Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modeling Week 7 Challenge
Aim: To prepare a flattened view of a previously created harness assembly.
Objective: This project's goal is to flatten a harness assembly's view and then insert it on the drawing sheet. On the drawing page, several images should be used to depict the bundles with protective coverings. Any wiring harness should be flattened while working in CATIA V5's Electrical Harness Flattening workbench. We must ensure that the flattening file is located in the same folder as the harness assembly's component elements.
Solution:
STEP1- Defining Harness Flattening parameters
In the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench, we should first create a new product file. By clicking on its icon as displayed above, we should define the harness flattening settings next. We should select the parameters as indicated above in the general tab. We should define the parameters for the drawing tab as shown below once the general tab settings are finished.
It should be noted that the protective covering and bundle segment have different ways of representation. In the event that the connectors are included in the electrical drawing catalog, "3D projection" can be used for devices as well.
STEP 2- Rename the product file as the Flattening Product.
STEP 3- Bring the harness assembly into the newly created Flattening Product by using the "Extract" feature.
The Flattening Product and Harness Bundle tabs should be vertically aligned first. Now, as illustrated below, we should incorporate the harness assembly into the flattening product using the "EXTRACT" feature of the electrical harness flattening workbench.
It should be noted that the "EHF" file, which stands for "Electrical Harness Flattening," has replaced our geometrical bundle assembly or harness assembly file.
STEP4- Flattening of the harness
To flatten the harness we should select the flatten plane and then select all the branches present in the harness assembly as shown below.
The above image shows the raw flattened view of the wiring harness along the selected XY-Flattening Plane.
STEP5- Rotate the bundle segments
Using the "Rotate" option on the flattening workbench, all bundle segments should, if necessary, be rotated in the appropriate direction. It should be noted that since the "XY-plane" serves as the flattening plane, we must ensure that the bundle segment is only rotated in the "XY-plane" direction.
We should update the view to obtain the updated flattened view of the harness bundle as seen below once all the bundle segments have been rotated in the desired direction.
STEP6- Make a new drawing
Make a new drawing file and define the drawing parameters as shown below.
STEP7- Final drawing
We'll include the wiring harness's front view as shown below in the CAD file. Make sure the files for the flattening product and the harness drawing are open side by side.
It should be noticed that the 3D wireframe is always "ON" for the "dress-up" settings. The bundle segments won't be seen on the drawing view if this option is not selected.
As previously said, we must make sure that the device's "3D Projection" feature's "Graphic replacement" is turned "ON." This will enable us to see the electrical connectors' exact depiction in the design file.
The bundle segments and protective covering should be depicted differently in order to meet the project's goal.
"SINGLE LINE" - Bundle Segment
"DOUBLE LINE" - Protective Covering
Conclusion:
The wiring harness's final flattened drawing was created. Different representations of the bundle segments and protective coverings were used depending on the situation.