exercise, open, or download and print this PDF document.

Generating Cabinet Layout Drawings

First, generate the L1 cabinet layout drawing in the Cabinet layout folder.
  1. Click Process > 2D cabinet layout .
  2. In the Creation of 2D cabinet layout drawings dialog box, select L1 in the list of locations.
  3. Click […] to select the destination folder and create the Cabinet layout folder.
  4. Open the 2D layout drawing corresponding to the L1 location.
Next, execute the drawing list again to include the above drawing in this list.

2D Cabinet Layout

If the 2D cabinet layout drawing is not open, open it and insert the cabinet, ducts, rails, and components so that it complies with Appendix #10A.

  1. Right-click the 09113 reference and select Insert as cabinet .
  2. Insert the block inside the drawing and enter 1:3 as the best scale factor.
  3. Right-click the next component and select Insert as duct.
  4. In the graphics area, click a second point to define the duct length or enter a value in the Update length PropertyManager.
    You can use the Orientation options to turn the block. You can activate or deactivate the drawing locks to adjust the ducts.
  5. Right-click the 009213 reference and select Insert as rail.

    The placement is similar to the ducts.

  6. Click Cabinet layout > Add rail to add the missing rail.
  7. Right-click the manufacturer part assigned to F1 and select Insert to insert the F1 component.
  8. Select the F2, F3, and F4 components and insert them in the same way as the previous step.

    A dialog box opens allowing you to change the insertion order.

  9. Insert the 2D footprints corresponding to all the other components except the PLC N1.
  10. Right-click a terminal and select Insert terminal strip.
  11. Place the first terminal and keep the default options.

    All the other terminals are automatically inserted.

  12. The 2D footprint associated with N1 is not available.

    To insert it, SOLIDWORKS Electrical uses the generic 2D footprint. Edit the manufacturer part assigned to N1 and attach the AL2-10MR 2D footprint or download it from the ECP.