TOC

Electrical Wire Routing Preface What's New? Getting Started Basic Tasks Advanced Tasks Workbench Description Customizing Glossary Index

© Dassault Systèmes 1994-2000. All rights reserved.

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Preface

Preface The CATIA Version 5 Electrical Wire Routing is a new generation product which manages the definition of electrical wires within the digital mock-up according to the functional definition of electrical signal. It enables the users to solve complex routing problems within the context of the physical mock-up. The CATIA - Electrical Wire Routing offers the following main functions: Routing an electrical signal defined in the functional system Define electrical wires on bundle segments Define electrical signal routes on pathways Assign, manage and optimize electrical wire connection location Split and merge electrical wire connections Access electrical wire definition from catalogs Assign wire to termination Export wire route in a flat file Integration with VPM1 on Unix platform. As a scalable product, CATIA Version 5 Electrical Wire Routing can be used in cooperation with other current or future companion products of the next CATIA generation such as CATIA Version 5 Electrical Librarian and CATIA Version 5 Electrical System Functional Design. Using This Guide More Information

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Using This Guide

Using This Guide This guide is intended for the user who needs to become quickly familiar with the CATIA Electrical Wire Routing Version 5 product. The user should be familiar with basic CATIA Version 5 concepts such as document windows, standard and view toolbars. To get the most out of this guide, we suggest you start reading and performing the step-by-step tutorial "Getting Started". The next sections deal with the more detailed capabilities of the product.

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More Information

Where to Find More Information Prior to reading this book, we recommend that you read the CATIA - Infrastructure User's Guide. The CATIA - Assembly Design and CATIA - V4 Integration Version 5 User's Guides may prove useful, as well as the CATIA - Systems Space Reservation and CATIA - Electrical System Functional Definition. Certain conventions are used in CATIA documentation to help you recognize and understand important concepts and specifications

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Conventions

Conventions Certain conventions are used in CATIA, ENOVIA & DELMIA documentation to help you recognize and understand important concepts and specifications. The following text conventions may be used: The titles of CATIA documents appear in this manner throughout the text. File -> New identifies the commands to be used. The use of the mouse differs according to the type of action you need to perform. Use this mouse button, whenever you read Select (menus, commands, geometry in graphics area, ...) Click (icons, dialog box buttons, tabs...) Double-click Shift-click Ctrl-click Check (check boxes) Drag Drag and drop (icons onto objects, objects onto objects) Drag Move Right-click (to select contextual menu)

Graphic conventions are denoted as follows: indicates the estimated time to accomplish a task.

indicates a target of a task. indicates the prerequisites. indicates the scenario of a task. indicates tips indicates a warning.

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Conventions

indicates information. indicates the end of a task. indicates functionalities that are new or enhanced with this Release. Enhancements can also be identified by a blue-colored background in the left-hand margin.

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What's New

What's New? This table identifies what new or improved capabilities have been documented in Version 5 Release 5 of the CATIA Electrical Wire Routing. New: CATIA - Knowledgeware is now used to manage pathway-signal compatibility. Inter-signal compatibility makes the route optimization easier. Separation code settings: a signal-arc rule option is now available for the file based separation code, a rule based separation code is now available, with signal-signal and signal-arc options. Extremity color: the color of the extremity boxes can now be customized. Enhanced: The signal priorities defined in the Electrical System Functional Definition application are now taken into account.

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Getting Started

Getting Started Before getting into the detailed instructions for using CATIA - Electrical Wire Routing Version 5, the following tutorial provides a step-by-step scenario demonstrating how to use key functionalities. Before starting this scenario, you should be familiar with the basic commands common to all workbenches. These are described in the CATIA - Infrastructure User's Guide. The main tasks proposed in this section are: Accessing the Workbench Creating the Bundle Defining the Context Routing a Signal Automatically Moving a Wire Connection All together, these tasks should take about 10 minutes to complete.

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Accessing the Workbench

Accessing the Electrical Wire Routing Workbench This task explains how to set up the environment. 1. Choose the Electrical Wire Routing item from the Start -> Equipments & Systems menu. The Electrical Wire Routing workbench is displayed and ready to use.

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Creating the Bundle

Creating the Bundle This task shows you how to create a bundle. A bundle is a document containing wires. Open the DemoSession.CATProduct. 1. Select the New Bundle icon . You are prompted to select a product in the specification tree. 2. Click Product1. The bundle is created. The feature is added to the specification tree.

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Defining the Context

Defining the Routing Context This task shows you how to choose the context, it is to say the signal to route and the entity it belongs to. The DemoSession.CATProduct is still open from the previous task. 1. Double-click to activate the newly created bundle.

2. Select the signal in the combo box: Signal-A.1

The routing context is defined. The extremities of the signal are visualized as shown below: A box is displayed to help you recognize the extremities of the signal.

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Defining the Context

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Routing a Signal Automatically

Routing a Signal Automatically This task shows you how to route a signal. The DemoSession.CATProduct is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Automatic Routing icon . The route is computed. If required, the connections between wires are created.

The wires and connections are added to the specification tree.

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Routing a Signal Automatically

Place the mouse pointer over a wire in the specification tree to highlight in the model the entities contained in the wire route.

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Moving a Wire Connection

Moving a Wire Connection This task shows you how to move the wire connection, leading to a wire modification. The DemoSession.CATProduct is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Move Wire Connection icon . You are prompted to select the connection to be moved. 2. Select the wire connection. The Wire Connection Selection dialog box opens.

3. Select the segment(s) on which you want to sweep the connection. 4. Press OK to validate. The wire connection has been moved to the segment other extremity and the wires have been consequently elongated or reduced.

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Basic Tasks

Basic Tasks The Basic Tasks section explains and illustrates how to create various kinds of features. The table below lists the information you will find. Starting... Creating the Session... Defining the Routing Context Working with Wires Working with Signal Routes Working with Wire Connections Using Catalogs (if ELB) V4 Interoperability VPM1 Interoperability

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Starting...

Starting with Electrical Wire Routing... This task shows you how to launch the Electrical Wire Routing workbench. 1. Choose the Electrical Wire Routing item from the Start -> Equipments & Systems menu. The Electrical Wire Routing workbench is displayed and ready to use.

You can add the Electrical Wire Routing workbench to your Favorites, using the Tools -> Customize item. For more information, refer to CATIA V5 - Infrastructure User's Guide.

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Creating the Session...

Creating the Session This task shows you how to create the working session. 1. Choose the New... item from the File menu. The dialog box opens:

2. Select the Product type and click OK. 3. Using the Insert -> Existing Component... item, select the documents containing: the functional system (Electrical System Functional Definition CATProduct) the V4 electrical model or the Systems Space Reservation CATProduct. 4. Save the document.

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Defining the Routing Context

Defining the Routing Context Create the bundle to receive the wire and the connection. Select the signal to be routed through wires and connections.

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Creating a Bundle

Creating a Bundle This task shows you how to create a bundle. A bundle is a document containing wires. Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document from the samples directory. 1. Select the New Bundle icon . You are prompted to choose the product it belongs to in the specification tree. 2. Choose Startup. The bundle is created. The feature is added to the specification tree.

3. Double-click the bundle to activate it before creating the wires. A bundle is associated to a geometrical bundle by the wires it contains.

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Selecting the Signal

Selecting the Signal Once the bundle is created, you need to select the signal to complete the routing context definition. The StartupSession.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. There are two ways to select the signal: using the combo list using the Signal multi-selection dialog box. Using the combo list

1. Click the Signal field. 2. Drag the mouse to Signal-3.1.

When you release the mouse button, the signal is selected (Signal-3.1). Using the Signal multi-selection dialog box 1. Click the Select Signal icon . The Signal Selection dialog box opens. 2. Select one or several signals using Ctrl key.

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Selecting the Signal

Note that the Rank allows you to choose the selection order during the automatic routing, taking into account possible Priority orders. In our example, Signal-1.1 will be routed first, then the other signals according to their rank. For more information, please refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition user's guide, chapter Creating Signals, step Attributes. 3. Click OK to validate. You have created the bundle and set up the context. The Signal Selection dialog box looks like this:

Note that the wire connections and signal extremities are shown on the model when one signal only is selected. When working in multi-selection, switch the combo to the desired signal to display the connections.

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Working with Wires

Working with Wires Create a Wire in an existing V4 bundle segment Automatic Routing: finds the shortest route, taking advantage of knowledgeware Modifying the Route: changes the signal route through the network Deleting a wire also deletes the unused connection.

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Creating a Wire

Creating a Wire (Manual Mode) This task shows you how to create wires. Electrical wires are created into a bundle that realizes a functional signal. In this section, you will work on electrical signals to be routed in a bundle network created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire Bundle Installation Version 4. The next section concerns the space reservation network created within CATIA Systems Space Reservation Version 5. Open the StartupSession1.CATProduct document. 1. Select the Signal-1.1 in the Signal combo box.

2. Double-click to activate the bundle. 3. Select the New Wire icon . You are prompted to select the segments to map out the wire route. 4. Click the following segments:

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Creating a Wire

The Selection dialog box opens. As soon as a segment is selected, the window is updated.

5. Enter a name for the wire: W1 6. Press OK to validate. The wire has been created and added to the specification tree:

Wires belonging to two different geometrical bundles cannot be created in a same bundle document. The wire extremities are automatically connected to the electrical terminations if it corresponds to the signal extremity. The wire extremities are automatically connected to the wire connection if one exists as an extremity in the signal.

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Routing a Wire

Routing a Wire (Automatic Mode) This task shows you how to route a wire automatically. The algorithm optimizes the wire route according to company criteria, with the following capabilities: find the shortest wire route route multiple extremities signals route several signals at a time in compliance with a priority and a rank order manage available areas in the pathway manage separation code for compatibility between signal and pathway with a compatibility table and CATIA knowledgeware position automatically the connections at the wire forks. Open the StartupSession1.CATProduct document. 1. Set up the routing context with two signals:

Note that the Rank allows you to choose the selection order during the automatic routing, taking into account possible Priority orders. In our example, Signal-1.1 will be routed first, then the other signals according to their rank. For more information, please refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition user's guide, chapter Creating Signals, step Attributes.

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Routing a Wire

2. Double-click to activate the bundle on which you want to route the wires. 3. Select the Automatic Routing icon

.

After computation, the result looks like this:

The shortest route has been found and the connections created.

The wire extremities are automatically connected according to the signal definition: Termination (ETN) to termination if terminations exist Connector (ECP) to connector if connectors exist Equipment (EQT) to equipment if equipments exist.

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Modifying a Wire Route

Modifying a Wire Route This task shows you how to modify a wire route. The StartupSession1.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Modify Route icon . You are prompted to select the wire to be modified. 2. Choose Wire3 in the specification tree.

The wire route is highlighted.

3. The Route Modification dialog box opens.

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Modifying a Wire Route

4. Click the segments you want to deselect, then the segments to define the new route. 5. Press OK to validate.

The route has been modified and the wires recomputed. The wire extremities are automatically connected to the electrical termination if it corresponds to the signal extremity. The wire extremities are automatically connected to the wire connection if one exists as an extremity in the signal.

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Deleting a Wire

Deleting a Wire This task shows you how to delete a wire. The StartupSession1.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the wire in the specification tree: Wire3 2. Press the Delete key or right-click to use the contextual menu: Delete.

The wire is deleted. If the wire is linked to a connection, this connection will also be removed when deleting the wire, if it is no longer used.

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Working with Signal Routes

Working with Signal Routes Reconciling: Associate the functional and the physical objects. Creating: Route automatically on the signal selected. Deleting: Remove the signal selected.

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Reconciling Objects

Reconciling Objects This task prepares the signal route creation on pathways. In this section, you will work on electrical signals to be routed in a space reservation network (pathways) created within CATIA Systems Space Reservation Version 5. You will first reconcile the functional with the physical objects then create the signal route. Two cases are available: reconciling a functional connector with a physical connector: all the functional connectors belonging to a functional equipment must be reconciled with physical connectors belonging to the same reservation box (ArrBox). reconciling a functional equipment with a physical equipment: a physical connector must be specifically created, representing the signal connection point onto the physical equipment. In this case, the physical equipment has an extra connector which does not exist in the functional definition. Open the SSRSession.CATProduct document.

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Reconciling Objects

1. Select the Reconcile Equipment icon

.

2. Select the FunctEquipment1 functional equipment in the specification tree. 3. Select the connector of the first ArrBox. The connector and the ArrBox are renamed to visualize the reconciliation: ElecConnector...(FunctEquipment1FunctEquipment1)and ArrBox (FunctEquipment1) The FunctEquipment1 icon is now shown like this in the specification tree: 4. Repeat the step 1 to 3 for the other two equipments. The system looks like this:

How is the renaming done? The functional equipment (FunctEquipment) has an unique reference designator: FunctEquipment1 It is linked or not to connectors (Cnt): Cnt1/Cnt2 etc. The physical equipment (ArrBox) has an instance name: Item Reservation1.1 The physical connector has an instance name from the catalog: Desc_1.1 During the reconciliation, if the functional equipment has no connector, the selection of the ArrBox then of the functional equipment induce the mapping of the two names: the ArrBox instance name becomes FunctEquipment1 and the physical connector name ElecConnector(FunctEquipment1FunctEquipment1). If the functional equipment is composed of a functional connector Cnt1, the ArrBox file:///E|/Www/ADGdocR5/EwrEnglish/ewrug.doc/src/ewrugbt0404.htm (2 of 3) [09/25/2000 10:36:16]

Reconciling Objects

instance name becomes FunctEquipment1 and the physical connector name ElecConnector(Cnt1). A functional equipment which is not reconciled with a physical connector is shown like this: After reconciliation, it becomes:

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Creating a Signal Route

Creating a Signal Route This task shows you how create a signal route on pathways. The SSRSession.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Signal1.1 in the combo box

.

2. Select the Automatic Routing icon . The signal is routed and the routes are added to the specification tree.

Managing the pathway-signal compatibility through the CATIA Knowledgeware optimizes the automatic routing action.

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Deleting a Signal Route

Deleting a Signal Route This task shows you how to delete a signal route. The SSRSession.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the signal route to be deleted in the specification tree: SignalRoute2 2. Press the Delete key or right-click to use the contextual menu: -> Delete.

The signal route is deleted.

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Working with Wire Connections

Working with Wire Connections Create a connection on the active bundle to link several wires of a same signal. Move a connection to the segment other extremity. The wires will be resized. Deleting a connection links the wires.

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Creating a Wire Connection

Creating a Wire Connection (Manual Mode) This task shows you how create a connection between several wires. Open the StartupSession2.CATProduct document. 1. Double-click to activate the bundle. 2. Select the New Wire Connection icon

.

3. Select W1 then W3 in the specification tree. The Selection dialog box opens.

4. Enter the name of this connection: Cnx1. 5. Press OK to validate. The wire connection has been created and the wires computed.

The Wire Connection has been added to the specification tree.

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Creating a Wire Connection

Basic checks are performed during the creation: for example, two different signals cannot be linked.

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Moving a Wire Connection

Moving a Wire Connection This task shows you how change the wire connection location on a wire. The StartupSession2.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Move Connection icon

.

2. Select the wire connection to be moved in the specification tree. You are prompted to select the segments along which you want to sweep the connection. 3. Select the segments as shown below:

The Selection dialog box opens. For each selected segment, the wire connection location will be inverted to the other segment extremity. 4. Click OK to validate. The connection has been moved to the segments other extremity and the wires have been resized.

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Moving a Wire Connection

Moving a connection to the location of another one is equivalent to merge them. The resulting wires with a zero length are removed.

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Deleting a Wire Connection

Deleting a Wire Connection This task shows you how delete a wire connection and what's the result on the wires. The StartupSession2.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task.. 1. Select the Delete Connection icon

.

2. Select the connection to be deleted: Cnx1. The Reconnect Wire dialog box opens with the list of the wires impacted. It lets you choose between several alternatives: Link Unlink Clear Selection

Link: when at least two wires are selected in the list, the Link button becomes available. Clicking Link merges them together. Unlink: when two (or more) wires have been linked, selecting one of them selects both (or more). Clicking Unlink breaks the link. In the list they are merged with Nothing. Clear Selection: deselect the wire(s) in the list. 3. Select w1 and w3. 4. Click Link. 5. Press OK to validate. The connection is removed and the wires resized. On this image, the new w1 is highlighted.

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Deleting a Wire Connection

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Using Catalogs (if ELB)

Accessing Wires Definition From Catalog Using Electrical Library Using catalog is possible only if the CATIA Electrical Library license is available. The Catalog icon

is then added to the toolbar.

This task shows you how get wire reference from a catalog. Open the StartupSession4.CATProduct document from the samples directory. The specification tree looks like this:

1. Select the Catalog Browser icon . The Catalog Browser dialog box opens. 2. If needed, navigate using the Browse button to select the CatalogOfWires.catalog. 3. Double-click to open the Power Wires. The content is displayed. 4. Double-click ElecBundle_1 to activate the bundle in the specification tree. 5. Select the PN-WAR-1480P wire in the list.

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Using Catalogs (if ELB)

6. Drag and drop the icon onto the W2 wire in the specification tree. The wire is updated and renamed with the catalog wire reference: the wire is replaced by the reference from the catalog and gets its name, color, diameter, etc. the wire retains its contextual properties as length, link to the functional signal, etc.

7. When you are satisfied with the result, Close the Catalog Browser. Note that you can also apply the wire definition onto a functional signal:

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Using Catalogs (if ELB)

1. Select the Catalog Browser icon . The Catalog Browser dialog box opens. 2. Double-click or Browse to open the Power Wire catalog. The catalog is displayed. 3. Double-click System-EFD to activate the functional system in the specification tree. 4. Select a wire specification (PN-PLE-2318F for example) in the list, drag and drop it onto the Signal-4.1 functional signal. The wires linked to the physical signal selected (Signal-4.1) are replaced by the reference from the catalog: the wires get the catalog reference name, color, diameter, etc. the wires retain their contextual properties as length, link to the functional signal, etc.

5. When you are satisfied with the result, Close the Catalog Browser. The reference wire attributes are listed in a csv file. This file lets you define a mapping between chapter keywords and the attributes of the wire component type. For more information, refer to CATIA - Electrical Library User's Guide

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V4 Interoperability

V4 Interoperability This task explains how to work with CATIA Version 4 using data from CATIA Version 5. Open the StartupSession1.CATProduct document. When you are in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench, the Export Wires... item is added to the Tools Menu. 1. Select the Signal 1.1.1 in the combo box. 2. Double-click the bundle to activate it. 3. Click the Automatic Routing icon . The signal is routed and the wires have been added to the specification tree. 4. Choose the Tools -> Export Wires... menu item. The File dialog box opens:

5. Enter the name of the file. 6. Click OK to validate. A .csv file is created with the specification of the wires, as shown below.

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V4 Interoperability

The .csv files are available in CATIA.Electrical Wire Bundle Installation and CATIA.Electrical Generative Formboard in the context of the Supplemental CATIA V4-V5 Wire Routing. They allow the user to work on wires in version 4, what was not possible earlier. The csv file format lets you import and export electrical data. They are text files and can therefore be created using a simple text editor. The advantage of using these files is that you can import and export onto any platform.

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VPM1 Interoperability

VPM1 Interoperability Using VPM1 is possible only if the CATIA - V4 Integration license is available and if you work on UNIX platform. The VPM1 toolbar then is added to the workbench. For more information about VPM1 Interoperability, refer to Building a CATIA V5 Product from a VPM1 PSN Window in CATIA - V4 Integration. This task explains how to save CATIA Version 5 electrical data in VPM1. Before performing this scenario, the following documents, provided in the samples directory, have to be stored in VPM1 using the standard functionalities of VPM1 interoperability: Bundle.CATProduct System-Sample.CATProduct MODEL-V4-ELECTRICAL-SAMPLE.model Make sure that the appropriate windows in both VPM1 and CATIA are active each time you perform an operation. 1. Launch VPM1. 2. Run the PSN on the branch where the three documents have been saved. 3. Expand the branch and you should get:

4. In this window, select the .CATProduct documents and the model to open them with CATIA V5. The session is built:

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VPM1 Interoperability

5. Create a wire in Electrical Wire Routing workbench. The wire is added to the specification tree:

6. Click the Save in VPM icon . The Bundle.CATProduct document is updated in VPM1. In addition, the csv file is automatically generated (see Export Wires...). The Create & Save dialog box opens in VPM to let you enter the required information for this new document creation:

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VPM1 Interoperability

After the new document has been created in VPM, the PSN window looks like this:

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Advanced Tasks

Advanced Tasks The Advanced Tasks you will perform in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench involve wire connection capabilities and routing simulation. The table below lists the information you will find. Working with Wire Connections Wire Extremity Management Routing Simulation Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility during Automatic Routing with Knowledgeware

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Working with Wire Connections

Working with Wire Connections Merging Wire Connections: Create a unique connection, linking wires from several connections located at the same place. Splitting a Wire Connection: Create several connections and reconnect the wires.

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Merging Wire Connections

Merging Wire Connections This task shows you how to merge connections linking several wires at the same location. Open the ConnectionSession.CATProduct document. 1. Select the Merge Connection icon . You are prompted to select the connections to be merged. 2. Select the first connection in the specification tree: WireConnection1. The Select Connections dialog box opens.

3. Cntl-select the connections to be merged. 4. Press OK to validate. The connections have been merged in one.

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Merging Wire Connections

The specification tree displays only one connection.

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Splitting Wire Connection

Splitting a Wire Connection This task shows you how to split a connection and what to do with the wires. The ConnectionSession.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task. 1. Select the Split Connection icon . You are prompted to select the connection to be split. 2. Select WireConection2. The Reconnect Wires dialog box opens with the list of the wires and their status. It lets you choose between several alternatives: Link to 1st Connection Link to 2nd Connection Unlink this Wire Clear Selection Link to 1st Connection: when at least a wire is selected in the list, the Link to 1st Connection button becomes available. Clicking it connects the wire. Link to 2nd Connection: when at least a wire is selected in the list, the Link to 2nd Connection button becomes available. Clicking it connects the wire. Unlink this Wire: Clicking Unlink this Wire breaks the link. In the list the wire is linked to Nothing. Clear Selection: deselect the wire(s) in the list. 3. Select the wires you want to link to the same connection and press the corresponding button. the result looks like this:

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Splitting Wire Connection

4. Press OK to validate. The connection has been split and renamed in WireConnectionSp1 and WireConnectionSp2.

You cannot split a connection leaving a wire not connected. If you want to split a connection in three, you first split it in two then repeat the operation.

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Splitting Wire Connection

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Wire Extremity Management

Wire Extremities Management This task explains how to manage the wire extremities with regard to the physical connector. Open the WireExtManagement.CATProduct document. 1. Select the Extremity Management icon You are prompted to select a connector.

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2. Select CONNECTOR-DEF-C1 in the specification tree or in the model.

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Wire Extremity Management

The Wire Extremities Management dialog box opens, displaying the following information: in the upper frame: the list of wires connected to each electrical termination (Term) of the selected connector, in the case of a mating connector, the list of wires respectively connected to each termination of the mating connector. in the lower frame (Wires Not Affected): the wires not affected to the selected connector.

In case of the selection of a mating connector, the dialog box looks like this:

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Wire Extremity Management

Let's see the different commands available: Affect Deaffect Reaffect Create Bridge Wire Delete Bridge Wire All these commands respect the signal continuity principle, that is to say that it is not possible to connect two or more wires which are not belonging to the same signal. The Affect command is selected. 3. Select the wire in the lower frame: Wire2 4. Select an electrical termination in the upper frame: The wire is affected to the connector onto this termination.

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Wire Extremity Management

6. Select the wire in the upper frame: Wire2 7. Select the termination on which you want to connect the wire. The connection is modified. Note that the lower frame is disabled.

8. Select the Deaffect command. 9. Select the wire in the upper frame: Wire2 The wire is "disconnected" and moved to the lower frame. Note that the lower frame is disabled.

10. Select the Automatic Affectation button. All the wires in the lower frame are affected to the empty pins of the connector in the same order. Use the Reaffect command to modify the connection.

11. Select the Initial Configuration button to reset the dialog box.

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Wire Extremity Management

12. Select the Create Bridge Wire button. 13. Select the two terminations you want to be linked using Ctrl key. It is possible to create a bridge wire between two terminations already affected with wires belonging to the same signal or between a termination containing wires and an empty one. The Create Bridge Wire dialog box opens displaying a default name.

In case of the selection of a mating connector, the radio buttons indicate on which side you want the bridge wire to be created. The dialog box looks like this:

14. Change the Wire Name if need be and click OK to validate. The bridge wire is added to the list onto the corresponding terminations.

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Wire Extremity Management

15. To delete the bridge wire, click the Delete Bridge Wire button and select BridgeWire3 in the list. 16. When you are satisfied with your choice, press OK to validate.

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Routing Simulation

Routing Simulation This task explains how: to simulate a signal, to display the signal route when the signal is selected. Open the SimulSession.CATProduct document.

Simulating a Signal 1. Select the Routing Simulation icon . You are prompted to select a signal or a segment. 2. Select the Signal-4.1 functional signal. The extremities are highlighted and the route is being computed. A message informs you of the routing result. The route is highlighted.

3. Press OK to end the simulation.

Displaying the Signal Route 1. Select the Routing Simulation icon . You are prompted to select a signal or a segment. 2. Select a segment. A network is generated along which virtual signals will be routed. You are prompted to select a segment or a connector. You need to select at least another two elements to simulate the route. 3. Select the first element: a segment or a connector.

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Routing Simulation

The Routing Simulation dialog box opens.

The Section and Separation Code fields allow you to define selection criteria. This information is optional. The compatibility table contains the separation codes of the wires and is customizable in the settings. 4. Select the second element: a segment or a connector. The virtual signal may have multiple extremities. The Compute button is enabled. 5. Press Compute to simulate the route. The route is highlighted. 6. Press New Extremities to create a new virtual signal. You are prompted to select other segments or connectors. 7. When you are satisfied with your choice, click Compute again. The new route is highlighted.

8. Press Close to end the simulation.

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Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility during Automatic Routing with Knowledgeware

Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility During Automatic Routing with Knowledgeware This task explains how to manage pathway/signal compatibility using CATIA knowledgeware. Open the SessionPlane document. It represents the wiring of a plane, consisting of a light system and of pathways and connection boxes. You should be fluent with CATIA Knowledge. By default, signals are routed according to their rank and priorities, using the shortest available route, according to the list below.

Through the options, you can choose to route all signals or some of them, and to respect priorities or not. For more information, see Routing a Wire. You can define additional rules in the Tools, Options ... menu. For more information, see Customizing. These rules are used to define compatibilities between signals or between signals and arcs and to optimize the automatic routing. For example here is a Signal-Arc rule:

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Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility during Automatic Routing with Knowledgeware

1. Select one arc used by the Power signal and another signal. 2. Set its attributes to WET through Edit, Properties, Attributes.

3. As a rule, enter : NetworkArc.SeparationCode"WET" OR SignalToRoute.Section > 0.005m2. 4. Delete all signal routes and compute a new routing. Now only Power goes through this arc (its section is lower than 0.005m2) while others do not. 5. Now let's implement a Signal-Signal rule: "Separation Code" Other.Signal."Separation Code": Power route is now longer since Check has priority 1. All pathways located near a connector have their separation code set to ANY, meaning that all signals are allowed to go through them.

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Workbench Description

Workbench Description The Electrical Wire Routing Version 5 application window looks like this:

Menu Bar Toolbars Specification Tree

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Menu Bar

Menu Bar The Menu Bar and most of the items available in CATIA - Electrical Wire Routing workbench are the standard ones. The different commands and tools are described in CATIA Infrastructure Version 5. For more information, refer to the CATIA Menu Bar section. However one item is added to the Tools menu: Export Wires... Refer to V4 Interoperability.

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Toolbars

Electrical Wire Routing Toolbars This section describes the various icons available in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench. The toolbars are located on the right in the default set-up except for the Signal which is located in the horizontal bottom toolbar.

See Selecting the Signal See Creating Bundle See Routing Simulation See Reconciling Objects See Creating a Connection See Deleting a Connection See Moving a Connection See Merging Connections See Splitting a Connection See Creating a Wire See Routing a Wire, Creating a Signal Route See Modifying a Signal Route See Managing Wire Extremities See Using a Catalog Working on UNIX Platform Another toolbar is available with three icons:

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Toolbars

See New Session See No Connection See Saving in VPM

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Specification Tree

Specification Tree

The Specification Tree displays the following icons: represents an electrical bundle, that is a document containing wires. represents a wire represents a signal route represents a constraint. represents a set of wire connections represents a connection

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Customizing

Customizing Before you start your first working session, you can customize the way you work to suit your habits, or to take advantage of CATIA knowledgeware. This is done using Tools -> Options, from the menu bar. This type of customization is stored in permanent setting files. Settings will not be lost if you exit your session. Expand the Equipments & Systems tab in the options tree, and select the Electrical Wire Routing item. The Options dialog box is displayed.

1. The General tab lets you customize the electrical equipment properties and the separation code file access. You can also give a name to a property to display as a column title, and change the Extremities color. 2. The Favorites list contains the properties displayed in the Interconnection frame of the Wire Extremities Management dialog box. To add properties to the list, select the property in the Available list and click the ---> arrow. 3. To remove properties, do the reverse: select the property from the Favorites list and click the