Project 1

Title: Engine Wire Harness Routing in CATIA V5

Objective:

To route the wiring harness on given Engine and prepare the flatten view drawing in CATIA V5. 

Introduction:

An engine wiring harness is an organized set of wires, cables, connectors and terminals that controls a vehicle’s electrical system. Engine wire harnesses relay electrical power and control information to outlying components such as: Alternators, Audio Systems, Batteries, Blower Motors, Computers, Fuel Injectors, Fuses, Windshield Wipers and everything else that is controlled electrically that can be found in a vehicle.

Specifications:

1. Engine:
   
   
                                          Fig1: Engine Body
2. Connectors:
   
   
                           Fig2: Connector 1 
   
   
   
                                 Fig3: Connector 2
   
   
3. Guiding channel:
   
   
                                  Fig3: Channel Bottom
4. Clips & Clamps:
   
   
                   Fig4: Fir Tree Type Mounting Clip
   
   
                        Fig5: P Clamp
   
   
                    Fig6: L Clip

Definitions:

1. Engine:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   
2. Connectors:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   b. The connectors are defined electrically in the Electrical Part Design Workbench and the Connector, Bundle and Cavity Connection points are added.
   
3. Guiding Channel:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   b. The guiding channel is defined electrically as an equipment and then bundle connection points are given to all of its entry and exit points.
   
4. Fir Tree Clip:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   b. The fir tree clip is defined electrically as an mounting equipment and a cavity definition is given in its mounting contact face.
   
5. P Clamp:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   b. The p clamp is defined electrically as a support and its entry and exit connection sides are given accordingly.
   
6. L Clip:
   a. The CAD model is downloaded in .igs/.stp file format and converted into .CATPart format.
   

Design Methodology:

1. Wire Harness Routing:
   a. Start the Assembly Design Workbench in Catia.
   b. Bring in the Engine model and the Connectors along with all the other equipment into the assembly.
   c. Snap connectors 1 and 2 into the given respective connectors mating ports on the engine.
   d. Snap the main Interconnector into a L Clamp and fix it with a fir tree type mounting clip.
   e. Snap the guiding channel and the P clamps in their appropriate positions.
   f. Now start the Electrical Harness Assembly Workbench and convert the assembly model into an electrical assembly model using the Geometrical Bundle option.
   g. After that we start the routing of the main bundle from the main interconnector across the engine surface and route all the connectors from different bundle points of the main branch as shown in the figure.
   
   
                           Fig7: Engine Wire Harness Routing
   
   h. Then after our routing is complete, we check whether all our connections are properly done or not using the Search command, and if not, we need to route the connections again.
   
   
                            Fig8: Search dialog box
   
2. Wire Harness Flattening:
   a.Create a new product file in Catia.
   b. Start the Electrical Harness Flattening Workbench and select the Harness Flattening Parameters option from the toolbars.
   c. A Harness Flattening Parameters dialog-box will appear and we have to set out our required parameters.
   
   
                       Fig9: Harness Flattening Parameters   
   
   d. Then we have to open our previous product file of the Wiring Harness Assembly and then go to the Electrical Harness Flattening Workbench.
   e. Select the Extract option from the toolbars and then if our assembly is fully connected then the file gets extracted to the second product file. If our file fails to extract then that means that our assembly is not fully connected then in that case we have to redo and check our connections again.
   f. After that we have to select the Flatten option from the toolbars and then select any face of our assembly with respect to which we want to flatten our assembly and then select all our wire bundles and click ok. Our harness assembly then gets converted into a flattening assembly.
   
   
                      Fig10: Wire Harness Flattening 
   
   g. Save the file in the same location as that of the Wiring Harness Assembly
3. Flattening Product Drawing:
   a. Create a new Drawing file.
   b. Select the Front View option from the toolbars and then open the Wiring Harness Flattening window and select the same face that we had selected for our flattening
   c. The Flattening Assembly gets converted into a drawing file.
   d. We add a title box, bill of materials and annotations to the drawing.
   e. Save the file.
   
   
                     Fig11: Wire Harness Drawing