Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modeling Week 5 & 6 Challenge
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Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modelling Week 5 & 6 Challenge
v Objective: -
1. Route the following harness layout in Electrical workbench. Make assumption for harness bundle diameters. Use Following connectors as shown in layout diagram.
2. Route the following harness layout in Electrical workbench. Make assumption for harness bundle diameters. Use following connectors as shown in layout diagram.
3. Check the bundle Continuity. Add snap of result in submission.
4. Add annotation to all connectors.
5. Make an assumptions for annotations like connect 1 , 2 etc.
6. Check for the bundle warning. Add snap.
7. Generate CAT.part of harness assembly and convert is in. igs format.
v Introduction: -
A connector is a device; or precisely, a mating pair of devices, often a plug and a socket; for connecting together two or more wires, cables, or hoses, allowing electricity or fluid to flow. Also ensures the easy disconnection and reconnection whenever necessary.
Mounting Clips are used for supporting conduits. These clips are made of High Quality Impact Resistant Polyamide. The mounting clips are stackable and are fixed with the help of screws on to the panel or equipment surface.
v Specifications: -
As given below following parts to be used to complete this assignment.
A. Connectors:- Download the 3D data of following connectors from https://www.te.com
1. DT06-4S
2. DT06-6S
3. DT06-2S
4. DT06-08SA
v Introduction To Wiring Harness: -
Definition:
Wiring harness is the combination of electrical and mechanical CAD to connect all the electrical parts in the automotive at the optimum level.
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, and 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 system 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 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.
7) 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.
Clips
Clips are ideal elements for retaining / holding pipes, cables, cable harnesses, hoses etc. Clips act as form fitting adjustable bands for ease of assembly & installation. The band ends of the clips are reinforced to prevent any tearing or loosening due to high mechanical loads. ‘P’ clips are fitted with EPDM liners which help achieve a tighter grip on the cable / conduit & also act as dampeners for sound & vibration.
Back shells
A back shell is a mechanical device threaded into the rear of an electrical connector and is designed to provide screening, sealing, and reparability. Engineered to help resist corrosion and fit a wide range of circular connectors, back shell components help protect connections from mechanical wear, environmental conditions, and electromagnetic interference (EMI). These are available with and without screen termination, providing long-term, high performance in sealed and unsealed electronics systems.
Corrugated tubes
Corrugated tubes made from flame-retardant material these tubes will protect cables from impact and abrasion. They are highly flexible and have a high fatigue life, making them ideal for any installation. Depending on the intended use, corrugated tubing is manufactured in different diameters and from different materials. Even though these are usually rigid materials, convoluted plastic tubing becomes flexible and bendable due to its corrugated manufacturing method.
v Design Methodology: -
HARNESS B
1. Connectors:
A. First open the 3D CAD data in CATIA and then convert the file format (.igs or .stp) to .CATPart.
B. Define the connector geometrically in the CATIA Part Design Workbench. For thisI have to first assign a mid-point to the bundle connection side face of the connector and then we also have to assign a mid-point to connector connection side of the connector, along with that we also have to assign an axis system on the mid-point of the connector connection side face. This will allow us to fully define our connector geometrically.
C. Start the Electrical Part Design Workbench in CATIA to define the connector electrically.
D. First we select the define connector option from the toolbars and then we select the connector body and also assign the number of terminals to the connector which in this case are 8 terminals.
E. Then we select the define bundle connection point option from the toolbars and then we select the connector body, bundle contact face for representation, mid-point for point, and again bundle contact face for initial condition and then click on ok.
F. Lastly we select the define connector connection point option from the toolbars and then we select the connector body, mid-point for representation, contact face for contact, Y-axis for coincidence and X- axis for orientation and then click on ok. This will fully define our connector electrically.
G. Save the file.
H. Repeat this for all downloaded connectors & then save all of them in “Connector” family of “Connector” catalogue.
Procedure for the Electrical Assembly Design:
Load all the connector in the electrical assembly.
For the manipulation of the connector, switch to mechanical assembly design.
Use the tool manipulation for the proper and required arrangement for the connector.
The black marking is use for the manipulation tool and red marking is use for the snap tool.
These are the both tool used for the rearrangement of the parts.
Procedure for Electrical Harness Design:
After doing arrangement go to electrical harness assembly for harness bundle connection.
In this process the harness is connected to the connector.
First go to the geometric bundle tool select on that then select on the part name on the tree.
Now the part is electrically defined.
Now go to the bundle segment then select the route definition.
After that select the connector which have to connect and select ok.
In that you can define the radius of the harness bundle.
Above two red tick shows the components is selected by clicking on them.
Reverse tangent is used to connect the bundle in straight way.
Branch point is used define point on the branch for the other harness bundle connection.
After selecting the tool and click on the point where we need the branch the above pop up will come.
In that pop we can select the reference point by length or ratio.
We used the length because it was given.
Then after doing this select ok the branch point will be created.
Then for the harness bundle the connector can connect to the branch point and itself.
Similar ways the harness bundle connection can be done.
The above figure shows the harness bundle connection.
Now exit the bundle definition by clicking on the exit shown in below fig.
After doing this you go to module of harness assembly design.
By clicking on the tool “Add Protective Covering” and then select the harness bundles for the protective covering and add cot tubes.
After the click on the tool right side pop will come after click on the part and then click on the right red colour part.
After that left side pop up will come in select the cot tube you required.
We select the required cot tube then select ok.
The protective covering will be added.
After that you can give extremity by clicking on the red colour indicator on the part.
After that the bottom pop will come.
In that the length is 30mm is entered and then click ok the extremity will be given.
Repeat the process to add all the protective covering.
Step : Bundle Continuity Check
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 : Interconnect Wiring Harness
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.
As shown in below image, male connector should have to be inserted into the female connector.
Step : Bundle Warning Check
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.
Step : Make Annotations
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.
We should make sure that the geometrical bundle is active before selecting the annotation plane.
We can change a font, font color and font size by going into the properties as shown in below image.
So after giving annotations to all connectors, the whole assembly will look as below.
Step : Convert To IGS file
Now, in this step we have to convert final harness assembly file into IGS format. So for that we need to follow below steps.
Mechanical Assembly Design workbench>Tools>Generate CAT Part from product.
Once the CAT part is created, the whole product file is converted into a single part.
Now, whole file is converted into the IGS format and we can see all the harness assembly is looking in grey color.
If we need to change color as before in green, we can go back and give green color to each bundle segment.
To save CAT part file as IGS file, we have to use 'Save as' option as shown in below image.
So in this way, we have done with the harness routing and interconnection of both the harness A&B according to given layout. Both the harnesses are checked and corrected for bundle continuity, bundle warnings, annotations are added for all the connectors and at the end whole CAT part file is converted into the IGS format.