WIRING HARNESS ROUTING USING PROVIDED LAYOUT & APPLYING SUITABLE PROTECTIVE COVERINGS

OBJECTIVE: To route the wiring harness using the specified layout diagram, defining and incorporating electrical connectors downloaded from www.te.com, and accurately positioning them in the Electrical Harness Assembly Workbench for seamless integration. After these connectors are routed accordingly we have to apply protective coverings(COT Tubes) over each bundle with respect to that bundle's diameter. 

The goal of this project is to successfully route the wiring harness using the specified layout diagram while adhering to industry standards and best practices as a Wiring Harness Design Engineer. This involves the following key steps:

Geometrical Parameter Creation: Create the necessary geometrical parameters to accurately define the dimensions and characteristics of the wiring harness.

Electrical Connector Definition: Utilize the Electrical Part Design Workbench to define the downloaded connectors from www.te.com as electrical connectors. This includes assigning appropriate electrical properties and characteristics to ensure proper functionality.

Bundle Entry Point and Connector Connection Point Definition: Define the bundle entry points and connector connection points for each electrical connector in accordance with the layout diagram. Ensure precise location and alignment for optimal integration.

Electrical Catalogue Creation: Use the 'Store Device' command to add all defined connectors to the Electrical Catalogue, named 'Connectors', which was previously created. This facilitates easy access and selection of connectors during the design process.

Product File Creation and Connector Import: Create a product file and import the defined connectors using the 'Catalogue Browser command in the Assembly Design Workbench. This allows for efficient management and assembly of the wiring harness.

Connector Arrangement and Orientation: Arrange the imported connectors in their desired locations using the 'Manipulation' command. Ensure proper alignment, orientation, and clearance for efficient routing and integration.

Wiring Harness Routing: Enter the Electrical Harness Assembly Workbench and route the wiring harness following the provided layout diagram. Pay attention to routing paths, bending radii, and avoiding interference with other components.

By meticulously following these steps and applying sound engineering principles, the project aims to achieve a well-designed and functional wiring harness that meets all requirements and specifications.

HARNESS LAYOUT:

WIRING HARNESS LAYOUT: 

A wiring harness layout is a visual representation of the arrangement and routing of electrical wires, cables, and connectors within a system or product. It depicts the physical path and connections of the wiring harness components, ensuring efficient and organized placement of electrical connections.

Importance of Creating Wiring Harness Layouts: 

1. Accuracy and Efficiency: Creating wiring harness layouts allows engineers to plan and visualize the routing of electrical connections accurately. It helps identify potential interference, collision, or compatibility issues early in the design process, reducing errors and rework.

2. Optimization of Space: A well-planned layout ensures efficient utilization of available space within the product. By considering the arrangement of connectors, cables, and wires, engineers can minimize the overall size of the wiring harness, leading to cost savings and improved product performance.

3. Easy Troubleshooting and Maintenance: A clear and organized wiring harness layout simplifies troubleshooting and maintenance. By following a logical layout, technicians can easily identify and access specific components, reducing downtime and improving repair efficiency.

Benefits of Creating Layouts in CAD Software:

1. Visualization: CAD software, such as CATIA V5, allows designers to create accurate and detailed 3D models of connectors and electrical components. By incorporating these models into the layout, engineers can visualize the routing of wires and cables, ensuring proper fit and clearance.

2. Interference Detection: CAD software enables interference detection, helping engineers identify potential clashes or conflicts between the wiring harness and other components. This allows for early resolution of issues, reducing the risk of rework during the manufacturing or assembly stage.

3. Design Validation: CAD software provides simulation and analysis tools to validate the layout design. Engineers can assess factors such as wire length, bend radius, and strain relief, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.

Importance of Surrounding Data:

When creating wiring harness layouts, considering surrounding data is crucial for several reasons:

1. Compatibility: Surrounding data includes information about adjacent components, such as dimensions, mounting points, and clearances. By considering this data, engineers can ensure proper alignment and integration of the wiring harness with other parts, avoiding conflicts or interference.

2. Assembly and Manufacturing: Surrounding data helps in understanding the assembly sequence and manufacturing requirements. It allows engineers to plan the routing of the wiring harness in a way that facilitates ease of assembly, reduces manufacturing complexity, and minimizes the risk of errors or delays.

3. Serviceability: By incorporating surrounding data, engineers can design wiring harness layouts that facilitate easy access for servicing or replacing components. This ensures efficient maintenance and reduces downtime.

In conclusion, creating accurate and detailed wiring harness layouts using CAD software offers numerous benefits, including improved accuracy, optimized space utilization, easy troubleshooting, and enhanced visualization. Considering surrounding data further enhances the design process, enabling compatibility, efficient assembly, and serviceability.

CONNECTORS USED IN OUR LAYOUT:

1. DT06-4S: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-DT06-4S.html

2. DT06-2S: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-DT06-2S.html

3. DT06-6S: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-DT06-6S.html

4. DT06-08SA: https://www.te.com/usa-en/product-DT06-08SA.html

CONNECTORS DEFINED ELECTRICALLY: 

DT06-2S:

DT06-4S:

DT06-6S:

DT06-08SA:

PRODUCT FILE CREATION AND IMPORTING CONNECTORS FROM THE CATALOGUE:

In order to accurately arrange the connectors according to the specified distances in the provided layout, we will create a sketch in CATIA that replicates the intended arrangement.

 To align the connectors according to the intended layout, we will navigate to the 'Assembly Workbench' in CATIA and utilize the 'Snap' command. Firstly, we will select the edge of the connector that needs to align with a specific line. Then, by using the 'Snap' command once more, we will choose the 'Bundle Connection Point' and the endpoint of the corresponding line in the sketch.

In the above image, the red line indicates the line that we've selected initially after clicking on the 'Snap' command. Next, we're going to click on the intended line along which we want to align our connector as shown below:

Subsequently, We will utilize the 'Snap' command, starting by selecting the 'Bundle Connection Point', followed by choosing the corresponding endpoint of the line in the sketch that aligns with the intended position for the bundle connection point of the connector.

Continuing the process, we will repeat the aforementioned steps with the remaining connectors, positioning them accurately according to the provided wiring harness assembly layout. The final outcome is depicted below.

Now, we're going to go to the Electrical Harness Assembly workbench that will allow us to work with the geometric bundle as a whole. The Electrical Harness Installation workbench will allow us to define the specific bundle segment and route the bundle. The two workbenches are used simultaneously to define the geometric bundle. Although the Electrical Harness Installation workbench is a separate workbench, it is generally only accessed through the Electrical Harness Assembly workbench when defining a specific bundle segment. 

Now, we'll click on the 'Geometrical Bundle' icon and then click on our product file. This will convert the entire product into a geometric bundle. At this point, we are ready to define the bundle segment.

Although single branch bundles are very useful for simple geometric bundles, you will often find that you are not able to create the necessary bundles with just a single bundle. The most common type of bundle used, even for a simple straight geometric bundle, is a multi-branchable bundle. 

Next, we'll select the Multi-Branchable Document icon. This will start a multi-branchable bundle segment. 

When the 'Multi-Branchable Document' command is clicked on in the Electrical Harness Assembly Workbench, it automatically redirects to the Electrical Harness Installation Workbench. This action opens a dialogue box called 'Branch Definition', where various options are provided for creating a bundle segment.

In the 'Branch Definition' dialogue box, the user can specify the name of the bundle segment and the intended diameter, which in this case is 10mm. The section area is calculated automatically, but the user is prompted to provide the value for the possible bend radius, which is determined as 1.5 times the original diameter.

It is important to understand the significance of bend radius and slack in electrical harness design. The bend radius refers to the minimum radius at which a cable or wire can be bent without causing damage or affecting its performance. A larger bend radius helps to minimize stress and prevent the wires from breaking or experiencing signal interference.

Slack, on the other hand, refers to the extra length or flexibility provided in the harness to accommodate movement or connection points. It allows for ease of installation, maintenance, and potential future modifications. In this case, since the connectors DT06-08SA and DT06-6S are positioned exactly opposite each other, there is no need for additional slack as they can be directly connected without any additional length requirements.

Considering bend radius and slack in electrical harness design is crucial to ensure the integrity, reliability, and longevity of the wiring system. By adhering to appropriate bend radius values and incorporating necessary slack, potential issues such as wire breakage, signal interference, or difficulties in installation can be avoided.

After selecting the 'Route Definition' option in the 'Branch Definition' dialogue box, a new dialogue box called 'Route Definition' will appear. In this dialogue box, the user is prompted to specify the electrical objects that need to be routed together and the direction of the tangent that determines how the bundle will be routed between them.

In this particular case, the connectors DT06-08SA and DT06-6S will be selected for routing. The tangency can be adjusted or completely removed using the 'Remove Tangent' option if necessary. Once the desired adjustments are made, clicking 'OK' applies the parameters, and the branch turns green to indicate that it has been successfully added to the specification tree.

Initially the 'Tangent Direction' is incorrect for our case as shown in the above image but we're going to fix this by reversing the direction of the tangent or we can just remove the tangent altogether as shown below:  

Now, to proceed further, we're going to create multiple 'Branching Points' using the 'Add Branching Point' command present under the 'General' Toolbar in the Electrical Harness Installation Workbench as shown below:

We can see from the above image that after creating the 'Branching Point' the bundle gets divided into two separate bundle segments as shown in the above image and we can verify this by looking at the specification tree as shown below:

Next, we're going to create the rest of the bundle segments and branching points where we're going to use the 5mm bundle with a 7.5mm bend radius as shown below:

Now that the wiring harness bundle has been created, we're going to add the 'Cot Tubes' as Protective Coverings.

From the above images, we can see that the respective COT Tubes are applied over the bundle that we had created earlier. 15mm and 10mm COT Tubes were used over the Main Branch and the Side Branches respectively.

End Extremities were defined accordingly to avoid overlapping problems. The 'End Extremity' option is used when adding a COT (Corrugated Optimum Tubing) tube over a wire bundle using the 'Protective Coverings' option.

The 'End Extremity' option allows the user to define how the COT tube will be terminated at the ends of the wire bundle. This option provides flexibility in specifying the type of termination, such as a straight cut, angled cut, or a specific termination shape. By selecting the appropriate 'End Extremity' option, the user can ensure that the COT tube is properly terminated and secured at the ends of the wire bundle, providing protection and organization to the wires.

In our case, we were asked to keep the 'End Extremity' with respect to length by 30mm from the connector's end instead of using ratio.