Wiring harness routing & packaging Rules Week 3 Challenge
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Wiring harness design in CATIA V5 - 3D modelling Week 3 Challenge
v Objective: -
1. Download following cad data & define it as Electrical support using Electrical Part design Workbench. Define all the necessary properties.
2. Download following Back shell cad data & define it as Electrical back shell using Electrical Part design Workbench. Define all the necessary properties.
3. Create Following Corrugated tubes & Add them in Catalogue under “Slit COT” family.
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:-
1. Tyco 1738312-1 https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-1738312-1.html
B. Mounting Clip:-
P Clamp
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.
v Design Methodology: -
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.
1. Connector 1
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.
Fig: Connector (Tyco 1738312-1) Views
For Mounting Clip:
A. First open the 3D CAD data in CATIA and then convert the file format (.igs or .stp) to .CATPart.
B. Then define the clip geometrically in the CATIAPart Design Workbench. To do that we can just create a mid-point and an axis system with that mid-point as reference on the face which will have contact with the connector. This will allow us to fully define our clip geometrically.
C. Define the center points of entry and exit faces by selecting the appropriate edges and create the planes which are parallel through the points.
D. We can create the base plane by directly offsetting it from the base face.
E. Now switch to the Electrical Part Design Workbench and define the P-clamp model as an electrical support by using the define support part command.
F. First we select define mounting equipment option from the toolbars and then we select the clip.
G. Save the file.
Fig : Mounting Clip Views
Create different corrugated tubes as per the given data and add them to a new catalogue:
A. Read and understand the given data file of different types of corrugated tubes by their name, inner diameter, outer diameter and thickness. Then calculate the bend radius of the corrugated tubes with respect to their outer diameter.
B. The bending radius of standard corrugated tubes will be 1.5 times to its outer diameter. By using this method, the bending radius of each corrugated tube is calculated.
C. First we have to create a new catalogue named as “Slit COT” by creating a new file and model as a new catalogue document then use add family option available in the popup screen by giving the desired name (Slit COT) and type as conduit save the catalogue to the desired location with a proper file name.
D. Now switch to the electrical part design workbench and go to the define protection part command a pop-up window will appear to select the type as corrugated tube and give the appropriate inner diameter, thickness, bend radius as per the given input data and adjust the line type if required. Always keep a light geometry profile for protective coverings like corrugated tubes and insulation tapes.
E. After creating the corrugated tube add each file to the saved catalogue “Slit COT” using the command store device and by selecting the appropriate catalogue and family.
F. Follow the same steps for creating different types of corrugated tubes and saved them to the catalogue so that we can use them for further operations.
G. Save the file.
Fig : Views for Cot Tubes & Slit cot Catalogues
Conclusion:
The cad part model the of P-clamp is converted into the electrical support model, back shell into the electrical back shell and create different corrugated tubes as per the given data and add them to a new catalogue thereby understand the methods follow to create and convert the catalogue, corrugated tubes, clips, back shells, and wiring harness routing and packaging rules.