Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modeling Week 5 & 6 Challenge

Aim :  To route the following harness layout in Electrical workbench and 

1. Check the bundle continuity.

2. Add annotation to all connectors.

3. Check for the bundle warning.

4. Generate CAT.part of harness assembly and convert it in .igs format.

Procedure :

STEP 1: First provide the necessary properties to all the connectors like connectors connection point and bundle connection point as shown below.

For sample:

     

Connector 01

Connector 2

Connector 03

Connector 04

Connector 05

Connector 06

Connector 07

Connector 08

Connector 09

Connector 10

STEP 2: Now route the harness A & harness B as per the given layout, seperately. 

Frist creat the layout using sketcher workbench.

HARNESS LAYOUT A

HARNESS LAYOUT B

Then we will locate all the connectors at their desired position, add branch points required and create bundle segment according to the diameters assumed as 10mm and 5mm.

Harness A Routing

Harness B Routing

To route the harness assembly create a new product file and save as geometrical bundle A. In the assembly design workbench select existing components command and open all the connectors inside the main product file. Make sure that all the components are electrically defined before inserting all the components.

Step 3: Check Bundle Continuity

• Now in this step, we have to check bundle continuity in both Harness A and Harness B.
• So for that, go in Edit>Search>Workbench-Electrical>Type-Bundle segment>Attribute-fully connected.
• We will get one window, in that selecting True option will show all the connected bundle segments while selecting False option will show all the non-connected bundle segments.
• Now, we will check for True condition and search for result.
• All the bundle segments are showing connected. So there is bundle continuity in both Harness A & Harness B as shown in below images.

Step 4: Assembly

• In this step, we have to interconnect both Harness A & Harness B.
• For that, we have to create new product file and can give name as Assembly.
• Then, copy both harnesses and paste it in newly created product file or call both harnesses in mechanical assembly design as below image.

• We have to go in Electrical Assembly Design to connect both the harnesses electrically. So for that, select the option 'connect electrical devices' and both the harnesses will get connected electrically as below.

Step 5: Bundle warnings

• In this step, we will be checking the bundle warning in Harness A & B.
• Geometrical bundle warnings are shown for bend radius, bundle diameter and vector position.
• So if there is any incorrect value or input regarding these factors then yellow colored flash wiil be appear in the model tree structure next to the branchable with problems.
• Here, we have one error in Harness B in branchable 3 as below.

This error can be corrected by changing routing direction of point 4, for that we have to select 'Reverse Tangent' option so error will be solved.

2. Add annotations to all connectors

• In this step, we have to add annotations for all the connectors in mechanical assembly design workbench.
• Annotations are used for giving connector name, functions etc.
• For this, we have to select plane where annotation will be placed. In below image, we have selected front plane.

• So after giving annotations to all connectors, the whole assembly will look as below.

Now, we have to convert final harness assembly file into IGS format.