Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modeling Week 2 Challenge

INTRODUCTION

Wiring harness is the combination of electrical and mechanical CAD to connect all the electrical parts in the automotive at the optimum level.

BASICS OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (EDS) AND WIRING HARNESS

1) Electrical Distribution System: It runs from front end to rear end of the vehicle. It involves physical and logical architecture schematic development, power distribution, wiring harness design, wiring harness component design of given electrical system. It ensures the physical location of all electrical components placed in the vehicle. It provides the logical connectivity between electrical components. It has electrical controller unit for different sections like Airbag ECU, ABS ECU, Engine (ECU).

2) E&E Architecture: It is the high-level logical connectivity diagram. It represents all the systems, sub-systems and logical connections between them. It shows the Control Area Network (CAN) between different electronic components.

3) Logical schematics: Detailed design of E&E architecture. It shows the logical connectivity between different components and controls of given systema and subsystem. It does not define any other parameter except electrical connectivity.

4) Electrical schematics: Detailed design of logical schematics, pin to pin connectivity, properties, fusing distribution, grounding distribution, interconnects, wire properties (wire gauge, color, type), circuit properties (circuit number, connector designation number, control device number), specification of components, end results of electrical core design of system and primary input for harness design.

5) Wiring harness topology: Strategy to split the harness between different pieces to achieve the best manufacturability, serviceability and cost-effective design.

6) Wiring harness routing: It provides the desired path of wiring harness into given vehicle environment by applying set of design rules and industry best practices.

7) Wiring harness packaging: Fixing/mounting strategy of wiring harness routing to ensure the safe, reliable and durability of wiring harness by applying set of design rules and industry best practices.

WIRING HARNESS ASSEMBLY

The term Wiring Harness refers to the assembly of

1) Wires: Various bundled wires together. Each individual wire is responsible for carrying the electrical signals and energy. Wires are made up of Cu conductors insulated with PVC insulation.

2) Connectors: These are electro-mechanical device used to join electrical termination. Connectors create an electrical circuit. These are plastic molded housing with locking and retention feature.

3) Terminals: A device used to terminate a conductor that is to be affixed to post, stud, chassis, another tongue etc., to establish electrical connection. These are metal conductors with plating constructed in specific shape.;

4) Protection devices: Corrugated flexible tube.

5) Insulation: adhesive and non-adhesive tapes and sleeves. Polymer or cotton/polymer (very effective in high-temperature zone).

6) Clips & Clamps: Plastic molded parts with mounting /snapping features.

7) Fuse and relay box: Plastic molded parts used to package fuses and relays in systematic manner.

8) Retention device: Plastic molded parts to mount connector and other harness components. Connector backshells.

9) Guiding channels: Plastic molded parts or metal parts designed to guide harness bundle in given geometric area to secure and protect the harness.

10) Electronic components: Diodes, terminating resistors, flasher, Timer circuits are some parts of harness supply.

PROCEDURE

Typical design flow of EDS System.

INTRODUCTION TO WIRE HARNESS

DEFINIG ELECTRIC PARAMETER FLOW CHART

Defining the connector

We need to define the connector by following the below steps.

• Download the connector data.
• Create required geometrical parameter.
• Define part as electrical connector.
• Define bundle connection point.
• Define connector connection point.
• Define cavity connection point.

Defining the mounting clip

• Download the clip 3d data.
• Create the geometry parameter.
• Define the part as mounting component.
• Define the part as cavity.

Defining the connector is described below

• Downloaded the cad data from the supplier's website and the images are shown below.

Then we have to put the axis system on the created points of the connectors with same orientation to ensure the correct assembly of the components.

• Defining the part as connector using the define connector command by selecting the command and selecting the component.
• Define bundle connection point and selecting the required input from the created geometries such as axis and points and face.
• Define the connector connection point and select the required geometry inputs for connector connection.

CONNECTOR DEFINATIONS IN CATIA V5

1. Deutsch DT06 – 08SA

Connector connection point:

Create midpoint on the contact face which will be normal to wire bunddle insertion.

Craete Axis System with respect to the point which we have created and defining the axis direction as shown below,

Bundle connection point:

Switch to 'Electric Part Design'

Define the part as connector in catia, give no. of termination as 8 because we have 8 entry points for wire.

Define Bundle connection point

Define connector connection point

Tree Structure:

2. Tyco 174357-2 :

• Create midpoint
• create Connector connection point
• create Connector connection axis system
• create cavity connection point
• create cavity connection axis system
• Switch to Electric part design and define part as connector
• Define Connector connection point and cavity connection point

Tree Structure:

3. Tyco 85229-1 :

• Create midpoint
• create cavity connection point
• create cavity connection axis system and orientation should be same as in connector
• Switch to Electric part design and define part as Mounting Equipment
• Define cavity connection point

Tree Structure:

Electric Assembly Design :

• Import Connector and cavity / mounting clip.
• Select Defing Eelectric connection
• select cavity and then connector.

Tree Structure:

CONCLUSION :

The connector is successfully modeled in CATIA V5 and the same is added to the catalog for further references.