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Electrical Wire Routing

Overview
Conventions
What's New?
Getting Started
Accessing the Workbench
Creating the Bundle
Selecting Systems with External Data
Routing Wires from External Data
User Tasks
Starting with Electrical Wire Routing
Creating the Session
Creating an Electrical Bundle
Routing
Working with External Data
Selecting Systems
Automatically Routing Wires and Wire Groups
Automatically Routing Equipotentials
Computing Bundle Segment Diameter
Working with Electrical Functional Definition
Selecting the Signal
Manually Creating Wires
Automatically Routing Wires
Modifying a Wire Route
Deleting a Wire
Working with Signal Routes
Reconciling Objects
Creating a Signal Route
Deleting a Signal Route
Working with Wire Connections
Manually Creating a Wire Connection
Moving a Wire Connection
Deleting a Wire Connection
Merging Wire Connections
Splitting a Wire Connection
Accessing Data From Catalog Using Electrical Library
Getting Wire References
Resolving Internal Splices
Exporting Wires and Wire Groups
Managing the Wire Extremities

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Simulating the Routing

Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility with Knowledgeware during Automatic Routing
Filtering Wires Based on External Configuration System
Editing Electrical Properties
Viewing Related Objects
Electrical and Knowledge
Electrical User Functions
Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert
Electrical Integration Scenarios
Electrical Integration from External Data
Environment Settings
Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing
Selecting Systems from External Data
Placing Devices from External Data
Creating the Cable Harness
Placing Internal Splices
Automatic Routing
Exporting Data from CATIA
Electrical Integration from Functional Data
Interoperability
ENOVIA V5 Interoperability Using VPM Navigator
Working with Electrical Data
Optimal CATIA PLM Usability
Using ENOVIA Catalog for Electrical Mapping
Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator
Workbench Description
Menu Bar
Toolbars
Specification Tree
Electrical Workbench Specification Tree
Customizing
Electrical Wire Routing
Electrical Mapping
Electrical Process Interfacing
Using Compatibility Table
Cache Management
Electrical Data Exchange Format
Describing the iXF Electrical Schema
Considering the iXF Schema in Greater Depth
Glossary
Index

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Overview
Welcome to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide!
This guide is intended for users who need to become quickly familiar with the product.
This overview provides the following information:

Electrical Wire Routing in a Nutshell

Before Reading this Guide

Getting the Most Out of this Guide

Accessing Sample Documents

Conventions Used in this Guide

Electrical Wire Routing in a Nutshell

Electrical Wire Routing
is a product which manages the definition of electrical wires according
to the functional definition of electrical signal or external electrical specifications (xml files). It
enables the users to solve complex routing problems within the context of the physical mock-up.
Electrical Wire Routing offers the following main functions:

Routing an electrical signal defined in the functional system

Define electrical wires on bundle segments on both V5 and V4 documents

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

Define bridge wire and crimping

Analyze electrical disconnection

Export wire route in several file formats

Integration with VPM1 on Unix platform.

As a scalable product, Electrical Wire Routing can be used in cooperation with other current or future
companion products such as Electrical Library, Electrical Harness Installation, Electrical Harness
Flattening and Electrical System Functional Definition.

Before Reading this Guide

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Before reading this guide, you should be familiar with basic Version 5 concepts such as document
windows, standard and view toolbars. Therefore, we recommend that you read the Infrastructure
User's Guide that describes generic capabilities common to all Version 5 products. It also describes
the general layout of V5 and the interoperability between workbenches.
You may also like to read the following complementary product guides, for which the appropriate
license is required:

Assembly Design

V4 Integration

Systems Space Reservation

Electrical System Functional Definition.

Getting the Most Out of this Guide

To get the most out of this guide, we suggest that you start reading and performing the step-bystep Getting Started tutorial. This tutorial will show you how to route wires in an electrical bundle.
Once you have finished, you should move on to the User Tasks section, which deals with handling all
the product functions.
The Workbench Description section, which describes the Electrical Wire Routing workbench, and the
Customizing section, which explains how to set up the options, will also certainly prove useful.
Navigating in the Split View mode is recommended. This mode offers a framed layout allowing direct
access from the table of contents to the information.

Accessing Sample Documents

To perform the scenarios, sample documents are provided all along the documentation. For more
information about this, refer to Accessing Sample Documents in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

Conventions Used in this Guide

To learn more about the conventions used in the documentation, refer to the Conventions section.

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Conventions
Certain conventions are used in CATIA, ENOVIA & DELMIA documentation to help you recognize and
understand important concepts and specifications.

Graphic Conventions
The three categories of graphic conventions used are as follows:

Graphic conventions structuring the tasks

Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required

Graphic conventions used in the table of contents

Graphic Conventions Structuring the Tasks

Graphic conventions structuring the tasks are denoted as follows:
This icon...

Identifies...
estimated time to accomplish a task
a target of a task
the prerequisites
the start of the scenario
a tip
a warning
information
basic concepts
methodology
reference information
information regarding settings, customization, etc.
the end of a task

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functionalities that are new or enhanced with this release

allows you to switch back to the full-window viewing mode

Graphic Conventions Indicating the Configuration Required

Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required are denoted as follows:
This icon...

Indicates functions that are...

specific to the P1 configuration
specific to the P2 configuration
specific to the P3 configuration

Graphic Conventions Used in the Table of Contents

Graphic conventions used in the table of contents are denoted as follows:
This icon...

Gives access to...

Site Map
Split View Mode
What's New?
Overview
Getting Started
Basic Tasks
User Tasks or Advanced Tasks
Interoperability
Workbench Description
Customizing
Administration Tasks
Reference

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Methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
Glossary
Index

Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used:

The titles of CATIA, ENOVIA and DELMIA documents appear in this manner throughout the text.

File -> New identifies the commands to be used.

Enhancements are identified by a blue-colored background on the text.

How to Use the Mouse

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, selection of a location in the document
window, ...)

Double-click

Shift-click

Ctrl-click

Check (check boxes)

Drag

Drag and drop (icons onto objects, objects onto objects)

Drag

Move

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Right-click (to select contextual menu)

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What's New?
This table identifies what new or improved capabilities have been documented in Version 5 Release
15 of the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

Enhanced Functionalities
Performance-related enhancements
Improved performance of bundle segment diameter update: bundle segments are no longer
updated on a continuous basis when routing wires, modifying wire attributes, deleting wires
or modifying wire routes; a list of bundle segments needing updating is now kept and bundle
segments updated together
Routing wire groups
You can now import XML files containing wire group specifications and route wire groups
through an electrical bundle. Any groups referenced in a catalog are instantiated from the
catalog.
Exporting wires
Wire group specifications are now exported alongside wires
Computing bundle segment diameter
Wire groups are integrated into the calculation of bundle segment diameter
Describing the iXF electrical schema
Describes wire group behavior and link, with sample

Customizing Settings
Bundle segment update
A new option lets you disable bundle segment diameter and bend radius update after wire
routing

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Getting Started
Before getting into the detailed instructions for using 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 Infrastructure User's Guide.
The main tasks proposed in this section are:
Accessing the Workbench
Creating the Bundle
Selecting Systems with External Data
Routing Wires from External Data

All together, these tasks should take about 10 minutes to complete.

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Accessing the Workbench

This task explains how to set up the environment.

1. Select Electrical Wire Routing

from the Start -> Equipments & Systems menu.

The Electrical Wire Routing workbench is displayed and ready to use.

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Creating the Bundle

This task shows you how to create an electrical bundle.
An electrical bundle is a document containing wires.
Open the GettingStarted1.CATProduct.

1. Select the New Bundle icon

The New Bundle dialog box opens:

Note that you can change its name.

2. Select Geometrical Bundle1 in the specification tree.

3. Click OK to validate.
The new bundle is automatically created under the active product.
The feature is added to the specification tree.

4. Repeat these steps to create the electrical bundle corresponding to Geometrical

Bundle2.

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Selecting Systems with External Data

This task shows how to select an external system.
The GettingStarted1.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

Since the option is set up to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command
is available in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench.
You are required to identify the path of the:

Folder in which the XML files are stored

Working catalog containing the V5 parts which Part Number are referred to in the XML
files.

a. Use
to locate the iXF systems repository.
For this example, the path is: .../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration
to locate the catalog path.
b. Use
For this example, the path is:
.../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration/ElecIntegration.catalog

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1. Select the Select External Systems icon

The System Selection dialog box displays with the XML files available:

2. Select the ElectricalBundle2.1 system and click the right arrow

3. Click OK to validate.
The component list is filled up with this data and available for routing.

If a system has already been selected, data is reloaded.

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Routing Wires from External Data

This task shows you how to route wires.
The GettingStarted1.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Select the Automatic Wire Routing icon

2. The Wire Routing dialog box opens with connectivity and attribute information:

3. Select all the wires with the double right-arrow

.
The selected wires shift to the right column: they will be routed.
4. Click Route.
The Automatic Wire Routing Report dialog box is displayed:

The specification tree is updated, showing the wires routed:

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5. Close the report window.

Place the mouse pointer over a wire in the specification tree to highlight in the geometry the bundle segments containing the
selected wire.

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User Tasks
The User Tasks section explains and illustrates how to create various kinds of features.
The table below lists the information you will find.
Starting with Electrical Wire Routing
Creating the Session
Creating an Electrical Bundle
Routing
Working with Wire Connections
Accessing Data From Catalog Using Electrical Library
Exporting Wires and Wire Groups
Managing the Wire Extremities
Simulating the Routing
Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility with Knowledgeware during Automatic Routing
Filtering Wires Based on External Configuration System
Editing Electrical Properties
Viewing Related Objects
Electrical and Knowledge
Electrical Integration Scenarios

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Starting with Electrical Wire Routing

This task shows you how to launch the Electrical Wire Routing workbench.

1. Select Electrical Wire Routing

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

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

2. Select the Product type and click OK.

3. Click the Select External Systems icon

to select the systems.

Refer to Selecting the Systems.

or
Using the Insert -> Existing Component... item, select the documents containing
the:

Functional system (Electrical System Functional Definition CATProduct)

Geometrical bundle or the Systems Space Reservation CATProduct or the V4

electrical model.

4. Save the document.

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Creating an Electrical Bundle

This task shows you how to create an electrical bundle.
A bundle or electrical bundle is a document containing wires.
Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document.

1. Select the New Bundle icon

The New Bundle dialog box opens:

2. Change the bundle name if needed.

3. Select in the specification tree one or more geometrical bundles you want to be
connected to the new bundle: GeometricalBundle1 (Power A)
4. Click OK to validate.
5. Repeat these steps to create the second electrical bundle connected to
GeometricalBundle2 (Power B).
The new bundles are automatically created under the active product.
They are added to the specification tree.

An electrical bundle is associated to a geometrical bundle by the wires it contains.

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If the geometry is not loaded, check the Product Structure settings.

An alternative to display the geometry is to choose the Representations -> Activate
Terminal Node item. Right-click Product1 to use the contextual menu or select Edit ->
Representations.

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Routing
To complete the electrical process from end to end, CATIA Electrical products can import
electrical specifications from various data repositories. It is possible to manage links to map
electrical devices positioned in 3D to any format of electrical specifications (textual, list, 2D
schematics). This can be done at various steps of the process (from functional or logical
information) to insure the reliability and integrity of the 3D implementation of your electrical
systems. In Electrical Wire Routing, the connectivity information can also be imported to
route the wires, equipotentials or signals after the component placement in the 3D geometry.
You can either use the import from external data mechanism or the integration with Electrical
System Functional Definition.
Working with External Data
Working with Electrical Functional Definition

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Working with External Data

Selecting Systems
Automatically Routing Wires and Wire Groups
Automatically Routing Equipotentials
Computing Bundle Segment Diameter

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Selecting Systems
Since the option is set up to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command
is available in the Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.
This task explains how to select the system prior to routing.
Once a system is selected, the list of devices is loaded and ready to use.
1. Open the document.

2. Click the Select External Systems icon

The System Selection dialog box displays with the XML files available:

3. Select one or more systems and click the right arrow

4. Click OK to validate.
The component list is filled up with this data and available for routing.

If a system has already been selected, data is reloaded.

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Automatically Routing Wires and Wire

Groups
This task explains how to route wires and wire groups from an external wire list into an
electrical bundle integrating data from a catalog.
The document is already open from the previous task.
Make sure the CATIA options are properly set up: for the purpose of this scenario

In electrical mapping:

Map the wire and wire group types

Select ...\online\ewrug_C2\samples\XMLrouting\WireCatalog.catalog as Electrical
Working Catalog.

In external data interfacing:

Enable the External System Interfacing

Select ...\online\ewrug_C2\samples\XMLrouting as System Repository

1. Click the Automatic Routing

icon.

The wire list opens with connectivity and attribute information:

Note: Each wire group in the illustration contains one wire (indented to the right
under the group).
For the wires and wire groups available in the list, you get the following information:

Name

Identifier

Diameter

Bend radius

Whether or not the wire or wire group is routed

Whether or not the wire ends have been found, or changed.

Filters can help you make your selection:

Hide already routed wires

Hide not routed wires

Hide wires whose ends are not found.

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Routing options let you choose whether or not to use knowledge rules.
2. Select one or more wires and/or wire groups and click the right arrow.
The selected wires and wire groups shift to the right column: they will be routed.
3. Click Route.
The Automatic Wire Routing Report is displayed.

Since the routing now integrates the wire catalog:

If the wire or wire group is referenced in the catalog, the report indicates that the
origin is From catalog.

If the wire or wire group is not referenced in the catalog, the report indicates that
the origin is New.

Note that the specification tree icons also show that the first wire group is resolved;
the other wire group and all wires are new.
4. Close the report window.

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Selecting an individual wire in a wire group highlights the route of this wire.

Selecting a wire group highlights the route of the entire group.

To know more about wire routing from external data, refer to Considering External Data Routing
in Greater Depth.

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Automatically Routing Equipotentials

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional
is available in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench.

command

This command allows you to select the systems to be imported.

The Automatic Equipotential Routing

command is available.

This task explains how to route equipotentials from an external list into an electrical bundle.
The document must contain at least:

A geometrical bundle with bundle segments and components at their extremities

An electrical bundle connected to the geometrical bundle

A system.

1. Switch to Electrical Wire Routing workbench

2. Double-click to activate the root product.

3. Click the Automatic Equipotential Routing icon

The equipotential list opens with connectivity and attribute information:

For the equipotentials available in the list, you get the following information:

The name

The identifier

The diameter

The subtype

If the equipotential is routed or not

If the extremities have been found or not, or changed.

Filters can help you make your selection:

Hide already routed equipotentials

Hide not routed equipotentials

Hide equipotentials which extremities are not found.

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The routing options allow you to use or not the knowledge rule.
4. Select one or more equipotentials and click the right arrow.
The selected equipotentials shift to the right column: they will be routed.
5. Click Route.
The Automatic Equipotential Routing Report is displayed:

6. Close the report window.

The wires are added to the specification tree:

The bundle segments diameter are updated according to the equipotential

information.

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How Wires are Generated

From the signal from-to specifications, performing the routing process allows you to generate
the wires according the following design rules:
The system queries the network to find out the shortest path to link the signal extremities.
This shortest path is computed by taking into account separation code rules between the
signals to be routed and the already routed ones or between network and signals to be
routed. Thanks to the integration with the knowledge language, it is possible to create design
rules that mix network rules, inter-signal rules and even more rules!
According to this path and the electrical bundle definition, the wires are generated with their
attributes in the correct bundle, and wire connections (splice specification) are placed at forks
in order to minimize the wire length.
At the interconnection between harnesses, the wire extremity is connected to a generic pin
and it is possible to refine this definition to pins using the extremity management command.
Then the wires are connected according to the from-to signal specification (at the level of the
pin if defined in the signal specification) by retrieving the mating connectors or pins in the
harness. It can also be refined using the extremity management command.
To know more about wire routing from external data, refer to Considering External Data
Routing in Greater Depth.

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Computing Bundle Segment Diameter

The diameter of bundle segments is based on the diameter of constituent wires and/or wire
groups and different formulas are used depending on the number of wires/wire groups routed
through the segment.

Computing the Diameter of Bundle Segments

containing Wire Groups
The diameter of bundle segments containing wire groups is computed in two different ways
depending on whether the wire group is routed between two connectors, or between three or
more connectors.
Note: The same rules apply when calculating bend radius.

A. Wire Group between Two Connectors

The bundle segment diameter is based on the wire group.
The formula used depends on the number of wire groups in the bundle segment. In the
example below, the bundle segment contains one wire group. The diameter of the bundle
segment is the same as that of the wire group.

Note: If you change the diameter of individual wires, this will not affect the diameter of the
wire group and bundle segment.

B. Wire Group between Three or More Connectors

If all wires in the group are routed together through the bundle segment (BNS 1 in the
illustration below), the bundle segment diameter is based on the wire group.
If wires in a wire group are routed separately through bundle segments (BNS 2 and 3 in
the illustration below), the bundle segment diameter is based on individual wires.

The formula used depends on the number of wire groups and/or wires in the bundle segment.

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Computing the Diameter of Bundle Segments

containing Individual Wires
The bundle segment diameter is computed based on the wires it contains, and bundle
segment geometry is updated.
Before:

After:

The formula used depends on the number of wires in the bundle segment.

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Formula Used
Number of Wires and/or Wire Groups

Bundle Segment Diameter

no change

wire (or wire group) diameter

2 or 3

2 * Max

4 and above

(1 + 2*((N - 1)/3)1/2) * Max

where:

Max is the diameter of the largest wire (or wire group)

N is the number of wires (or wire groups).

A typical example:

Bundle Segment Constituent Wires and

Wire Groups

Number of Wires Bundle Segment

or
Diameter
Wire Groups

BNS1

All wires in group are

routed together

Wire group diameter

BNS2

Only two wires of the group

are routed together

2 * diameter of the
largest wire

BNS3

Only one wire of the group

is routed

Wire diameter

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Working with Electrical Functional Definition

Selecting the signal to be routed through wires and connections.

Creating a wire manually

Routing wires automatically

Modifying the wire route

Deleting a wire

Working with signal routes for Space Reservation (SSR)

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Selecting the Signal

Once the bundle is created, you need to select the signal to complete the routing context
definition.
There are two ways to select the signal:

Using the list box

Using the Signal multi-selection dialog box.

This command is deactivated when working with external data.

Using the List Box

1. Click the Signal field.
2. Drag the mouse to Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2.

When you release the mouse button, the signal is selected (Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2).

Using the Signal Multi-selection Dialog Box

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1. Click the Select Signal icon

.
The Signal Selection dialog box opens.
2. Select one or several signals using Ctrl key.

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-A1.C1.B2.C2 will be routed first, then the other signals
according to their ranks.
For more information, please refer to Creating Signals in CATIA - Electrical System
Functional Definition user's guide (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 in the geometry when one
signal only is selected.
When working in multi-selection, switch the list box to the desired signal to display the wire
connections.

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Manually Creating Wires

This task shows you how to create wires.
It also explains how:

Wires are distributed into the bundle segments,

The V5 bundle segment diameter is recomputed

Wires are resolved using an EFD attribute

Wire extremities are connected according to the signal definition.

Electrical wires are created into an electrical bundle that realizes a functional signal.
In this section, you will work with bundles created using CATIA V5.
The next section concerns the space reservation network created within CATIA - Systems Space Reservation.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.
1. Select the Signal-A1.B1.C1 in the Signal list box.

2. Select the New Wire icon

.
You are prompted to select the segments to map out the wire route.
3. Click the following segments:

The Selection dialog box opens.

As soon as a segment is selected, the window is updated.

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4. Enter a name for the wire: Wire1

5. Click OK to validate.
The wire has been created under the electrical bundle and added to the specification tree:

How are Wires Distributed in Bundle Segments?

The wires are created in the correct harness according to the relationship defined between the geometrical bundle and
the electrical bundle. The wires are interrupted at the interconnections and linked to mating connectors if necessary.

How is the V5 Bundle Segment Diameter Recomputed?

The bundle segment diameter is recomputed according to the wires it contains.
Consequently the geometry is updated.
Before:

After:

By default, the diameter is computed as follows:

Number of Wires

Bundle Segment Diameter

N=0

no change

N=1

wire diameter

N = 2 or 3

2 * Max

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N = 4 and above

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(1 + 2*((N - 1)/3)1/2) * Max

where Max is the largest wire diameter

Automatic Wire Resolution

When the signal is defined in EFD, if the Nominal PartNumber property is valuated, the wire will be automatically
resolved at the wire creation (or during routing if routed automatically): the part number is taken into account to get the
correct information from the catalog.
The signal properties dialog box shows the following values:

When the wires are created, the specification tree looks like this:

How are Wire Extremities Connected according to the Signal Definition

Wires are always created in the correct bundle: using the signal definition to get the functional extremities, then the
physical extremities, the geometrical bundle may be deduced. Since the electrical bundle has been defined through its
links to the geometrical bundle(s), it's now possible to create the wires in the correct electrical bundle.

Wire extremities are automatically connected to the electrical terminations if it corresponds to the signal extremity.

Wire extremities are automatically connected to the wire connection if one exists as an extremity in the signal.

However, when a signal extremity is an item of equipment with mating connectors, the connection is done on the mating
connectors. See the example using the automating routing.
You can still create wires in a bundle network created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire Bundle Installation Version 4.

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Automatically Routing Wires

This task shows you how to route a wire automatically.
It also explains how the wire extremities are connected according to the signal definition.
How wires are distributed into the bundle segments, how the V5 bundle segment diameter is recomputed and how
wires are resolved using an EFD attribute are described in Creating a Wire.
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 separation code for compatibility between signal and bundle segment with a compatibility table and
CATIA knowledgeware
Position automatically the connections at the wire forks.
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-A1.C1.B2.C2 will be routed first, then the other
signals according to their ranks.
For more information, please refer to Creating Signals in the CATIA - Electrical System Functional Definition
User's Guide (step Attributes).
2. Select the Automatic Wire Routing icon
After computation, the result looks like this:

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The shortest route has been found and the connections created.

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Note: The connection created on Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2 is not displayed in multi-signal mode. Switch to
Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2 to view it.

How are Wire Extremities Connected according to the Signal Definition

Wire extremities are automatically connected according to the signal definition:

Termination (electrical termination) to termination if terminations exist

Connector (electrical connection point) to connector if connectors exist

Equipment to equipment if items of equipment exist.

However, when a signal extremity is an item of equipment with mating connectors, the connection is done on the
mating connectors:
1. Open the Electrical-Assembly.CATProduct.

2. Select Signal-Left in the list box

3. Select the Automatic Wire Routing icon

The wire network is computed.

4. Select Single-Connector and click the Extremity Management icon

The Wire1 is connected on the cavity Number03 of the connector Single-Connector referenced in the
functional definition (Connector-AX11)

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5. Select Connector-on-Equipment.2 and click the Extremity Management icon

No wire is connected on this side, but Wire3 is connected on the mating connector belonging to the bundle
segment network, on the cavity Number01 corresponding to the functional definition (MatingConnector.2 corresponding with the functional Connector-AX2)

You can still create wires automatically in a bundle network created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire Bundle
Installation Version 4.

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Modifying a Wire Route

This task shows you how to modify a wire route.
This command works in similar fashion with either external or functional data.
1. Select the Modify Route icon
.
You are prompted to select the wire to be modified.
2. Select Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2Wire1 in the specification tree.

The wire route is highlighted.

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3. The Modify Route dialog box opens.

4. Select the segments you want to remove from the selection, then the segments to
define the new route.
5. Click OK to validate.

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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.

You can also modify wires in a bundle network created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire Bundle
Installation Version 4.

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Deleting a Wire
This task shows you how to delete a wire.
This command works similarly with external or functional data.
1. Select the wire in the specification tree: Signal-A1.C1.B2.C2Wire1
2. Press the Delete key or right-click and select Delete from the contextual menu.

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.
This functionality is also available on wires routed in a bundle network created with CATIAELW Electrical Wire Bundle Installation Version 4.

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Working with Signal Routes

In this section, you will work with signal routes for space reservation networks created with CATIA
Systems Space Reservation Version 5.
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
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.

1. Select the Map with Reservation icon

2. Select the FunctEquipment1 functional equipment in the specification tree.

3. Select the connector of the first ArrBox.
The FunctEquipment1 icon is now shown like this in the specification tree:
4. Repeat the step 1 to 3 for the other two pieces of equipment.
The system looks like this:

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An alternative is to right-click the functional equipment in the specification tree and select Map With Reservation from the
contextual menu.

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Functional equipment which is not reconciled with a physical connector is shown like this:
After reconciliation, it becomes:

Use the Related Objects viewer to check if the functional equipment is reconciled.

The instance name is no longer modified during the reconciliation.

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Creating a Signal Route

This task shows you how create a signal route on pathways.
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.

The SSRSession.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task.

1. Select the Signal1.1 in the list box

2. Select the Automatic Wire Routing icon

.
The signal is routed and the routes are added to the specification tree.

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

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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 and select Delete from the contextual menu.

The signal route is deleted.

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Working with Wire Connections

These commands are deactivated when working with external data.
Create a connection on the active bundle to link several wires of a same signal.
Move a connection to the segment's other extremity. The wires will be resized.
Deleting a connection links the wires.
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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Manually Creating a Wire Connection

This task shows you how create a connection between several wires.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.
Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document and create the electrical bundles.

1. Select Signal-A1.B1.C1 in the signal list

2. Create two wires sharing a common extremity.

3. Select the New Wire Connection icon

4. Select Wire1 then Wire2 in the specification tree.

The Selection dialog box opens.

5. Enter the name of this connection: Cnx1.

6. Click OK to validate.
The wire connection has been created and the wires computed.

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The Wire Connection has been added to the specification tree.

Basic checks are performed during the creation:

for example, two different signals cannot be linked.
This functionality is also available on bundle networks created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire
Bundle Installation Version 4.

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Moving a Wire Connection

This task shows you how change the wire connection location on a wire.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.

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 connection to the location of another one is equivalent to merge them.

The resulting wires with a zero length are removed.

This functionality is also available on bundle network created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire Bundle
Installation Version 4.

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Deleting a Wire Connection

This task shows you how delete a wire connection and what's the result on the wires.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.

1. Select the Delete Connection icon

2. Select the connection to be deleted.

The Reconnect Wires dialog
box opens with the list of
the wires impacted.
It lets you choose between
several alternatives:

Link: when at least two

wires are selected in the
list, this command
becomes available.
Clicking it merges them
together.

Unlink: when two (or

more) wires have been
linked, selecting one of
them selects both (or
more). Clicking it breaks
the link. In the list they
are merged with
Nothing.
Clear Selection:
removes the wire(s) in
the list from the
selection.

3. Select Wire1.1 and Wire2.1

4. Click Link.
5. Click OK to validate.
The connection is removed and the wires resized.
On this image, the new Wire1.1 is highlighted.

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This functionality is also available on bundle networks created with CATIA-ELW Electrical Wire
Bundle Installation Version 4.

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Merging Wire Connections

This task shows you how to merge connections linking several wires at the same location.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.
Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document for example, and create four wires connected
as follows:

Wire1 is connected to Wire3.

Wire2 is connected to Wire4.
The specification tree looks like this:

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1. Select the Merge Connections 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. Ctrl-select the connections to be merged.

4. Click OK to validate.

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The connections have been merged into one.

The specification tree displays only one connection.

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Splitting a Wire Connection

This task shows you how to split a connection and what to do with the wires.
This command is deactivated when working with external data.

1. Select the Split Connection icon

.
You are prompted to select the connection to be split.
2. Select the connection.
The Reconnect Wires dialog box opens with the list of the wires and their status.

It lets you choose between several alternatives:

Link to First Connection: when at least one wire is selected in the list, this
command becomes available. Clicking connects the wire.
Link to Second Connection: when at least one wire is selected in the list, this
command becomes available. Clicking connects the wire.
Unlink the Wire: clicking this command breaks the link. In the list the wire is
linked to Nothing.
Clear Selection: clicking this command clears the selection of wire(s) in the list.

3. Select the wires you want to link to the same connection and select the corresponding
command.
The result looks like this:

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4. Click OK to validate.
The connection has been split and renamed as Wire Connection2Sp1 and Wire
Connection2Sp2.

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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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Accessing Data From Catalog

Using Electrical Library
Getting wire reference from catalog.
Resolving a wire connection into an internal splice using a catalog.

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Getting Wire References

Using catalog is possible when the CATIA Electrical Library license is available.
The Resolve Wires icon
is then added to the toolbar.
A catalog used in Electrical Wire Routing may contain any types of electrical device, that is to
say:

Wires

Equipments

Connectors

Shells

etc.

This task shows you how to get a wire reference from a catalog.
Note that you can also apply the wire definition onto a functional signal.
Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document for example, and create some wires.
The specification tree looks like this:

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1. Select the Resolve Wires icon

.
The Catalog Browser dialog box opens.
2. If needed, navigate using the Browse icon to select the CatalogOfWires.catalog.
The full path is: online/ewrug_c2/samples/CatalogOfWires.catalog
3. Double-click to open the Power Wire.
The content is displayed.
4. Select the PN-WAR-1480P wire in the list.

5. Drag and drop the icon onto the Wire1 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.

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When you are satisfied with the result, Close the Catalog Browser.

Applying the Wire Definition to a Functional Signal

1. Select the Resolve Wires icon

The Catalog Browser dialog box opens.

2. Double-click or Browse to open the Power Wire catalog.
The catalog is displayed.
3. Select a wire specification (PN-PLE-2318F for example) in the list, drag and drop it
onto the Signal-1 functional signal.
The wires linked to the signal
selected (Signal-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.

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4. 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. The default column separator
used by EWR for csv files is the semi-colon ";".
For more information, refer to CATIA - Electrical Library User's Guide

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Resolving Internal Splices

This task shows you how to replace a wire connection with an internal splice.
Open the Session.CATProduct document containing wires.
The document looks like this when Signal A is selected: the wire connection is displayed.

1. Select the Resolve Wires icon

.
The Catalog Browser dialog box opens.
2. If needed, navigate using the Browse icon to select the
CatalogForNewFeatures.catalog.
It is located in: .../online/cfysm_C2/samples/ElectricalSession/
3. Double-click to open the Internal Splices.
The contents is displayed.
4. Drag and drop the internal splice icon onto the wire connection.
The wire connection is replaced with the internal splice:

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When you are satisfied with the result, Close the Catalog Browser.

You can drag and drop the internal splice onto:

A signal: all the wires which make up this signal will be connected through the internal
splice.

A bundle segment: if the extremity is connected to a wire connection, it will be replaced.

An electrical bundle: all the wire connections of the bundle will be replaced.

The wire connection container: all the wire connections of the container will be replaced.

A wire connection: it will be replaced.

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Exporting Wires and Wire Groups

This task explains how to create the list of the wires and wire groups contained in an electrical bundle with the related
cross references.
When you are in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench, the Export Wires... item is added to the Tools Menu.
It allows you to export the characteristics of the wires and wire groups belonging to an electrical bundle.
Another command - Export Wires in iXF format... - is more specific if you are working with external data: refer to
Exporting Data from CATIA.
Anyway both work for all types of data used within CATIA.
1. Open a CATProduct document containing wires and wire groups.
2. Select the electrical bundle you want to export.
3. Select the Tools -> Export Wires... menu item.
The File dialog box opens:

Note that you can choose between html (default format), csv and xml file types.
4. Enter the name of the file.
5. Click OK to validate.
An .html file is created.
At the same time and in the same location the Electrical.css is generated if it doesn't already exist. It is a style
sheet that you can customize. Using the default one, the html file looks like this:

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This file shows two tables:

The wire and wire groups list

The bill of materials (BOM) or device list .

The wire and wire groups list displays the characteristics of any wire groups as well as each wire, its associated
signal, as well as the pin, connector or device connected to it. It is used to build the harness.
The device list (BOM) displays all the elements connected to the extremities of each wire. They are linked to the
wire list.
Example of list containing wire groups:

How to Customize the Style Sheet for Html Format

To be taken into account, the style sheet must be named Electrical.css.
It is generated only when it is not found in the folder where you save the html file. Otherwise the existing one is used
(whichever it is customized or not).
See below an example of customized style sheet. Add these lines to the default Electrical.css to:

hide the wire list, the sub type, etc.,

display some attributes smaller, in different color, etc.

.dev {display:none}
#Elec_Ref_Des {font-size:smaller}
#Elec_Sub_Type {display:none}
#Contact_PartNumber_From {display:none}

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#Contact_PartNumber_To {display:none}
#Elec_Sep_Code {font-size:smaller}
#Elec_Length {color:yellow}

You can sort your data using Excel.

The html format is only available for CATIA V5 data, that is to say electrical bundle created with CATIA V5.

About the Xml Format

This format is available for data exchange purpose.
The file generated looks like this:

This format does not use css file and cannot be customized.

However, this format is subject to modification and for the time being the data continuity is not guaranteed.

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Managing the Wire Extremities

This task explains how to manage the wire extremities with regard to the physical connector.
This functionality is also available for equipment.
Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document and route the signal-A1.C1.B2.C2.

1. Select the Extremity Management icon

.
You are prompted to select a connector or equipment.
2. Select CONNECTOR-DEF-C1 in the specification tree or in the geometry.

The Wire Extremity Management dialog box opens, displaying the following information:

In the upper frame:

The list of wires connected to each electrical termination (Termination) 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 assigned to the selected connector.

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

The correspondence between the cavities or terminations on each side of the mating connector
is done on the IdNumber.

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Let's see the different options available:

Affect

Deaffect

Reaffect

Create Bridge Wire

Delete Bridge Wire

All these actions 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 option is selected.

3. Select the wire in the lower frame: Wire6.1
4. Select an electrical termination/cavity in the upper frame:
The wire is assigned to the connector onto this termination.

5. Select Reaffect.
6. Select the wire in the upper frame: Wire6.1
7. Select the termination/cavity on which you want to connect the wire.
The connection is modified.
Note that the lower frame is disabled.

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8. Select Deaffect.
9. Select the wire in the upper frame: Wire6.1
The wire is "disconnected" and moved to the lower frame.
Note that the lower frame is disabled.

10. Select Automatic Affectation.

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All the wires in the lower frame are assigned to empty cavities of the connector
in the same order.
Use Reaffect to modify the connection.

11. Select Initial Configuration to reset the dialog box.

12. Select Create bridge wire.
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.

If you select a mating connector, the options let you select on which side you want the bridge wire to be
created.
The dialog box looks like this:

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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.

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

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Simulating the Routing

This task explains how to:

Simulate a signal,

Display the signal route when the signal is selected.

Open the StartupSession.CATProduct document.

Simulating a Signal Route

1. Select the Routing Simulation icon
.
You are prompted to select a signal or a segment.
2. Select the Signal-3.1 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. Click OK to end the simulation.

Simulating the Signal Route according to Bundle Segment Selection

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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.
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 command is enabled.
5. Click Compute to simulate the route.
The route is highlighted.
6. Click New Extremities to create a new virtual signal.
You are prompted to select other segments or connectors.
7. With these four elements selected for example, click Compute again.
The new route is highlighted.

8. Click Close to end the simulation.

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Managing Pathway/Signal Compatibility

with Knowledgeware during Automatic Routing
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 or not the priority. For more
information, see Routing a Wire.
You can define additional rules in the Tools -> Options ... menu.
For more information, see the Customizing section.
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:
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

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route is now longer valid 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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Filtering Wires
Based on External Configuration System
The Filtering Management command is available in the Electrical Wire Routing and the Electrical
Harness Flattening workbenches.
It is dedicated to electro-mechanical designers.

How does the filtering command work:

The filtering command is performed from a maximum harness configuration (called 150%)
including all the wires, the bundle segments, the connectors, supports and protective coverings of
the harness.
It retrieves through CAA V5 interfaces the list of filtering criteria depending on the selected
systems, as it is the harness part number.
The user selects a criteria.
The filtering command retrieves from CAA V5 interfaces the list of valid wires for the selected
criteria.
According to the wires routed in the harness for the selected criteria and the filtering options:

the bundle segment diameter is recomputed,

bundle segments and/or devices are shown or hidden:

if no wires are routed in a bundle segment, it is hidden by default,
if no wires are connected to a device, it is hidden by default.
supports are shown or hidden according to the wires routed in the bundle segments that are
using them:
if no wires are routed in bundle segments going through supports, the supports are hidden by
default.
protective coverings are shown or hidden depending on whether or not wires are routed
through bundle segments covered with protective coverings:
if no wires are routed in bundle segments covered with a protective covering, protective
coverings are hidden by default.

Without CAA V5 development, this functionality is not available.

This task explains how to filter any 150% harness to get accurate geometry for a configured harness.

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The document may contain:

a geometrical bundle with bundle segments and connectors

an electrical bundle with the corresponding wire references

supports and protective coverings.

1. Click the Filtering Management

button.

The Filtering Management dialog box opens:

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It displays:
a. the list of filtering criteria corresponding to the harness part number.
b. the filtering options:

Activate bundle segments with no routed wires:

check this option to show the bundle segments which do not contain wires.
Activate devices with no connected wires:
check this option to show the devices belonging to the selected harness when no
wires are connected to them.
Activate supports with no bundle segments inside:
check this option to show the supports which do not contain bundle segments
routing wires.
Activate protective coverings with no bundle segments inside:
check this option to show the protective coverings which do not contain bundle
segments routing wires.

The combination of these options is possible.

c. the Reset the 3D Mockup button: click this button to come back to the original
document, with no criteria selected.
2. Select a criteria.

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3. Select the filtering options, if need be.

4. Click Apply to display the harness according to your previous choice.
The result looks like this:

5. Optional: use the Reset the 3D Mockup button to come back to the original document.

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6. Click OK when you are done.

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Editing Electrical Properties

Here is an example of a document demonstrating how electrical properties on component are managed
within CATIA Electrical products.
And moreover, new properties have been added to a number of electrical components:

functional equipments and connectors defined in EFD

electrical bundle

defined in EWR

bundle segment

defined in EHI

A CATProduct document may contain references or instances of the components.

Let's see the differences on the following documents:

The Equipment.CATProduct contains an equipment.

It is the reference of the component.
The RootProduct.CATProduct contains an occurrence of the equipment (Insert -> Existing
Component...).
The Equipment(Equipment.1) is an instance of the component.

Depending on the component you have activated (by double-clicking: blue object) and on the object you
have selected, the properties you will edit may be the ones of the reference or of the instance.

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1. In the Equipment.CATProduct, if you edit the properties of the Equipment, you will display the
properties of the reference.
Type and External Reference are attributes of the reference.

If you modify them, all the occurrences will be modified.

2. In the RootProduct.CATProduct, if the RootProduct is active (in blue in the specification tree) and if
you select the Equipment.1 to edit the properties, you will display the properties of the instance:

The instance also has instance attributes: Reference Designator and SubType.

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If you modify the attributes of instance, only this instance will be modified.
On the other hand, if you modify the attributes of reference, they will be modified in all the
occurrences and in the reference document.
3. In the RootProduct.CATProduct, if the Equipment.1 is active (double-click Equipment.1) and you
select the Equipment.1 to edit the properties, you will display the properties of the reference:

If you modify the attributes, the reference will be modified:

Equipment.CATProduct will be modified

and all the occurrences of the component.

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Notes:

This behavior is specific to the electrical properties.

When a product is activated (by double-clicking), editing the electrical properties operates in the same
way as if the electrical properties were edited in the document in which the root product is the reference
of the active product. (i.e. Equipment.1 in the RootProduct document against Equipment in the
Equipment document.)
This definition is recursive within all the levels of instance.

Functional equipments and connectors properties

When you edit the properties of a functional equipment or connector, the Preselected Physical Device frame
indicates if a physical component corresponding to the functional one has been chosen to be placed in the
geometry. Two fields give this information:

Catalog Path indicates the location of the catalog containing the physical component

Part Number indicates the part number of the physical component.

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Electrical bundle properties

When you edit the properties of an electrical bundle, the Associated Geometrical Bundle frame indicates in a
list the name of the geometrical bundles being part of the electrical bundle.

Bundle segment properties

When you edit the properties of a group of bundle segments, the Length in out field indicates the total
length of the bundle segments selected.

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Viewing Related Objects

This task shows how to use the Related Objects viewer to navigate through the objects connected to the
selected object.
The Related Objects command displays all the bundle segments of a branch even those which are not
connected. The reason is that the command displays the whole document contents: And all the bundle
segments inside a multi-branchable document belong to the same CATPart document.
You can focus on an object and see how it was constructed via its related objects.
The related objects command identifies the parent, any children or connected objects and the relationship
between objects. It is available when none of the icons of the workbench are activated that is to say when you
are in Select command

Accessing related objects can be done in two ways:

by clicking the Related Objects icon in the toolbar

from the contextual menu, by selecting Related Objects.

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The different options available are:

Reframe on selection: reframes the main 3D window on the Related objects selection.
Reframe on selection: the main window selection corresponds to the Related objects
selection. The main window display is not reframed.
Freeze:
freezes the contents of the Related objects window. You can still
navigate in the main window: the Related objects view will not be
updated.
the
Related objects selection corresponds to the main window
Freeze:
selection.
View related objects: displays the parent, any children or connected objects.
View related objects: only displays the selected objects.
Functional:

displays the functional system. If the bundle segment contains wires,

the corresponding signals are displayed in the bundle segment.
N.B.: the signal name is displayed followed by the separation code, if
any:

Functional:

Wire:

hides the functional children elements.

displays the wires contained in the bundle segment.

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Wire:

Harness:

Harness:

Sub objects:

Sub objects:

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hides the wires contained in the bundle segment, shows the bundle
segments and signals.

displays the relationship to the harness: connectors, equipments,

shells, etc.

hides the children bundle segments, only shows the signals and wires.

displays the electrical contents.

hides the electrical contents.

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On a complex electrical system, the 3D view allows you to limit display to a specific area thus enlightening
the information regarding this area.
Open the RelatedObjectsSession.CATProduct document.
1. Select an object: Geometrical Bundle1.1 for example.
2. Click the Related Objects icon

The Related Objects dialog box appears. The geometry area and the specification tree are reframed on
the object selected.

3. Select the Bundle Segment4.1 in this window.

The dialog box focuses on the object selected: Bundle Segment4.1 (center of the window) and
shows the parent and the connected objects:

on the left is the parent object (Assembly meaning).

It represents the container object.

on the right are the children objects (Assembly meaning), connected to the Bundle Segment4.1.
They represent the contents.

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This window shows the following:

the bundle segments assembly within the geometrical bundle

the Bundle Segment4.1 is connected to three bundle segments

the Bundle Segment4.1 contains two wires and their associated signal.

4. Select the Sig2.

The geometry area is reframed on the signal and it shows:

the signal extremities with the functional connectors

the wire that realizes the signal

the harness objects: the physical connectors that correspond to the signal extremities as well as
the bundle segments, and the wire they contain.

5. Click the 3D tab to display the geometry.

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6. Close the dialog box to exit the Related Objects viewer.

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Electrical and Knowledge

This section exposes the functions and objects available in the Knowledge Products.
Electrical User Functions
Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert

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Electrical User Functions

About the Electrical User Functions...

Elec_DistanceCommon

DistanceWireProduct

ListAllOuterLayerObjects

ListDirectlyCoveredObjects

ListDirectlyOuterLayerObjects

VisualMode

To be able to use these functions, you need to activate the ElectricalMeasure package.
To do so:

1. Select Tools -> Options... -> General -> Parameters and Measures and go to the Language tab.
2. Choose the ElectricalMeasure package and click the right arrow:

3. Click OK to validate.

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Elec_DistanceCommon
Syntax
Elec_DistanceCommon(Wire1: Wire, Wire2: Wire):Length
Returns the common length of the two wires given as input arguments.
The type of Wire1 and Wire2 is ElecWire.

Example 1
The Elec_DistanceCommon user function can be used in Knowledge Expert to find all the couples of wires in the session that have a common length
greater than a given value.

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Example 2
In Knowledge Advisor, it can be used to define a rule giving the common length of two specific wires sharing properties.

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Applying the rule displays the following message if the condition is met:

Example 3
Still in Knowledge Advisor, to verify that two wires selected in the specification tree have a common length, the following action can be defined:

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then ran: select two wires in the specification tree and click OK to validate.

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The following message displays:

DistanceWireProduct
Syntax

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DistanceWireProduct(Wire1: Wire, Object: Product):Length

Returns the minimum length between a wire and a product in session. The product must contain at least one part.

Example 1
The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used with the f(x) command to display the distance between a wire and a component in the session.

This formula returns the following value:

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Example 2
The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used in Knowledge Expert to find all the wires in the session that have a minimum distance to
defined components smaller than a critical value chosen by the user. The components can be defined as heat-resistant.
Properties have been added to the product:

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and to the wires:

A check is defined as follows:

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Updating the session displays green/red light on the check:

A report is generated showing the check result: some wires verify the condition, other not.

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Example 3
The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used in Knowledge Advisor to define a rule that displays a warning message if a minimum distance
between a wire and an object is smaller than a critical value chosen by the user.

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Running this rule displays the following message:

Example 4

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Still in Knowledge Advisor, an action can be defined using the DistanceWireProduct user function, to know the distance between a wire and an
object selected in the specification tree:

Run the action using the Action.1 contextual menu:

select a wire and a product in the specification tree then validate.

This message displays:

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ListAllOuterLayerObjects
Syntax
ListAllOuterLayerObjects (ElecBundleSegmentExtremity:Feature,Offset:Real,ListOfAllCoveringProducts(Protections/Supports):out List):Boolean
Returns an ordered list of protective coverings and supports that cover the bundle segment at the point of interest.
The point of interest is defined by specifying from which end of the bundle segment and entering an offset in mm.

Example
A check (in KWE advanced language) to determine the protective coverings and supports at 150 mm from end 1 (Extremity 1) of the bundle segment
is written as follows:

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ListDirectlyCoveredObjects
Syntax
ListDirectlyCoveredObjects((Protection/Support):Feature, ListOfCoveredProducts(BundleSegments/Protections/Supports): out List):Boolean
Returns the list of bundle segments, protective coverings and/or supports directly under the component (protective covering or support) you want to
analyze.
If the component you want to analyze is not a protective covering or a support, the list returned will be empty.

Example

Tape A is placed directly over the bundle segment

Corrugated tubes B and C are linked to the bundle segment, and corrugated tube B covers tube C

Standard support D is linked to the bundle segment.

A check (in KWE advanced language) to determine the list of bundle segments, protective coverings and supports under corrugated tube C is written
as follows:

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Running this check returns:

The name of the component analyzed, in our case, corrugated tube C

The number of objects covered by corrugated tube C:

Followed by the name of this component: the bundle segment.

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ListDirectlyOuterLayerObjects
Syntax
ListDirectlyOuterLayerObjects ((BundleSegment/Protection/Support):Feature, ListOfCoveringProducts(Protections/Supports): out List):Boolean
Returns the list of outer layers of protective coverings and/or supports directly over the component (bundle segment, protective covering or support)
you want to analyze.
If the component you want to analyze is not a bundle segment, protective covering or a support, the list returned will be empty.

Example

Tape A is placed directly over the bundle segment

Corrugated tubes B and C are linked to the bundle segment, and corrugated tube B covers tube C

Standard support D is linked to the bundle segment

A check (in KWE advanced language) to determine the list of outer layers that directly cover the bundle segment in the example is written as follows:

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Running this check returns:

The name of the component analyzed, in our case, the bundle segment.

The number of outer layers over the bundle segment:

Only 3 are found because corrugated tube B does not directly cover the bundle segment since it covers corrugated tube C.
Followed by the names of these components:

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VisualMode
Syntax
VisualMode (BundleSegment: Feature, Visualization Mode (LIGHT/FULL): String): Boolean

Description
This function is useful to minimize the size of the harness in LIGHT mode. It simplifies the visualization, the curve and the diameter only are
represented, the rib being deleted.
This function is only available for bundle segments belonging to multi-branchable documents.

Example

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Create a rule in Knowledge Expert:

Running this rule displays the harness in LIGHT mode:

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The rule is reversible: you can load a harness in LIGHT mode and reload the geometry by applying the rule with the FULL parameter:

The harness is displayed in FULL mode: the rib is recreated:

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Working in LIGHT mode allows you to modify the route and route wires but the split, transfer and add branch point commands are not
supported.
To know more about these commands, refer to Electrical Harness Installation - Working with Branches, Splitting Branches and Transferring
Branches.

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Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert

An Electrical package is supported by Knowledge Expert.
To be able to use it, you need to activate the Electrical package.
To do so:

1. Select Tools -> Options... -> General -> Parameters and Measures and go to the
Language tab.
2. Choose the Electrical package and click the right arrow:

3. Click OK to validate.
This package can be accessed via the object browser and objects, attributes and methods in
the package can be used in expert relations.
You can, for example, write a rule to report in a file all the bundle segments with a diameter
greater than a specified value.
The package contains the following objects:
BackShell
FillerPlug

SignalRoute

BundlePositionPoint

FunctionalConnector

Stud

Bundle

FunctionalEquipment

System

BundleSegment

GroundSignal

Tape

Cavity

GroupSignal

TerminalBlock

CommandSignal

InternalSplice

TerminalStrip

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ConnectorShell

OffSheet

Termination

Contact

PowerSignal

Termination_GeoConstraint

ContactPoint

Protection

VideoSignal

CorrugatedTube

ShieldingSignal

Wire

Equipment

SingleConnector

ExternalSplice

Signal

BackShell
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Back Shell type that you create when you select the
the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon in

The back shell is a physical component used to guide the bundle segment extremity to the single
insert connector, and to protect the crimping area.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length

Type: Double

Defines the cable extra-length to be added to take into account the wire length inside the back
shell.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the back shell reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the back
shell in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the back shell subtype (User defined subtype).

Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the back shell attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command.
Is True if modified.
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the back shell external reference attribute.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

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Is True if the back shell is connected to a single insert connector and a bundle segment.

BundlePositionPoint
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Bundle Segment Position Point type.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Harness Installation User's Guide.
The Bundle Segment Position Point type defines the point along a bundle segment at which the local
slack is applied.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
Elec_Slack

Type: Double

Defines the slack length at the bundle segment position point.

Bundle
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Bundle type that you create when you click the
Electrical Wire Routing workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

icon in the

The ElecBundle type is an object that contains wires.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the bundle reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the bundle in
the project.
Elec_Sub_Type Type: String
Defines the bundle subtype (User defined subtype).

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BundleSegment
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Bundle Segment type that you create when you select one of
these icons
or
in the Electrical Harness Installation workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Harness Installation User's Guide.
The BundleSegment type is a segment of a geometrical bundle.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius

Type: Double

Input data defining the bend radius value that corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the
bundle segment curve.

Elec_Bend_Radius_OK

Type: Boolean

Is True if the bundle segment real bend radius is greater than the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute.
Elec_BundleSegmentExtremities Type: Void
Returns the ends of the bundle segment.

Elec_Creation_Mode

Type: String

Defines the electrical bundle segment creation mode.

Three modes exist:

Slack: Elec_Length is not valuated.

Bend: Elec_Slack and Elec_Length are not valuated.

Length: Elec_Slack is not valuated.

Elec_Di_Slack

Type: Double

Input data defining the percentage of distributed slack along the bundle segment.
This attribute induces the value of the Elec_Length attribute.

Elec_Diameter

Type: Double

Defines the bundle segment diameter.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

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Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if both bundle segment extremities are connected.

Elec_Length

Type: Double

Gives the bundle segment length.

Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the bundle reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the bundle in
the project.

Elec_Segreg

Type: String

Defines the bundle segment separation code used by the routing algorithm.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the bundle segment subtype.

Elec_True_Length

Type: Double

Attribute used in the fake length context of the extracted data in EHF.
This attribute keeps the bundle segment real length, coming from the 3D data.
In this context, the Elec_Length returns the fake length.
IncludedWires

Type: CATIList

Returns a list of wires routed inside the bundle segment.

Cavity
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Cavity type that you create when you click this icon
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
The cavity defines a reservation for a connector.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes

in the

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Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double

Defines the wire length to be added to the wire routing length.
Elec_Id_Number

Type: String

Defines a unique identifier for the cavity used to map a functional component and the
corresponding physical part.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the cavity reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the cavity in the
project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the cavity subtype.

CommandSignal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Command Signal type that you create when you click this icon
in the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
The command signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by
a wire in physical world.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the command signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String
Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.
Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

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Defines the separation code of the command signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire
route.
Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the command signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the command signal subtype.

ConnectorShell
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Connector-Shell type that you create when you click the
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon

A connector shell or shell is a non-electrical part which groups one or more electrical connector
parts. It may be part of an equipment.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the connector shell reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
connector shell in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the connector shell subtype.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the connector shell attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the connector shell external reference attribute.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Contact

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Description
Describes the electrical feature of Contact type that you create when you click the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon in the

A contact is an electrical component used within a termination and a cavity or between bundle
segments.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Barrel_Diameter

Type: Double

Defines the hole diameter which lets the wire through.

Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the contact reference from an external library.
Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if all the contacts are connected.

Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the contact reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the contact in
the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the contact subtype.

CorrugatedTube
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Corrugated Tube type that you create when you click the
icon in the Electrical Library workbench. The corrugated tube is then instantiated using the Electrical
Harness Installation workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.
A corrugated tube is an electrical component applied onto bundle segments as a protection.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

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Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius

Type: Double

Defines the bend radius value, which corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the corrugated
tube curve.
Elec_Bend_Radius_Protection_OK Type: Boolean
Is True if the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute is smaller than the real value of bend radius of the
largest bundle segment linked to the corrugated tube.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the single connector attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Inner_Diameter

Type: Double

Defines the corrugated tube inner diameter.

Elec_Length

Type: Double

Defines the corrugated tube length.

Elec_Line_Type

Type: Double

Defines the corrugated tube line type.

Elec_Line_Weight

Type: Double

Defines the corrugated tube linear mass, used for the flattened representation.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the corrugated tube reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
corrugated tube in the project.
Elec_Ref_PartNumber

Type: String

Defines the corrugated tube reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the protection subtype.

Elec_Thickness
Defines the corrugated tube thickness.

Type: Double

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Equipment
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Equipment type that you create when you click the
the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon in

An equipment is an electrical device with one or more associated components: connectors, shells,
contacts, filler plugs, placed in cavities. An equipment can also comprise terminations and bundle
connection points.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the equipment reference from an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the equipment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the equipment reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
equipment in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the equipment subtype.

ExternalSplice
Description

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Describes the electrical feature of External Splice type that you create when you click the
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon

An external splice is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments from different geometrical
bundles.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the external splice reference from an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the external splice attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the external splice reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
external splice in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the external splice subtype.

Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if all the bundle connection points and terminations of the external splice are connected.

FillerPlug
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Filler Plug type that you create when you click the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
A filler plug is an electrical component used to block up an unused cavity.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes

icon in the

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Type: String

Defines the filler plug reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the filler plug
in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type Type: String
Defines the filler plug subtype.

ContactPoint
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Contact Point type that you create when you select the
the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
This contact point is a functional electrical component that defines the point of contact or
attachment for an electrical signal.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Id_Number

Type: String

Defines the contact point Id number.

Elec_Number

Type: Integer

Defines a unique identifier for the contact point used to map a functional component and the
corresponding physical part.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the contact point reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
contact point in the project.
Elec_Signal_IO

Type: String

Defines if the signal is input or output.

Elec_Signal_Unicity Type: Boolean
Defines the unicity of the signal: True if the signal is unique.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

icon in

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Defines the contact point subtype.

FunctionalConnector
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Functional Connector type that you create when you click the
icon in the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
This connector is a functional electrical component with one or more associated contact points, for
example, a power or signal transmission connector.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the functional connector reference to an external library.
Elec_Id_Number

Type: String

Defines a unique identifier for the functional connector used to map a functional component and the
corresponding physical part.
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the physical connector that realizes the functional connector.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the functional connector reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for
the connector in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the functional connector subtype.

FunctionalEquipment
Description

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Describes the electrical feature of Functional Equipment type that you create when you click the
icon in the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
This equipment is a functional electrical component with one or more associated connectors, for
example a lamp or a battery.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the functional equipment reference to an external library.
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the physical equipment that realizes the functional equipment.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the functional equipment reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for
the equipment in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the functional equipment subtype.

GroundSignal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Ground Signal type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

in

The ground signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a
wire in physical world.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Ground_Unicity

Type: Boolean

Defines the unicity of the ground signal: True if the signal is unique.
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String

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Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the ground signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type

Type: String

Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

Defines the separation code of the ground signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the ground signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the ground signal subtype.

GroupSignal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Group Signal type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
Groups signals will be routed together, for example shielded or twisted signals.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the group signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String
Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.
Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

in

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Type: String

Defines the separation code of the group signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the group signal section.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the internal splice attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the group signal subtype.

InternalSplice
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Internal Splice type that you create when you click the
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

icon

An internal splice is a type of connector used to connect two or more wires belonging to the same
bundle.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the internal splice reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Mass

Type: Double

Defines the internal splice mass.

Elec_Offset

Type: Double

Defines the distance to the bundle segment extremity selected to place the internal splice.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

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Defines the internal splice reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
internal splice in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the internal splice subtype.

OffSheet
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Off Sheet Connector type that you create when you click the
icon in the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
An off sheet connector is a marker in the functional definition that is used to establish connections
between different systems.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Name

Type: String

Defines the off sheet connector name.

Elec_Number

Type: Integer

Defines the off sheet connector number.

Elec_Signal_IO

Type: String

Defines if the signal is input or output.

Elec_Sub_Type
Defines the off sheet connector subtype.

Stud
Description

Type: String

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Describes the electrical feature of Stud type that you create when you click this icon
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

in the

A stud is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments with one or more wires connected
through a termination. It is used to ground bundle segments or pieces of equipment.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the stud reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the stud reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the stud in the
project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the stud subtype.

Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True only if all the stud bundle connection points are connected.

PowerSignal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Power Signal type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

in

The power signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a
wire in physical world.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the power signal.

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Type: Double

Defines the power signal nominal voltage.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type

Type: String

Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

Defines the separation code of the power signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the power signal subtype.

Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the power signal section.

Protection
Description
Describes the electrical feature of protection type from which both the corrugated tube and the tape
derives.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
CoveredBundleSegments Type: CATIList
Returns the list of bundle segments covered by the protection.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Length

Type: Double

Defines the protection length.

Elec_Line_Type

Type: Double

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Defines the protection line type.

Elec_Line_Weight

Type: Double

Defines the protection linear mass, used for the flattened representation.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the protection reference designator attribute.

Elec_Ref_PartNumber

Type: String

Defines the protection reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the protection subtype.

ShieldingSignal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Shielding Signal type that you create when you click this icon
in the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
The shielding signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a
wire in physical world.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the shielding signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type

Type: String

Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

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Defines the separation code of the shielding signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the shielding signal subtype.

Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the shielding signal section.

Elec_Nominal_Voltage

Type: Double

Defines the shielding signal nominal voltage.

SingleConnector
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Single Insert Connector type that you create when you click this
icon
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
A single insert connector is an electrical connector male or female. It's the physical representation
for both the plugs and the sockets.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the single insert connector reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the single insert connector reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for
the single insert connector in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the single insert connector subtype.

Elec_Fmdb_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the single connector attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

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Type: Boolean

Is True in only two cases:

if the single insert connector is integrated into an equipment and connected to another single
insert connector,

if the single insert connector is connected to a bundle segment or a back shell and connected to
another single insert connector.

Signal
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Signal type that you create when you click the
icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
A signal is a logical connection between two or more components. May be of the following types:
ground, shielding, video, power, command or grouped.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num

Type: String

Defines the nominal part number of the physical wire that realizes the signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type

Type: String

Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

Defines the separation code of the signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the signal section.

Elec_ListPhysical

Type: CATIList

Contains the list of ElecWire objects that realize the signal.

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SignalRoute
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Signal Route type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical Wire Routing workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

in

The signal route is computed to find out the optimized way between two or more extremities of a
signal.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
Elec_Length

Type: Double

Defines the signal route length.

Elec_Nominal_Part_Num

Type: String

Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the signal.
Elec_Section

Type: Double

Defines the signal route section.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the signal route subtype.

System
Description
Describes the electrical feature of System type that you create when you click the
icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.
A system consists of equipments, connectors and signals. It is an electrical unit, which accomplishes
a specific function.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes

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Type: String

Defines the system reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the system in
the project.
Elec_Sub_Type Type: String
Defines the system subtype.

Tape
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Tape type that you create when you click the
icon in the
Electrical Library workbench. The tape is then instantiated using the Electrical Harness Installation
workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.
A tape is an electrical component applied onto bundle segments as a protection.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius_Delta

Type: Double

Defines the bend radius value, which corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the tape curve.
This value takes into account the bundle segment and tape bend radius rule and ends up to an
increased rigidity due to the tape.
Elec_Bend_Radius_Protection_OK Type: Boolean
Is True if the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute is smaller than the real value of bend radius of the
largest bundle segment linked to the tape protection.
Elec_Covering_Length

Type: Double

Defines the tape overlapping used when instantiating the protection.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Length

Type: Double

Defines the tape length.

Elec_Line_Type

Type: Double

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Defines the tape line type, used for the flattened representation.
Elec_Line_Weight

Type: Double

Defines the tape linear mass.

Elec_Number_Layer

Type: Double

Defines the tape number of layers applied onto the bundle segment.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the tape reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the tape in the
project.
Elec_Ref_PartNumber

Type: String

Defines the tape reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the protection subtype.

Elec_Tape_Thickness

Type: Double

Defines the tape thickness.

Elec_Tape_Width

Type: Double

Defines the tape width.

Elec_Taping_Angle

Type: Double

Defines the taping angle.

Elec_Total_Tape_Length

Type: Double

Defines the tape length considering the overlapping due to the taping angle, and also the number of
layers.
Elec_Total_Thickness

Type: Double

Defines the tape thickness considering the overlapping due to the taping angle, and also the
number of layers.

TerminalBlock
Description

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Describes the electrical feature of Terminal Block type that you create when you select this icon
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
A terminal block is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments, each bundle segment being
connected to a termination.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the terminal block reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the terminal block attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the terminal block reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
terminal block in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the terminal block subtype.

Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if all the terminal block terminations are connected.

Termination
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Termination type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
A termination is a sub-element ensuring the electrical signal conduction between any type of
electrical component except the filler plug. It is indissociable from the electrical component and
corresponds to a contact crimped into a cavity.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

in

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Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double
Defines the length to be added to the wire routing length.
Elec_Id_Number

Type: String

Defines a unique identifier for the termination used to map a functional component to the
corresponding physical part.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the termination reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
termination in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the termination subtype.

Termination_GeoConstraint
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Termination type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

in

This type of termination only exists for terminal strip and the stud connectors. It has an associated
geometry (a line), which allows the connection to be constrained between the bundle segment and
the connector. The bundle segment can only be connected via this associated geometry (the line).
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double
Defines the length to be added to the wire routing length.
Elec_Id_Number

Type: String

Defines a unique identifier for the termination used to map a functional component and the
corresponding physical part.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

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Defines the termination reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
termination in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the termination subtype.

TerminalStrip
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Terminal Strip type that you create when you click this icon
in the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
A terminal strip is an electrical connector comprising a strip of terminations.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the terminal strip reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
Elec_Fmbd_Modify

Type: Boolean

Defines the terminal strip attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been
modified during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.
Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the terminal strip reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
terminal strip in the project.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the terminal strip subtype.

Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if all the terminal strip terminations are connected.

VideoSignal

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Description
Describes the electrical feature of Video Signal type that you create when you click this icon
the Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

in

The video signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a
wire in physical world.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num

Type: String

Defines the part number of the wire that realizes the video signal.
Elec_Recom_Wire_Type

Type: String

Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority

Type: Double

Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code

Type: String

Defines the separation code of the video signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Signal_Section

Type: Double

Defines the video signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the video signal subtype.

Wire
Description
Describes the electrical feature of Wire type that you create when you click the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.
Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

icon in the

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Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius

Type: Double

Defines the bend radius.

Elec_Catalog

Type: String

Defines the catalog from which the wire is selected.

Elec_Color

Type: String

Defines the color of the wire.

Elec_Diameter

Type: Double

Defines the wire diameter.

Elec_FromConnectionPoint Type: String
Returns the reference designator value of the connection point to which the first extremity of the
wire is connected.
Elec_FromDevice

Type: String

Returns the reference designator value of the device to which the first extremity of the wire is
connected.
Elec_FullConnected

Type: Boolean

Is True if both wire extremities are connected.

Elec_IsNetworkConnex

Type: Boolean

Is True if a route exists between whatever nodes only using the network connected branches.
Elec_IsRouted

Type: Boolean

Is True if the wire is routed.

Elec_Length

Type: Double

Defines the wire length.

Elec_Line_Weight

Type: Double

Defines the wire linear mass.

Elec_Ref_Des

Type: String

Defines the wire reference designator.

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Type: String

Defines the separation code of the wire used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.
Elec_Shielding_Signal

Type: String

Returns a product of type ElecSignal that realizes the wire.

Elec_Signal

Type: ElecSignal

Returns a product of type ElecSignal that realizes the wire.

Elec_Signal_Id

Type: String

Defines the identifier of the signal used during the wire routing.
Elec_Sub_Type

Type: String

Defines the wire subtype.

Elec_ToConnectionPoint

Type: String

Returns the reference designator value of the connection point to which the second extremity of the
wire is connected.
Elec_ToDevice

Type: String

Returns the reference designator value of the device to which the second extremity of the wire is
connected.
IsSingleInBundleSegment Type: Boolean
Is True when the wire route follows at least one bundle segment containing only this wire.

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Electrical Integration Scenarios

To complete the electrical process from end to end, CATIA Electrical products can import
electrical specifications from various data repository. It can be either from CATIA EFD product
or through external electrical specification authoring tools (schematics, database, etc.) thanks
to CAA APIs or XML exchange files.
Here are two scenarios illustrating these capabilities:
Electrical Integration from External Data
Electrical Integration from Functional Data

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Electrical Integration from External Data

This document explains the external data exchange capabilities available in the electrical
workbenches.
Environment Settings
Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing
Selecting Systems from External Data
Placing Devices from External Data
Creating the Cable Harness
Placing Internal Splices
Automatic Routing
Exporting Data from CATIA

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Environment Settings
Make sure the options are set up as follows:
1. Select the Tools -> Options... command then in the Infrastructure category, click Part
Infrastructure.
2. In the General tab:
Keep link with selected object option must be checked:

This makes possible the contextual links between the bundle segments and the geometry when
creating the harness.
3. Then in the Equipment & Systems category, click the Electrical Harness Installation
workbench. Click the Harness Management tab:
The bundle segment naming rule is set to Parent-Bundle Segment(#PN#)
to help you recognize to which geometrical bundle a bundle segment belongs.

4. Click OK to validate the entries made.

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Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing

This document shows how to set up the options to take advantage of external data from partners through
XML files.
See also the Customizing - Electrical Process Interfacing documentation.
It is also possible to use CAA V5 APIs to get information from legacy databases.
1. Select the Tools -> Options... command then in the Equipment & Systems category, click the
Electrical Process Interfacing tab.

This tab lets you define:

the access to external data

the electrical iXF repository path

the electrical working catalog path.

2. Make sure Enable external systems interfacing is checked.

However, you are required to identify the path:

of the folder in which the XML files available are stored

of the working catalog containing the V5 parts which Part Number are referred to in the XML
files.

to locate the iXF systems repository.

3. Use
For this example, the path is: .../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration
4. Select the Electrical Mapping tab to select the working catalog:

Click the Browse button to locate the catalog containing the V5 parts, which Part Number
attributes are referred to in the XML files.

For this example, the path is: .../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration/

ElecIntegration.catalog
5. Click OK to validate the entries made.

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It is now necessary to define the electrical objects mapping regarding the working catalog.
To do so:

use the Tools -> Options... menu

then in the Equipment & Systems category, select the Electrical mapping tab.

Refer to the Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical mapping documentation.

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Selecting Systems from External Data

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional
command
is available in the Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.
This command allows you to select the systems to be imported.
This task explains how to select the system prior to placing electrical components or routing.
Once a system is selected, the list of devices is loaded and ready to use.

1. Switch to the Electrical Assembly Design workbench

or Electrical Wire Routing

.
2. Click the External Systems

button.

The System Selection dialog box displays with the XML files available:

3. Select one or more systems and click the right arrow

for example: Electrical Bundle2.1

4. Click OK to validate.
The component list is filled up with these data and available for assisted placement or
routing.

If a system has already been selected, the data is reloaded.

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Placing Devices from External Data

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, Electrical Library commands Place Physical Device
and Add Link

are replaced with this one: Manage Links

This task explains how to place electrical components from the external device list.

1. Click the Manage Links

button.

The device list displays:

The components you can place are:

equipments

connectors

internal splices

shells.

You can filter the list:

Show all devices: the list displays all the devices referenced in the external data file, even if they are not placed in the
geometry.

Show only devices present in session: the list displays only the devices placed in the geometry.
Show only changed devices: the list displays only the devices which part numbers have been changed in the external
data file.

2. Select a component, for example the battery: Battery 6volts.1

If the component is not linked to a 3D element, the Place and Link buttons become available.
3. Click Place.
The catalog browser opens.

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Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser has been filtered to display only the object with the same
part number as the object selected in the device list.
If the part number is defined neither in the device list nor in the catalog, you can navigate in the catalog browser to
select the component of your choice.
4. Select this equipment: Battery 6volts and click OK.
The equipment is placed and automatically linked, together with the connector that belongs to it.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product and appear in the geometry at the origin. You can change
their locations using the compass.

The component list is updated: the equipment, connector and pins are shown as linked in the device list.

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If all the sub-element part numbers are filled up in the device list and found in the catalog, they are automatically
placed and linked.
For a connector to be correctly placed in the right cavity of an item of equipment:

The equipment and connector PartNumbers in the XML file must correspond to items in the V5 catalog.

The equipment must have a cavity with a defined name in the V5 catalog.

The connector name in the XML file must correspond to a cavity name of the V5 equipment.

For more information, refer to Managing Links from External Data (under Working with External Systems) in the
Electrical Library User's Guide.
5. Repeat these steps for the second equipment: Battery 6Volts.2.
6. Click Close when you are done.

Make sure you have defined the electrical objects mapping regarding the working catalog.
To do so:

use the Tools -> Options... menu

then in the Equipment & Systems category, select the Electrical mapping tab.

Refer to the Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical mapping documentation.

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Creating the Cable Harness

This task explains how to define the cable harness and place the connectors at each extremity.

1. Switch to Electrical Harness Assembly workbench

2. Insert a new product under the root product.

Either use the contextual menu - Components -> New Product - or select the Insert -> New Product menu item.

3. Click the Geometrical Bundle

button.

4. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design workbench

again.

5. Double-click to activate the geometrical bundle to place the extremities.

6. Click the Manage Links

button.

The component list displays:

You will place the mating connectors: Connector_M.11 and Connector_M.2.

7. Select a connector, for example Connector_M.11
8. Click Place.
Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser opens with the predefined connector:

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9. Select this connector: Connector_M and click OK.

The connector is placed and automatically linked, together with the pins that belong to it.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product and appear in the geometry at the origin (0, 0). You change the
location using the compass.
The component list is updated: the connector and pins are shown as Linked in the device list.
10. Repeat these steps for the other mating connector if you perform the whole scenario.
The result looks like this:

You will now connect the male connectors to the batteries.

The parent product, common to both devices to be connected, must be active.

11. Click the Connect Electrical Devices

button.

Select successively the connector connection point of both connectors to link them.

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Placing Internal Splices

This task explains how to place internal splices anywhere inside the bundle segment, under the covering.

1. Switch to Electrical Harness Assembly workbench

2. Double-click to activate the geometrical bundle.
3. Create the bundle segment harness.
To do so:
a. Click the Bundle Segment

button.

b. Define the bundle segment parameters.

c. Define a construction point to link the harness between the batteries.
d. Define the bundle segment routes.
These steps are detailed in the Basic Tasks section of the Electrical Harness Installation User's guide - Creating the Bundle Segment
Document.
The result looks like this:

You will now place the internal splices inside the bundle segments.

4. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design workbench

5. Click the Manage Links
The device list displays.

button.

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6. Select an internal splice:

7. Click Place.
Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser opens with the predefined internal splice:

8. Select this internal splice: IS-2Term and click OK.

You are prompted to select the bundle segment on which you want to place the internal splice.
9. Click to select the bundle segment.
The Internal Splice Placement dialog box opens:

Depending on where you make your selection, the splice is linked to one or other extremity. The choice of the extremity
affects the diameter update of the bundle segment when wires are routed.
Let's see an example: A wire is routed between Connector1 and the splice.

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In this case, the splice is linked to Extremity2. The wire is only routed in the BundleSegment1. An extra length is added
to the wire between Extremity2 and the splice: BundleSegment2 diameter is not recalculated.

In this one, the splice is linked to Extremity1. The wire is routed in both BundleSegment1 and BundleSegment2:
BundleSegment2 diameter is recalculated and updated.

10. Move then click to place the internal splice.

You can also modify the offset in the dialog box.

11. Click OK.

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Repeat these steps for the other splice.

The internal splice is placed and automatically linked.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product. They do not have a geometrical representation.

The component list is updated: the splices and pins are shown as linked in the device list.

12. Click Close when you are done.

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Automatic Routing
Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, the Automatic
Routing

command in the Electrical Wire Routing workbench is modified.

This task explains how to route wires from an external wire list into an electrical bundle.
To know more details, refer to Considering External Data Routing in Greater Depth.
The document must contain at least:

a geometrical bundle with bundle segments and components at their extremities

a system.

1. Switch to Electrical Wire Routing workbench

2. Double-click to activate the root product.

3. Create the electrical bundle connected to the geometrical bundle.
To do so:
a. Click the New Bundle

button.

b. Select the geometrical bundle to be connected to.

These steps are detailed in the Basic Tasks - Defining the Routing Context - Creating
the Bundle.
The electrical bundle is added to the specification tree under the root product.
4. Click the Automatic Routing

button.

The wire list opens with connectivity and attribute information:

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For the wires available in the list, you get the following information:

the wire name

the wire reference designator

the wire external diameter

the wire bend radius

if the wire is routed or not

if the extremities have been found or not, or changed.

Filters can help you make your selection:

hide already routed wires

hide not routed wires

hide wires which extremities are not found.

The routing options allow you to use or not the knowledge rule.
5. Select one or more wires and click the right arrow.
The selected wires shift to the right column: they will be routed.
6. Click Route.
The Automatic Wire Routing Report is displayed

7. Close the report window.

The wires are added to the specification tree:

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The bundle segments diameter are updated according to the wiring information.
To know more, refer to Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical Wire Routing
documentation.

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Exporting Data from CATIA

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, the Export Wires... command in
Electrical Wire Routing is modified. Refer to the Electrical Wire Routing - Basic Tasks - Exporting Wires to know more
about the Wire Export first method.
This task explains how to export data from CATIA, for back annotation purpose through CAA V5 APIs or using an XML
file.
Using this method, you can export data from a complete harness or a sub-assembly.
It allows you to generate the full harness schematic with the wire groups, wires, connectors at their extremities,
equipment, etc.
1. Switch to Electrical Wire Routing workbench

2. Click the Tools -> Export Wires... menu item and select the Export Wires in iXF Format.

You are prompted to select a node in the specification tree and every electrical bundle belonging to it will be
exported.
3. Click a node in the specification tree.
The File dialog box opens:

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4. Navigate to select the folder where you want to store your file and enter the name of the file.
5. Click Save.
An .xml file is created.

Note that wire groups and wires are exported by harness (electrical bundle).
The data exported are:

Wire group properties, particularly the wire group length computed from the 3D geometry.
The wire group length is the length of the longest wire in the wire group (taking into account the extra pin
length). The wire group length takes a wire length coefficient into account (allowing for twisted wires) when the
group is routed between two connectors.

Wire properties, particularly the wire length computed from the 3D geometry.

Electrical objects connected to the wires (termination, cavity, etc.).

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Electrical Integration from Functional Data

This scenario puts together the functionalities from the four workbenches used successively to create an electrical product. As
an example: a hair dryer.

It can be split in four phases:

the electrical system definition using Electrical System Functional Definition

the device implantation in 3D environment with Electrical Library
the physical harness creation using Electrical Harness Installation
and finally the electrical wire routing with Electrical Wire Routing.

Re-using predefined electrical systems to create a more elaborate system

1. Start an Electrical System Functional Definition session.

2. Click the New icon

and assemble the electrical systems:

3. Import existing components using the contextual menu:

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HairDryer

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4. Map the functional connectors to the physical ones using the contextual menu:
(connector_M: extension cable connectors to be plugged onto the batteries)

This action makes it possible to predefine for each functional connector what device reference to be used for the 3D
placement. This will simplify the 3D Designer work: he's driven by the functional data, reusing the Electrical System
engineer knowledge to achieve the 3D implantation.

5. Connect terminations and signals using the Assign icon

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This action makes it possible to define the signal extremities corresponding to the power supply and the hair dryer
systems.

6. Save the electrical system assembly using this icon

The electrical functional system is defined.

It is saved in the HairDryer_Assembly.CATProduct document in the samples folder.

7. Launch a CATIA session.

8. Open the ElectricalWorkbenchIntegration.CATProduct.
It contains two batteries with two female connectors.

9. Load the functional system.

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To do so:

Right-click the ElectricalWorkbenchIntegration product and select Components -> Existing Components...

Select the HairDryer_Assembly.CATProduct.

The correct path is: ...\online\cfysa_C2\samples\ElectricalIntegration

10. Set up the options using the Tools -> Options... menu:

Select Infrastructure -> Part Infrastructure -> General:

Activate the External References option: Keep link with selected object.
Select Mechanical Design -> Assembly Design -> General:
Activate the option: Automatic update.

3D implantation of the device

You will place the physical device: the hair dryer.
1. Start the Electrical Assembly Design workbench.
2. Insert a New Product.

Right-click the ElectricalWorkbenchIntegration

and select Components -> New Product,
In the Properties dialog box, enter the Part Number value for the hair dryer:
Hair-DryerProd and validate.

This product will contain the hair dryer itself and later the power cable.
3. Open the Catalog Browser using this icon

Successively:

Choose the catalog: ElecIntegration.catalog

if necessary, use the Browse button
. The correct path is:
...\online\cfysa_C2\samples\ElectricalIntegration

Drag and drop the hair-dryer equipment onto Hair-DryerProd.

Close the Catalog Browser when done.

This action places the component from the catalog at the default location.
Using the compass, you can modify the position of the equipment.
It's a first standard mode of placement.
4. Click the Add Link icon

to link the respective physical and functional equipment (the hair dryer).

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This action generates the link between the component and its corresponding functional element.

You can see if a component is connected or not: the equipment icon sign changes and turns from red to green,
meaning that the hair dryer is now electrically linked.

>>

The automatic signal routing will be possible since the signal extremities defined in the functional system can be
transposed in the 3D world using the physical/functional relations.

Physical harness creation

1. Start the Electrical Harness Assembly workbench.
2. Create two new products:
one for the hair dryer power cable, the second for the extension cable.
To do so:

Right-click the Hair-DryerProd, select Components -> New Product, enter the Part Number for the power
cable in the Properties dialog box and validate.

Right-click the ElectricalWorkbenchIntegration, select Components -> New Product, enter the Part Number
for the extension cable in the Properties dialog box and validate.

3. Create the geometrical bundles:

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Select the power cable and click the Geometrical Bundle icon
You can change the instance name to PowerCable.
Select the extension cable and click the Geometrical Bundle icon
You can change the instance name to ExtensionCable.

again.

The power cable is part of the hair dryer: that's why you create it in the hair dryer product (Hair-DryerProd).

The extension cable is an independent assembly: that's why you create it under the root product assembly.

4. Double-click to activate the Geometrical Bundle2 (the extension cable) in the specification tree.
5. Switch to Electrical Library workbench.

6. Click the Place Physical Device icon

to import the 3D connector for each battery.

7. Select the first connector in the PowerSupply system. The catalog pops up.
An alternative to steps 6 and 7 is to use the contextual menu, by right-clicking the connector in the
PowerSupply system and choose Place Physical Device.

Select the connector in the catalog and click OK to validate. The connector is added to the specification tree and
appears in the geometry at the origin (0, 0). You can change its location using the compass.
Repeat these steps for the second connector.

The physical connector pre-selection previously performed with Electrical System Functional Definition is used to
automatically get the correct part reference.
The 3D connector is automatically placed in the active product (Geometrical Bundle2) at the product origin.

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8. Use the Electrical Assembly Design workbench to create the electrical connection with the batteries.

Double-click to activate the ElectricalWorkbenchIntegration in the specification tree.

Click the Connect Electrical Devices icon

to connect the connector_M to the battery.

Select successively in the geometry each connector_M connection point from the Geometrical
Bundle2(ExtensionCable) then the corresponding connector_F connection point of the battery.

1.

2.
The connectors are linked and shifted to the batteries.

This action creates the assembly constraints between connector and battery.
9. Double-click to activate the Geometrical Bundle2 (the extension cable) in the specification tree.
10. From the catalog, drag and drop the connector_F onto the Geometrical Bundle2 for the extension cable. If needed,

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position it between the hair dryer and the batteries using the compass (ExtensionCable must be active).

This action places the connector from the catalog onto the extension cable.
11. From the catalog, drag and drop the Backshell_F directly onto the Connector_F in the Geometrical Bundle2.

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This action places the back shell from the catalog onto the extension cable connector.

it places the connector in the assembly

it creates the assembly constraints between connector and back shell

it establishes the electrical link between connector and back shell.

It is a second placement mode.

When the back shell is selected, the electrical link is displayed in the Related Objects viewer.

12. Double-click to activate the Geometrical Bundle1 (PowerCable) in the specification tree.
13. From the catalog, drag and drop the Connector_M directly onto the Connector_F of the extension cable.
This action adds the power cable connector (connector_M) from the catalog to the extension cable connector. The
assembly constraints as well as the electrical constraints have been created between the power cable and the extension
cable connectors. When the female connector is selected, the electrical link is displayed in the Related Objects viewer.

14. From the catalog, drag and drop the Backshell_M directly onto the Connector_M of the power cable.

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This action places the back shell from the catalog onto the power cable connector. The assembly constraints as well as
the electrical constraints have been created between the connector and the back shell.
You can repeat this step to place back shells on the extension cable male connectors (at the other extremity).
15. Start the Electrical Harness Assembly workbench to create the bundle segments for the power and extension cables.
To do so:

Define a bundle segment in the Geometrical Bundle1(PowerCable):

(Diameter = 10mm, Bend Radius = 15mm, Slack = 10%)

Define a point in the Geometrical Bundle2(ExtensionCable):

(Mode Between + Middle)
Define a bundle segment in the Geometrical Bundle2(ExtensionCable):
(Diameter = 10mm, Bend Radius = 15mm, Slack = 5%)
Define their routes.

This action creates the bundle segments that will be used to route the wires of the power and extension cables.

Electrical wire routing

1. Start the Electrical Wire Routing workbench to create the wires.
2. Create two electrical bundles using the New Bundle icon

They will contain the wires for:

the power cable (first electrical bundle)

the extension cable (second electrical bundle).

3. Associate each of them to the respective geometrical bundle.

The wires will be created in the correct bundle according to their route.
4. Select Signal_check.

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Boxes are displayed to help you recognize the extremities of the signal.
5. Click the Automatic Routing icon

The bundle segments diameter are updated according to the signal section.

The specification tree is updated.

6. Multi-select Signal_plus and Signal_minus using the Signal icon

7. Click the Automatic Routing icon

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The specification tree is updated: the wires and wire connections are created.
The length of the wire linked to a back shell is extended with an extra-length, defined as a back shell attribute.
However, an alternative is to connect the bundle segment through the back shell: in this case, the wire length is
equal to the total length of the bundle segments of the wire route.

The bundle segments diameter is updated using the section defined on the signals (with EFD).

When only one signal is selected, the wire connections are displayed (as shown below).

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Interoperability
In this section, you will find information about interoperability via VPM Navigator between
CATIA Electrical Applications and other applications listed below:
ENOVIA V5 Interoperability Using VPM Navigator
Using ENOVIA Catalog for Electrical Mapping
Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator

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ENOVIA V5 Interoperability
Using VPM Navigator
This task explains how to work with electrical data stored in ENOVIA V5, using VPM Navigator:

Working with Electrical Data

Optimal CATIA PLM Usability.

We recommend that you read the VPM Navigator User's Guide to know more about this product.
This documentation can be found on the ENOVIA LifeCycle Applications Documentation CDROM.
1. Log on to VPM Navigator.
Once the connection has completed successfully, the icons in the ENOVIA V5 toolbar are no longer grayed out.
2. Click the the ENOVIA Search... button

in the ENOVIA V5 toolbar.

The Result window listing all the PRCs appears.

A PRC (referred to as Product Root Class or root in VPM Navigator) is the most basic entity in your Product Structure.
3. In this window, double-click the object you want to open.
The VPM Navigator window displays, looking something like this:

You are now ready to work with this ENOVIA V5 data.

4. Click the Close button if you no longer need the Result window.

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Working with Electrical Data

This task shows you how to open electrical objects for editing purposes.
Electrical data can be saved in product document (in workpackage) or in component (in explode
mode): Geometrical bundles can be saved with both these modes, when CATPart documents (bundle
segments, devices, etc.) and electrical bundles are automatically saved as workpackage.
1. In the Product tree, right-click the object you want to open and, in the contextual menu, select
the Open... command.
Note that the multi-selection is possible using the Ctrl-key.

The following dialog box appears:

2. Click OK to open the documents in context.

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3. Now switch to Electrical Library to connect the plug of the geometrical bundle to the female
socket of the other.
To do so:

a. Click the Connect Electrical Devices button

b. Select the female socket.

c. Select the plug.
For more information about electrical device connections, refer to Electrical Library
User's Guide - User Tasks - Connecting Electrical Devices.

The bundle segment of the second geometrical bundle is updated.

4. Click Save in ENOVIA V5

to store your data in ENOVIA V5.

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Also refer to Working with ENOVIA V5: Optimal CATIA PLM Usability.

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Optimal CATIA PLM Usability

This section explains in more details how electrical data designed in CATIA is stored in ENOVIA V5, using VPM Navigator.
And this being user-friendly.
When working with ENOVIA V5, a new mode ensures that you only create data in CATIA that can be correctly saved in
ENOVIA V5.
ENOVIA V5 offers two different storage modes: Workpackage (Document kept - Publications Exposed) and Explode
(Document not kept). Electrical products have been configured to work in the Workpackage mode and the Explode
mode, according to the objects considered.
We recommend that you read the VPM Navigator User's Guide to know more about this product.
This documentation can be found on the ENOVIA LifeCycle Applications Documentation CDRom.

Working with Geometrical Bundle as Workpackage

A workpackage is one or more documents that are displayed in ENOVIA V5 as a single entity.
This means that a node in the CATIA specification tree is chosen as an entity to be shown in ENOVIA V5. The children are
not visible as documents in the ENOVIA V5 tree.
The geometrical bundle is a candidate to be stored this way, as it represents a complete and coherent package for the
electrical design.

If you are using Electrical Harness Flattening, it is the only mode supported to save geometrical bundle extracted data.
Within CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5 through VPM Navigator, if the user selects a new product as a geometrical bundle,
the system automatically knows that this geometrical bundle has to be stored as a workpackage.

Checks are performed when using the Electrical tools to ensure that all entities created or modified will be correctly
stored, using the following rules:

No links to geometry (that is to say external references) can be done from the part inside a workpackage to a part

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outside the workpackage.

Let's see an example:

With a geometrical bundle stored as a workpackage (publication exposed mode), the bundle segments belonging to
this geometrical bundle cannot use, as routing objects, supports, devices or any geometry external to the
geometrical bundle while keeping the contextuality. The external references won't be synchronized and the bundle
segment shape won't any longer be contextual to any object outside the geometrical bundle. Contextual links are
kept inside the geometrical bundle.

The context for the external links must be set to a product node inside the workpackage.
Refer to Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing Part Infrastructure.

Mechanical constraints and electrical connections between parts inside the workpackage and outside the workpackage
must rely on published objects.

To make this possible, the following settings must be applied when working with CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5, to
store the geometrical bundles as workpackage in ENOVIA V5:
a. Select Tools -> Options -> Infrastructure -> Part Infrastructure -> General tab.

In the External References frame, uncheck Use root context in assembly.

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b. Select Tools -> Options -> Equipment and Systems -> Electrical Harness Installation -> Harness
Management tab.

In the Contextual Links frame, for Keep link with selected object, choose In geometrical bundle in the
list.

Anyway, the system checks that the rules are not violated and if those options are not set properly, an error message is
displayed:

Moreover, during the electrical connection between devices and/or bundle segments that are not inside the same
workpackage, publications are automatically created on the geometrical bundle stored as workpackage, to ensure that
constraints and connections are correctly stored.

Working with Geometrical Bundle in Explode Mode

Using the Explode mode, all the nodes of the product structure are stored in ENOVIA V5.
This means that each component and its children are as many documents visible in ENOVIA V5.
The geometrical bundles saved in explode mode cannot be used in Electrical Harness Flattening. It will not be possible to
save the geometrical bundle extracted data. Use the workpackage mode in this context.

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Within CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5 through to VPM Navigator, if the user selects a new component as a geometrical
bundle, the system automatically knows that this geometrical bundle has to be stored in explode mode.

A single check is performed when using the Electrical tools to ensure that all the entities created or modified will be
correctly stored:
The context for the external links must be set to the root product node of the session.
Refer to Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing Part Infrastructure.
To make this possible, the following settings must be applied when working with CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5, to
store the geometrical bundles in explode mode in ENOVIA V5:
a. Select Tools -> Options -> Infrastructure -> Part Infrastructure -> General tab.

In the External References frame, check Use root context in assembly.

Commands Not Supported in ENOVIA V5

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For the time being, the following commands are not available if CATIA is connected to ENOVIA V5 Database:

In Electrical Library - Electrical Assembly workbench

Place Physical Device
Add Link
Remove Functional Link
Define Mounting Equipment
Define Equipment
Define Shell
Define Contact
Define Filler Plug
Define Back Shell
Define Cavity
Define Termination
Define Connector Connection Point
Define Bundle Connection Point
Define Cavity Connection Point
Define Back Shell Connection Point

In Electrical Wire Routing

New Wire Connection
Move Connection
Delete Connection
Merge Connections
Split Connection
New Wire
Select Signal

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Using ENOVIA Catalog

for Electrical Mapping
This methodology explains how to set up the Electrical Mapping option to use catalogs coming from ENOVIA.
First of all, the document environment needs to be set up to allow the catalog stored in ENOVIA V5 to be browsed/accessed.
Then the catalog of interest is selected in the Electrical Mapping tab.
If the catalog is saved in Explode mode (structure exposed), in ENOVIA you need to load this catalog in CATIA (using the
command: Send to CATIA V5 Catalog Editor) to be able de define the mapping.
1. Select the Tools -> Options command.
The Options dialog box displays.
2. Choose the General category in the left-hand box and click the Document tab.

This tab lets you define the document environment.

3. Select ENOVIA and click the Allowed button on the right.

The Current button is activated.

4. Click the Current button if you want ENOVIA to be launched by default.
The dialog box becomes:

5. Make sure you are connected to VPM Navigator.

6. Switch then to the Equipment & Systems category, to the Electrical Mapping tab:

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This tab lets you define the Catalog/Electrical objects mapping.

7. Click the Browse

button.

The Search ENOVIA data is displayed as follows:

Together with:

8. Enter one or more criteria and validate.

The Search Result window updates.
9. Select the desired catalog and click Open.

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The Electrical Mapping tab is updated.

10. Define the mapping as explained in the CATIA - Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing - Customizing Settings Equipment and Systems - Electrical Mapping.

The catalogs stored in ENOVIA appears in the editor as ENOVIA5\Catalog name.catalog.

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Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator

This methodology explains how to load iXF documents when using VPM Navigator.
First of all, the document environment needs to be set up to allow the documents stored in ENOVIA V5 to be
browsed/accessed. To do so:
1. Make sure you are connected to ENOVIA V5 through VPM Navigator.

2. Click the the Search ENOVIA data button

in the ENOVIA toolbar.

The Search ENOVIA data is displayed as follows:

Together with:

3. Enter one or more criteria and validate.

For example: documents with iXFElec file extension

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The Search Result window updates.

4. Select the desired document and open it, using the contextual menu (right-click -> Open item).

The document is stored in the current session, and ready to use.

5. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design.

6. Click the Select External Systems

button.

The System Selection dialog box opens containing the previously selected iXF files:

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7. Select the iXF file of interest and validate.

The iXF document is loaded.

For more information about external systems, refer to the CATIA - Electrical Library User's Guide - User Tasks Electrical Integration Scenarios - Electrical Integration from External Data

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Workbench Description
The Electrical Wire Routing Version 5 application window looks like this:
Click the hotspots to display the related documentation.

Menu Bar
Toolbars
Specification Tree

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

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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 Related 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 Routing Equipotentials

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See Modifying a Signal Route

See Managing Wire Extremities
See Accessing Data From Catalog Using Electrical Library
See Filtering Wires
See Working with External Data, External Data Exchange

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Specification Tree

The Specification Tree displays the following icons:

represents an electrical bundle, that is a document containing wires.
represents a wire
represents a wire associated to a reference (from a catalog)
represents a wire group
represents a wire group associated to a reference (from a catalog)
represents a signal route on pathways
represents a set of wire connections
represents a connection
The full set of icons displayed in the electrical workbenches is now available.
Also refer to the Product Structure Symbols.

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Electrical Workbench Specification Tree

In this document, you will find the different icons generated in the electrical workbenches.

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Mounting Equipment
Equipment
Shell
Single Insert Connector, External Splice, Internal Splice, Stud, Terminal Strip, Terminal
Block,
Filler Plug
Contact
Back Shell
Electrical container
Cavity
Termination
Connector Connection Point
Bundle Connection Point
Cavity Connection Point
Back Shell Connection Point
Geometrical Bundle
Multi-Branchable Document
Branch
Bundle Segment
Electrical Bundle
Wire
Wire associated to a reference (from a catalog)
Wire group
Wire group associated to a reference (from a catalog)
Wire Connection Container
Wire Connection
Internal Splice
Functional System
Functional Equipment
Not linked to physical

Linked to physical

Partially linked to
physical

Linked to physical

Partially linked to
physical

Functional Connector
Not linked to physical

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Functional Connection Point

Not linked to physical

Linked to physical

Partially linked to
physical

Signal, Power Signal

Not routed

(Not yet implemented)

Shielding Signal
Group Signal
Ground Signal
Video Signal

Other
Routed Signal in System Space Reservation (SSR)

Partially routed

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Customizing
Before you start your first working session, you can customize the way you work to suit your habits. This type
of customization is stored in permanent setting files. Settings will not be lost if you exit your session.

Other information can be considered as customization:

Electrical Data Exchange Format deals with electrical specifications from external data.
Compatibility Table deals with separation code filter used during the routing.

1. Select the Tools -> Options menu.

The Options dialog box is displayed.
2. Select Equipment & Systems in the left-hand box.
The Electrical Mapping and the Electrical Process Interfacing tabs appear:

The Electrical Mapping tab lets you define the catalog and the electrical objects mapping.
The Electrical Process Interfacing tab lets you define the access to external data, the
electrical iXF repository path and the identifier for mapping management. It also displays
the electrical working catalog path that is defined in the Electrical Mapping tab.

3. Select the Electrical Wire Routing workbench.

The General tab appears:

This tab lets you define various options.

When working with Electrical Wire Routing, it may be useful to activate the cache.
Activating the cache allows you to work in visualization mode rather than in design mode.
To do so:
4. Click Infrastructure then Product Structure in the left-hand box.
The Cache Management tab appears.

This tab lets you activate the cache.

5. Set options in these tabs according to your needs.
6. Click OK in the Options dialog box when done.

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Electrical Wire Routing

This page deals with General options used for wire routing:

wire extremity management

property naming to be displayed as column title

separation code file

bundle segment extremity color

bundle segment update

Wire Extremity Management

Available/Favorites

To add properties to the list, select the property in the Available list and click the --> arrow.
The Favorites list contains the properties displayed in the Interconnection frame of the Wire Extremity
Management dialog box.
To remove properties, do the reverse: select the property from the Favorites list and click the <-- arrow.
By default, the Favorites list is blank.

Favorite column title

Select a property in the Favorites list and enter a name in the Favorite column Title field.
It is displayed in the Wire Connection Management dialog box:

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By default, this option is blank.

Separation Code File

The Separation Code File area is used to define Separation Code rules to optimize the routing.
Three options, mutually exclusive are available:

No Rule: the separation code is not used.

The routing is done according to the shortest route found.
The separation codes may be File Based. In that case, define the path to access the compatibility table by
clicking the Browse button to choose the separation code file.
This file is used during the Automatic Routing and the Routing Simulation.
Two options are available:

Signal-Signal manages compatibility between signals,

Signal-Arc manages compatibility between signal and pathways.

The separation codes may also be Rule Based, using the Knowledge language.
Only one rule can be implemented at a time, but this rule may combine several conditions.
The line above the input field is a reminder of the knowledgeware syntax.
The Eraser icon is used to clear the input field.

Click the Edit button to enter a new rule: the Routing Rule Editor is displayed.

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Enter the required elements by picking them from the lists.

The rule is now displayed in the option box.

The default value is No Rule.

Extremity Color

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The Color field is used to change the color of the extremity boxes.
Select a color from the list box. the result looks like this:

or

Bundle Segment Update

Diameter and bend radius to its content

Selecting this checkbox means that, after wire routing, bundle segment diameter and bend radius will be updated
based on the wires and wire groups routed through the segment.
Click to clear this option if you do not want bundle segment diameter and bend radius to be updated. In you clear
this option, and you subsequently need to update bundle segment diameter, you will have to force the update of
each multi-branchable document:

Select the Diameter and bend radius to its content option

Select Tools -> Force Recompute Diameter.

By default, this checkbox is selected.

Bend radius according to the wire's

Three mutually exclusive modes are available:

Never: no update of the bundle segment minimum bend radius is performed.

Always: the greatest bend radius of the wires routed in the bundle segment determines the segment bend
radius to be applied.
Conditional: the wire bend radius is taken into account for update when it is greater than the bundle segment
bend radius.

The default mode is Always.

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Electrical Mapping

This tab deals with the catalog and objects mapping:

the catalog definition

the mapping between the catalog and the electrical objects

the keyword attributes.

Catalog/Electrical objects mapping

In order to valuate the keywords automatically when the devices are stored in the catalog with their
properties, you need to define a mapping between keywords of each family and the attributes of the
component type.

Catalog

The drop-down list or the Browse button

lets you define the catalog of interest.

This information is displayed in the Electrical Process Interfacing tab.

Define the corresponding type for each family

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Associate an electrical Type to the currently selected Family, to do so:

select a family

then use the combo list to select the corresponding type.

Define the corresponding the corresponding attribute for each

keyword

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Define for each Keyword the corresponding reference Attribute:

select a keyword

then use the combo list to select the corresponding attribute.

By default, these options are cleared.

The mapping definition can be set by the administrator.

In this case it can also be locked.
To get more information about the Administration Mode in CATIA, refer to Infrastructure
User's Guide.

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Electrical Process Interfacing

This document lets you define the options to take advantage of external data from partners, through
XML files or from CAA V5 APIs, retrieving information from legacy databases.
This tab shows:

the access to external data

the electrical iXF repository path

the electrical working catalog path

the identifier for mapping management.

External Data Interfacing

Enable External Data Interfacing

If this option is selected, you can use external data. If not you can only work with CATIA data.
By default, this option is selected.

Electrical iXF Data Repository

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System repository
Identify the folder path in which the XML files available are stored.
To do so, use this button

to locate the iXF systems repository.

By default, this option is cleared.

Electrical Working Catalog

Catalog path
The catalog path is displayed in this frame. However, it is defined in the Electrical Mapping tab.

Select the Electrical Mapping tab to select the working catalog using the Browse button

Locate the catalog containing the V5 parts, which Part Number attributes are referred to in the
XML files.
By default, this option is cleared.

Identifier Management

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Instance Name
Select this option so that the Instance Name will be taken into account instead of the Reference
Designator to insure the mapping between 3D objects and external system's objects.
By default, this option is cleared.

It is also necessary to define the electrical object mapping regarding the working catalog.
To do so, select the Electrical Mapping tab.
Refer to the Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical Mapping documentation.

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Using Compatibility Table

The compatibility table contains the list of the separation codes.
The separation code is a criterion used as a filter applied to the segments. It is possibly used
during the automatic routing: if the separation codes are compatible, the signal can follow the
segments whereas, if the separation codes are not compatible, the route is forbidden.
This list is organized as follows: to each signal separation code (Segreg-1, Segreg-2, Segreg3, Segreg-4, Segreg-a) corresponds one or more compatible segment separation codes
(type1, type2, type3, type4).
The pattern is the following:

[Signal Separation Code]: [Compatible Segment Separation Code]; [...];

[Compatible Segment Separation Code].

It looks like this:

The first line of the table can be read: Segreg-1 is compatible with type2, type3 and type4.
Note that:

A signal with an empty separation code can be routed on all the network segments

A segment with an empty segregation allows all the signals routing

A signal with the same separation code as a segment can be routed on this segment (even with no
compatibility table)
The separation code of the V4 bundle segments (BNS) can only be modified in CATIA V4
(E3MANAGE/MANAGE/Element)

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For the pathways, the separation code is modified using Edit -> Properties

For the signals, the separation code is defined using CATIA - Electrical Systems Functional Definition

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Cache Management

Cache Activation

For more information, refer to Cache Settings.

Work with cache system

Activating the cache allows you to work in visualization mode, rather than in design mode and may
prove useful when working with Electrical Wire Routing.
In visualization mode, a representation of the geometry only is available and the corresponding cgr
file is inserted from the cache system.
Using a cache system considerably reduces the time required to load your data.
By default, this option is cleared.

When the routing is completed, come back to the design mode

To do so:

Turn the cache activation mode off

Select Edit -> Representations -> Design Mode

Update the geometry using the Update command

, if need be.

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Electrical Data Exchange Format

To complete the end-to-end process, it is possible to get electrical specifications from external
data. Those specifications consist of:

a device list containing the device attributes and the assembly connectivity

and a wire or equipotential list containing their attributes and the from-to connectivity.

This information will be used by CATIA Electrical products to implement in the digital mock-up
the electrical systems driven by any electrical authoring tool (schematics or database for
example).
You can either access this information through CAA APIs (refer to CAA documentation) or
through an XML file. This method (using an XML file) is described in Electrical Integration from
External Data.
You will find hereafter the XML schema to create your own interface to CATIA Electrical Tools.
The exchange data model is different from the data model of CATIA Electrical solutions.
Actually, this data model consists of pertinent information that needs to transit between
Electrical specification tools (schematics, etc.) and CATIA. It only aims at implementing those
specifications in the mock-up. So only this pertinent information (objects, attributes and
connectivity) is described in the following XML schema and not all the information stored in
the CATIA electrical product documents.
In the context of CATIA P1, the CAA APIs are not supported.
As well, several objects are not managed in CATIA P1:

equipotential

connector shell

splice

even if defined in the XML file: the same XML schema is shared for P1 and P2 products.

Preamble
iXF is a format defined by Dassault Systmes, which is used for the data exchange in XML
within CATIA.
Succinctly, iXF is based on the SOAP format and relies on the XML and the XML schema
concept. It makes it possible to describe a grammar (a specific data model) expressing the
object, class and behavior concepts as well as documents containing data conforming to the
defined grammar.
A detailed description of the iXF format can be found at the following address:
http://www.ixfstd.org/

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Describing the iXF Electrical Schema

Considering the iXF Schema in Greater Depth

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Describing the iXF Electrical Schema

The electrical schema, defined for the data exchange between CATIA V5 electrical products and external applications
(CAA partners applications, etc.), describes a subset of electrical objects together with their relations.
This schema is based on the fact that an object is defined as a class, which one is associated to a behavior set. Thus, an
electrical connector corresponds to the Connector class, to which the Connector and Product behaviors are
associated.

Electrical Objects
The following classes with their associated behavior describe the electrical objects within the iXF Electrical Schema.

Harness

Harness

Wire

Wire

Equipment

Equipment

Product

Function

ConnectorShell

ConnectorShell

Product

Splice

Splice

Product

Connector

Connector

Product

Equipotential

Equipotential

Product

Wire group

Wire group

Product

Product

Pin

Pin

Product

Cavity

Cavity

All these classes derived from the Object abstract class. This one is not to be used as is but allows you to define the Name
attribute for all the classes deriving from the Object class.

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The units for all the attributes are given in the standard MKS system.

The following behaviors, associated to the electrical objects are defined in the iXF electrical schema (behavior named
ClassBehavior):

Harness

Attribute: SubType
Wire

Attributes: InnerDiameter, OuterDiameter (mandatory), BendRadius, Length, Color, LinearMass, SeparationCode,

SubType, SignalId
Wire group

Attributes: PartNumber, SubType, Color, Diameter, WireLengthCoefficient, BendRadius, SeparationCode,

WireGroupLength, ReferenceDesignator
Equipment

Attribute: SubType
ConnectorShell

Attribute: SubType
Connector

Attributes: SubType, Color, MatingConnector

Splice

Attribute: SubType
Pin

Attribute: SubType

Cavity

Attribute: SubType
Product

Attribute: PartNumber
Equipotential

Attributes: EstimatedDiameter, SeparationCode, RoutingPriority, WirePartNumber, SubType

Function

Attributes: System_Type (mandatory if the Function behavior is defined), Description, Localization

At last, all the objects expressed in a iXF document have an attribute identifying in a unique way each object within the project,
except for the objects of Link type, which have a unique identifier within the document.
To illustrate how to describe an electrical object with the iXF format, let's take the example of an electrical connector:

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This electrical connector of Connector class has:

as identifier: V242 (attribute 'id')

as name: Motor,Window_Driver (attribute 'Name')

as reference: 5584555 -5W (attribute 'PartNumber' via its Product behavior)

as subtype: Single Insert Connector (attribute 'SubType' via its Connector behavior)

as color: Yellow (attribute 'Color' via its Connector behavior)

Relations between Electrical Objects

Using a Link type behavior
Nearly all the relations between electrical objects take the form of objects with a Link type behavior To know about the
standard behavior definition, refer to http://www.ixfstd.org/std/ns/core/classBehaviors/links/1.0.
The Link object classes of the electrical schema are the following:

WireLink

WireGroupLink

EquipotentialLink

DeviceLink

HarnessLink

These object classes allow you to define:

a. the connectivity of the wire and equipotential objects, that is to say their connections with the electrical components
(instantiated standard parts).
b. the aggregation relations between the electrical components (instantiated standard parts).
For example a connector with pins or an equipment with connectors and pins.
c. the harness composition (wires and electrical components)
These links take the form of identifiers.
For example: a wire, which identifier is W1, connected to two electrical connectors, which identifiers are C1 and C2:

Using a Specific Attribute

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The relation between two connectors (mating connector, connector) is not managed by a Link type object as above but using a
specific attribute named MatingConnector (behavior attribute of Connector type). This attribute is optional and is valuated
with the identifier of the mating connector on both sides of the connection.
Let see an example where two connectors are connected together. The connectivity between them is described as follows:

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Considering the iXF Schema

in Greater Depth
The iXF electrical schema is split in four parts (four files):

the first one: ElectricalSchema.xsd refers to the other three and describes the Electrical Object Classes.

the second one: IXF_CB_NS1.xsd describes strictly the Electrical Behaviors.

the third one: IXF_CB_NS2.xsd describes the Link type Behaviors (iXF standard reference).

and last but not least, the fourth one: IXF_CB_NS3.xsd describes the Functional Behaviors.

Electrical Object Classes

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Electrical Behaviors

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Link Type Behaviors

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Functional Behaviors

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Glossary

A
assign
affect

An operation that lets you connect functional electrical components by means

of signals.
An operation that lets you connect wires to terminations.

B
bill of materials
bridge wire
bundle
bundle segment

A list of connectors and devices referenced by the wire list, displayed with
their characteristics.
A wire between two pins of the same connector to create a bridge and
propagate the connection.
Always refers to an electrical bundle.
A geometrical subdivision of a bundle, also called segment

C
compatibility table
connector

cvs file

Contains the list of the separation codes.

A electrical component providing an electrical interface between two bundles,
an item of equipment and a bundle or between wires. Comprises one or more
electrical terminations.
They are of two types: physical connector (from Electrical Library, Catalog
and V4) and functional connector (from Electrical System Functional Design
application)
A text file used for data exchange between CATIA V4 and V5

D
deaffect

An operation that lets you disconnect a wire from terminations.

E
electrical bundle
electrical system

A document containing the wires routed through geometrical bundles.

An electrical unit which accomplishes a specific function. Consists of
equipment, connectors and signals. Described in a CATProduct document.
electrical terminationElectrical connection (often called pin) on a bundle connection point.
equipment
A electrical device with one or more associated connectors.
equipotential
A signal specification, which handles the signal extremities (two or more) and
other properties used for routing purpose.

G
geometrical bundle

A document containing an assembly of connectors, supports and protective

coverings, as well as the geometric representation of a harness.

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An assembly of wires, connectors, supports and protective coverings

manufactured together. Represented in CATIA by both geometrical and
electrical bundles.

I
internal splice

Electrical connector used between wires belonging to the same bundle

segment. It comprises terminations. An internal splice has a reference (part
number) but does not have a geometrical representation.

M
mapping
mating connector

An operation that consists of assigning to every keywords of each chapter the

corresponding attributes of the wire component type.
A double connector: connector to connector or connector to equipment

P
pathway
pin
properties

A path reservation between two or more components in CATIA - Systems

Space Reservation
An electrical termination
Attributes of a component that define its electrical, mechanical, etc.
characteristics.

R
rank
reaffect
reconcile
resolve

Selection order followed during the automatic routing

An operation that lets you modify the termination on which a wire is
connected.
An operation that lets you establish a link between a physical equipment
(Reservation Box or Reservation Connector) and a functional connector. Only
available on CATIA - Systems Space Reservation objects.
An operation that adds technological information to an electrical element
from a reference catalog:

a wire reference to a wire,

routing

an internal splice reference to a wire connection, etc.

An operation that computes the optimized wire route between two or more
extremities of a signal.

S
segment
separation code

signal

See bundle segment and pathway

A criterion used to sort and separate signals as they are routed through
bundle segments within a network. If the separation codes are compatible,
signals can be routed through the same segment whereas, if the separation
codes are not compatible, the route is forbidden.
A logical connection between two or more components. May be of the
following types: ground, shielding, video, power, command or grouped.

W
wire
wire connection
wire group

Electrical wire: physical object corresponding to a signal

An electrical feature linking two or more wires that terminate at the same
point.
An electrical object representing a multiconductor, for example a twisted pair
or cable. Wires in a group are routed together.

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A list of wires belonging to an electrical bundle, displayed with their

characteristics.

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Index
A
affect
arrangement box (ArrBox)
automatic routing
equipotentials
wire groups
wires

B
bridge wire
bundle
bundle segment
definition
diameter
recomputing

C
catalog
command
Automatic Equipotential Routing
Automatic Wire Routing
Delete (Wire)
Delete Connection
Delete Signal Route
Export Wires...

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External System Selection

Extremity Management
Filter Management
Manage Links
Map with Reservation
Merge Connections
Modify Route
Move Connection
New Bundle
New Wire
New Wire Connection
Related Objects
Resolve Wires
Routing Simulation
Select Signal
Select Systems
Split Connection
compatibility management
compatibility table
connection
mating connector
connector
context
creating
wires
creating a bundle
creating a signal route
creating a wire
creating a wire connection
csv file

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D
deaffect
deleting
wires
deleting a signal route
deleting a wire
diameter
bundle segment
DistanceWireProduct
distributing
wires

E
ElecDistanceCommon
electrical application interoperability
electrical behavior
electrical bundle
electrical connection point
electrical data exchange format
electrical object class
electrical package
electrical termination
electrical user function
DistanceWireProduct
ElecDistanceCommon
ListAllOuterLayerObjects
ListDirectlyCoveredObjects
ListDirectlyOuterLayerObjects
VisualMode
Electrical.css
equipment

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equipotential
automatic routing
definition
exporting
wire groups
wires
external data
management
placing internal splices
working with...
xml files

F
filter management
functional behavior

G
geometrical bundle
getting wire reference

H
html

I
internal splice
iXF electrical schema

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K
knowledge

L
link type behavior
ListAllOuterLayerObjects
ListDirectlyCoveredObjects
ListDirectlyOuterLayerObjects
loading an iXF document with VPM Navigator

M
mapping
mapping with reservation
mating connector
connection
merging wire connections
modifying the wire route

O
optimal CATIA PLM usability

P
pathway
placing internal splices

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external data
placing physical devices
PRC
Product Root Class

R
rank
reaffect
recomputing
bundle segment
reconciling objects
related objects
replacing wire connection with external splice
resolving
wires
route
routing simulation

S
selecting system from external data
selecting the signal
separation code
signal
splitting wire connections
style sheet

T
termination

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Tools Options - Electrical Wire Routing

General
Tools Options - Equipment and Systems
Electrical Mapping
Electrical Process Interfacing
Tools Options - Product Structure
Cache Management

U
using ENOVIA catalog for electrical mapping

V
viewing related objects
VisualMode

W
wire connections
merging
splitting
wire extremity management
wire groups
automatic routing
exporting
wires
automatic routing
creating
deleting
distributing
exporting

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getting reference
resolving
working with electrical data using VPM Navigator
working with external data

X
xml
XML file

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