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

Wiring Harness using CATIA V5

The electrical components in Automotive Sector are designed and arranged by the electrical department. The data of the components and their inter dependency on the mechanical components make the whole process an interdisciplinary approach. The components generally used in automotive sector are supplied by companies like Tyco Electronics, Molex, Yazaki, Amphenol etc.

The designing and wiring harness consist of several steps. The process starts with Input Collection, where the necessary requirements and functions along with its scope are addressed.

Next step involves identifying the components that shall meet the requirements and fulfill the functions. From the supplier data, initial harness topology is designed from the BIW and trims CAD integration.

The Harness Topology is then reviewed for feasibility check and interconnectability. After review, a full-scale concept routing and packaging along with all the other parts of the automotive is completed which then too pushed for review. After which the harness team finalize the 3D cad of the routing and prepares for flattening and generating drawings for the automotive manufacturing floor.

The final step is to release the design documents to manufacturing and assembling team for the wiring harness.

Defining Electrical Components using CATIA V5

Initially the CAD date of the components are downloaded from the Tyco Electrical website.Three electrical components are downloaded from the website, two connectors and one mounting clip. After downloading the components, they are saved as CATpart files after reference CAD axis and points are created. Then they are defined as electrical components according to the specification and stored in proper catalogues.

The reference axis and points are created mainly for connections between bundle, connector and cavity mounting point.

Finally the components are saved to suitable catalogs.