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Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 1

Electrical Harness Flattening

Overview
Conventions
What's New?
Getting Started
Accessing the Electrical Harness Flattening Workbench
Defining the Harness Flattening Parameters
Extracting Data
Flattening the Harness
Generating a Drawing
Synchronizing Bundle Segments
User Tasks
Entering the Workbench
Defining the Harness Flattening Parameters
General Parameters
Flattening Orientation
Scaling Options while Flattening
Synchronization
Drawing
Extracting 3D Data
Flattening the Harness
Straightening Bundle Segments
Rotating Bundle Segments
Rotating Bundle Segments whatever the Selected Plan
Bending Bundle Segments
Rolling Bundle Segments
Scaling Bundle Segments
Synchronizing the Environment
Generating the HTML Report during the Synchronization
Viewing Related Objects
Using the Drawing Capabilities
Customizing a Drawing View
Personalizing Line Types
Creating Wire Annotations
Integrating the Graphic View Style (GVS)
Generating Dress-up Automatically
Creating Intra-Technological Feature Dimensions
Creating Text Templates
Storing Text Templates in a Catalog
Annotating Drawings Using Text Templates
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Filtering Wires Based on External Configuration System
Defining the Report Format
Generating a Report
Electrical Integration from External Data
Environment Settings
Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing
Selecting Systems from External Data
Placing Devices from External Data
Creating the Cable Harness
Placing Internal Splices
Automatic Routing
Exporting Data from CATIA
Electrical and Knowledge
Electrical User Functions
Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert
Electrical Application Interoperability
ENOVIA V5 Interoperability
Working with Electrical Data
Optimal CATIA PLM Usability
Using ENOVIA Catalog for Electrical Mapping
Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator
Workbench Description
Menu Bar
Toolbars
Electrical Workbench Specification Tree
Customizing
Electrical Harness Flattening
Cache Management
Administration
Creating a CATCollectionStandard Variable
Glossary
Index
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 3

Overview
Welcome to the Electrical Harness Flattening User's Guide!
This guide is intended for users who need to become quickly familiar with the product.

This overview provides the following information:

Electrical Harness Flattening in a Nutshell

Before Reading this Guide

Getting the Most Out of this Guide

Accessing Sample Documents

Conventions Used in this Guide

Electrical Harness Flattening in a Nutshell

Electrical Harness Flattening is a product which is intended to flatten electrical and geometrical bundles.
Moreover, filtering wires functionalities are also available if you have the Electrical Wire Routing license.

Electrical Harness Flattening offers the following main functions:

it flattens bundle segments or electrical and geometrical bundles


it straightens bundle segments
it rotates whole bundle segments or bend them at a defined point
it rolls bundle segments
it scales bundle segments by introducing fake lengths
it can be updated at any time during your session thanks to the synchronization option
it allows you to choose the type of representation of your drawing
it allows you to annotate the wires of your drawing
it integrates the Graphic View Style (GVS) on EHF data.

As a scalable product, Electrical Harness Flattening can be used in cooperation with other current or future
companion products such as Electrical Library, Electrical Harness Installation and Electrical Wire Routing.

Before Reading this Guide


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Before reading this guide, you should be familiar with basic Version 5 concepts such as document windows,
standard and view toolbars. Therefore, we recommend that you read the Infrastructure User's Guide that
describes generic capabilities common to all Version 5 products. It also describes the general layout of V5 and
the interoperability between workbenches.

The Electrical Wire Routing product is a prerequisite.


For more information about it, refer to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

Getting the Most Out of this Guide


To get the most out of this guide, we suggest that you start reading and performing the step-by-step Getting
Started tutorial. This tutorial will show you how to route wires in an electrical bundle.

Once you have finished, you should move on to the User Tasks section, which deals with handling all the
product functions.

The Workbench Description section, which describes the Electrical Wire Routing workbench, and the
Customizing section, which explains how to set up the options, will also certainly prove useful.

Navigating in the Split View mode is recommended. This mode offers a framed layout allowing direct access
from the table of contents to the information.

Accessing Sample Documents


To perform the scenarios, sample documents are provided all along this documentation. For more information
about this, refer to Accessing Sample Documents in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

Conventions Used in this Guide


To learn more about the conventions used in the documentation, refer to the Conventions section.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 5

Conventions
Certain conventions are used in CATIA, ENOVIA & DELMIA documentation to help you recognize and understand
important concepts and specifications.

Graphic Conventions
The three categories of graphic conventions used are as follows:

Graphic conventions structuring the tasks

Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required

Graphic conventions used in the table of contents

Graphic Conventions Structuring the Tasks

Graphic conventions structuring the tasks are denoted as follows:

This icon... Identifies...

estimated time to accomplish a task

a target of a task

the prerequisites

the start of the scenario

a tip

a warning

information

basic concepts

methodology

reference information

information regarding settings, customization, etc.

the end of a task


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functionalities that are new or enhanced with this release

allows you to switch back to the full-window viewing mode

Graphic Conventions Indicating the Configuration Required

Graphic conventions indicating the configuration required are denoted as follows:

This icon... Indicates functions that are...

specific to the P1 configuration

specific to the P2 configuration

specific to the P3 configuration

Graphic Conventions Used in the Table of Contents

Graphic conventions used in the table of contents are denoted as follows:

This icon... Gives access to...

Site Map

Split View mode

What's New?

Overview

Getting Started

Basic Tasks

User Tasks or the Advanced Tasks

Workbench Description

Customizing

Reference

Methodology

Glossary
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Index

Text Conventions
The following text conventions are used:

The titles of CATIA, ENOVIA and DELMIA documents appear in this manner throughout the text.
File -> New identifies the commands to be used.
Enhancements are identified by a blue-colored background on the text.

How to Use the Mouse


The use of the mouse differs according to the type of action you need to perform.

Use this
mouse button... Whenever you read...

Select (menus, commands, geometry in graphics area, ...)


Click (icons, dialog box buttons, tabs, selection of a location in the document window,
...)
Double-click
Shift-click
Ctrl-click
Check (check boxes)
Drag
Drag and drop (icons onto objects, objects onto objects)

Drag
Move

Right-click (to select contextual menu)


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What's New?
This table identifies what new or improved capabilities have been documented in Version 5 Release 14 of the
Electrical Harness Flattening User's Guide.

New Functionalities
GVS Integration
The integration with the Generative View Style allows you to store the drawing options within the
drawing document and no longer in the Flattening parameters.
Drawing Annotations: Automatic Generation
This command allows you to generate and update automatically wire annotations, text templates and
technological feature dimensions on electrical components in the drafting workbench.
Synchronization of the knowledge parameters
This action, in the synchronization command, allows you to synchronize the knowledge parameters
added to the protection and adaptative support components.
Selective Loading
This functionality allows you to work in light mode, increasing the capability to manage large data.

Enhanced Functionalities
Electrical workbench integration
The new retainer component, as well as the split branches are taken into account in the Synchronize
command.
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Getting Started
Before getting into the detailed instructions for using Electrical Harness Flattening, the following tutorial
provides a step-by-step scenario demonstrating how to use key functionalities.

Before starting, you should be familiar with the basic commands common to all workbenches.
These are described in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

The main tasks proposed in this section are:

Accessing the Workbench

Defining Flattening Parameters

Extracting Data

Flattening Harness

Generating a Drawing

Synchronizing the Environment

All together, these tasks should take about 15 minutes to complete.


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Accessing the Electrical Harness Flattening


Workbench
This task explains how to set up the environment to work with the Harness Flattening Workbench.

CATIA is launched. A CATProduct document is displayed.

1. Choose the Electrical Harness Flattening item from the Start -> Equipments & Systems

menu.

The Electrical Harness Flattening workbench is displayed and ready to use.


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You can add the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench to your Favorites, using the Tools ->
Customize item. For more information, refer to CATIA V5 - Infrastructure User's Guide.
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Defining the Harness Flattening Parameters


This task explains how to define the flattening parameters.

This should be done before using any other function of the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench.

Open the 3D-Install Harness document.

1. Open a new product document using the File -> New... command.

Choose the Product type.

2. Click the Harness Flattening Parameters button .

The Harness Flattening Parameters dialog box opens on the General tab:

Keep the default values:


the xy plane as the Active plane
Coarse as the Algorithm mode and Standard as the Angle mode
5 degrees as the Minimum angle between two branches.

3. Select the Flattening Orientation tab.


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4. Choose the orientation of the device during the flattening step.

Select Device placed in the active plane, the device will be orientated according to the active plane

you have selected in the General tab of this dialog box.

The local Z axis is taken as a reference for the device orientation.

5. Choose the support orientation.

Select Support orientated according to a regular angle.

The orientation by default of the supports keeps the real position (angle between 0 and 360).

Supports will be placed according to the closest regular angle they have in 3D. It enables you to prevent

bundle segments from twisting. They are four regular angles (0, 90, 180 and 270).

6. Click OK to validate.

The parameters you have entered will be automatically applied to the other functions available in this

workbench. You will be able to modify them at any time during your session by double-clicking the Flattening

Parameters icon in the specification tree.

To know more about the different Harness Flattening Parameters, click here.
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Extracting Data

This task explains how to extract data: the geometrical and electrical bundles with all the devices that

are associated to them, in order to duplicate the information they contained in the new document.

The 3D-Install Harness document is still open from the previous task as well as the new product

document.

Make sure the source document has not been modified, otherwise you will be prompted to save it before

extracting the data.

In the new product document:

1. Click the Extract button .


You are prompted to select electrical or geometrical bundles.

2. Select the bundle segments you want to extract from the source document (the 3D-Install

Harness document), whether in the geometry or in the specification tree.

When the extraction is performed the source document automatically closes.

3. Save your data.

To know more about the Extract function, refer to Extracting 3D Data.


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Flattening the Harness

This task explains how to flatten out bundle segments.

The document is still open from the previous task.

You can now flatten one or several bundle segments or the whole geometrical/electrical bundles.

In order to do so:

1. Click the Flatten button .

The Flattening Parameters dialog box pops up:

The default values are those you have previously defined in the Harness Flattening Parameters.

If need be, you can modify them at the level of the bundle segment, the complete geometrical bundle or the

electrical bundle.

2. Keep these values for the purpose of this scenario.

3. Select the whole geometrical bundle, in the specification tree or in the geometry.

4. Click OK to validate.

The result looks like this:


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Generating a Drawing
You can perform this scenario only if a Drafting license is available.

This task explains how to generate a drawing from the flattened harness.

The document is still open from the previous task.

1. Open a new product document using the File -> New... command.

Choose the Drawing type and click OK to validate the default New Drawing parameters.

CATIA switches to the Drafting workbench.

2. Click the Front View button .


You are prompted to select a reference plane on the 3D geometry.

3. Click a plane in the flattened harness document: for example the face of a connector.

The drawing document updates according to this choice:


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Synchronizing the Environment


You can perform this scenario only if an Electrical Harness Installation license is available.

This task shows you how to synchronize automatically your 3D flatten at any time during your session.

You can add the missing components or remove the additional components, and also synchronize the

bundle segment structure, attributes.

The document is still open from the previous task.

Also open the initial document (3D-Install Harness) before the data have been extracted.

1. In the initial document, select a bundle segment:

Double-click the bundle segment you want to modify, CATIA switches to EHI.
The Bundle Segment Definition dialog box opens.
Enter a value for the diameter, a value for its new length, change its color.
Click OK and switch back the EHF.

2. Save your 3D-Install Harness document.

3. Come back to the extracted model.

4. Click the Synchronize button .

When defining the Flattening Harness Parameters, you have already specified if the bundle

segment extremities have to be moved or not during the synchronization. If not, select the

Flattening Parameters item in the specification tree to modify them.

5. The Synchronize dialog box pops up:


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For the purpose of this scenario:

In Components, select Bundle Segments.


In Actions, select Bundle Segment Structure and Synchronize the attributes.
In Options, select No html report. Also select Reset the synchronization attributes, all
components will have the False value again. You can see the value by right-clicking a
component to open the contextual menu and by selecting Properties.
Refer to Synchronizing the Environment for more information.

6. Click OK to validate.

A status bar appears showing the synchronization progress.

The extracted document is updated.


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User Tasks

The User Tasks section explains and illustrates how to use various kinds of features.

The table below lists the information you will find.

Entering the Workbench


Defining the Harness Flattening Parameters
Extracting 3D Data
Flattening the Harness
Straightening Bundle Segments
Rotating Bundle Segments
Rolling Bundle Segments
Scaling Bundle Segments
Synchronizing the Environment
Viewing Related Objects
Using the Drawing Capabilities
Filtering Wires Based on External Configuration System
Defining the Report Format
Generating a Report
Electrical Integration from External Data
Electrical and Knowledge
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Entering the Workbench

This task shows you how to set up the environment to work with the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench.

Choose the Electrical Harness Flattening item from the Start -> Equipments & Systems menu.

The Electrical Harness Flattening workbench is displayed and ready to use.

You can add the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench to your Favorites, using the Tools -> Customize

item. For more information, refer to CATIA V5 - Infrastructure User's Guide.


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Defining the Harness Flattening Parameters


This command enables you to select the harness flattening parameters. Other commands are deactivated as

long as the harness flattening parameters have not been defined.

Open a new product document.

1. Click the Harness Flattening Parameters button .

The Harness Flattening Parameters dialog box opens on the General tab.

Five different tabs are available:

General

Flattening Orientation

Flattening Scaling

Synchronization

Drawing

2. Select the tab in which you want to define/change the parameters.

3. Click OK to validate the entries made.


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General Parameters

This tab enables you to select the general parameters.

The document is still open from the previous task.

1. Select the General tab, which is the default tab.

2. Choose the Active Plane, which is the plane you will be working with when using the Rotate, Flatten
and Roll functionalities.

3. Select the Algorithm mode.

The Algorithm mode has to do with the different ways you can flatten out a bundle segment. The
Coarse mode is the default algorithm mode.
The Coarse mode will roughly straighten the selected bundle segments, allowing an easy viewing of
the bundle segments you are working on.
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The Fine mode will respect the actual shape of the bundle segments as it is in 3D.

4. Select the Angle mode.

Two Angle modes are available. The Standard mode is the default angle mode.

Choose the Standard mode in order to keep the actual angles between the bundle segments as in
3D.
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Choose the Regular mode which calculates regular angles, if you do not care about respecting the
true angle values.

5. Choose the Minimum angle between two branches.


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During the flattening process, this minimum angle is applied every time an angle between two branches

is null in the 3D design. That way, bundle segments are never superposed upon one another and can

easily be made out.

6. If you want to keep the existing tangent on devices when running the flattening command, check this

option:

Keep existing tangent between bundle segment and connector during the flattening step.

This option gives a better flattening shape when using the Fine mode.

By default this option is not selected for consistency with the previous versions.

For DELMIA simulation purpose, it is recommended to select this option since you need to have
the tangent in the 3D flattened document.

7. If you want to consider only the supports which belong to the given geometrical bundle when running

the extracting command, select this option:

Extract only the supports inside the geometrical bundle.

The supports which do not belong to the geometrical bundle will not appear in the extracted document.

This option allows you to manage two types of support:


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The supports which must be assembled with the harness during the manufacturing step.

This type of support is created inside the geometrical bundle.

The supports which are linked to the structure. These supports are added to the harness during the

installation step.

This type of supports is created outside the geometrical bundle.

By default this option is not selected for consistency with the previous versions.

8. Click OK to validate.

9. Save the new document as FlatteningAssembly for example.

Notes:

From now on, the parameters you have just selected will be automatically applied to the other functions

available in this workbench. However, when using a functionality, the dialog box will systematically pop up -

with these parameters already selected - in case you want to modify them.

For the time being, the different functionalities available in this workbench do not take into account the bundle

segments on surface.
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Flattening Orientation

This tab enables you to select the orientation of the device during the flattening process.

A CATProduct document is open.

1. Select the Flattening Orientation tab:

2. Choose the orientation of the device during the flattening step.

By selecting With no device orientation, the device will maintain its 3D orientation.
If you select Device placed in the active plane, the device will be orientated according to the active
plane you have selected in the General tab of this dialog box.
The local Z axis is taken as a reference for the device orientation.

3. Choose the support orientation.


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By selecting With no support orientation, the supports will maintain their 3D orientation.
If you select Support placed in the active plane, the support will be orientated according to the
active plane you have selected in the previous step.
Finally when choosing the third option Support orientated according to a regular angle, the default
orientation behavior of the supports keeps the real position (angle between 0 and 360). Supports will
be placed according to the closest regular angle they have in 3D. It enables you to prevent bundle
segments from twisting. They are four regular angles (0, 90, 180 and 270).
0: the angle will be applied if the real 90: the angle will be applied if the real
position is between -45 (or 315) and 45. position is between 45 and 135.

180: the angle will be applied if the real 270: the angle will be applied if the real
position is between 135 and 225. position is between 225 and 315.

4. Click OK to validate.

The local references of the supports and devices are used to orientate the components.

Thus the angle is calculated with the local Z axis of the part containing the support and the normal of the active

plane.
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Scaling Options while Flattening

This command enables you to select the scaling options before starting the flattening process.

Working with fake lengths enables you to fit the whole harness onto the board.

A CATProduct document is open.

1. Select the Flattening Scaling tab:

2. Choose whether to use a scale or not during the flattening process.

a. Select With no scale, if you have chosen to work in true length.

b. Select With scale..., if you have chosen to work with fake lengths.

You can decide to use a scale when bundle segments reach a specified number.

For example, you can specify that a scaling option should be automatically implemented as soon as a

harness counts 10 bundle segments or more.

Once this option is activated, the other options that were inactive so far, become available:
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You can choose that when bundle segments reach a specified length, say 100mm, they will
automatically be reduced by the specified percentage, say 30%. When doing so, two options are
available:
the factor can be applied to the whole length of the bundle segment or
it can only be applied to the part that is longer than the specified limited length.

Otherwise, by selecting If the bundle segment length is greater than: you can specify that all
the bundle segments whose lengths are superior to the limited length will be put in fake length;
their lengths will be the limited length.

3. Click OK to validate the entries made.

Note: It is recommended to use the Coarse mode regarding to Flattening Scaling options: applied to roughly

straightened bundle segments, it generates the correct shape.

In Fine mode, the bundle segment shape remains the same as in 3D and it may be incompatible with the

parameters defined in the Flattening Scaling options. It can end to an incorrect bend radius update for some

bundle segments.
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Synchronization
This command enables you to specify some parameters during the synchronization process.

A CATProduct document is open.

1. Select the Synchronization tab.

a. Put in scale mode during the length synchronization:


By default, None is checked. This means that the extremities will be modified during the
synchronization process according to the length of the bundle segments. The bundle
segment will not show in fake length.
Only intermediate bundle segments, this means that only the bundle segments with no
connectors at their extremities will appear in fake length after the synchronization.
All bundle segments, if you check this option, the bundle segment extremities will not be
moved during the synchronization process. If a bundle segment length has been modified in
the original 3D document, the bundle segment is shown in fake length. The extremities are
not modified but the true length attribute is synchronized with the length of the 3D
document (newly modified).

b. Update the intermediate point during the bundle segment length synchronization:
Dot not move the point, by default this option is checked. This means that the points will
keep the same place along the bundle segment even after the synchronization.
Move the point, this means that the distance between each point will keep the original
ratio.
2. Click OK to validate.
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Drawing

This command enables you to specify the drawing parameters.

In the context of the Graphic view style, the options of this tab are not available since they are managed within the

drawing document. The following message is displayed.

Warning: You are using the Graphic view style for the drawing generation.

The electrical drawing options are stored within the drawing document.

Note that the GVS only works on EHF data, that is to say extracted data coming from the Extract command.

For more information, refer to Integrating the Graphic View Style (GVS).

A CATProduct document is open.

Make sure the Drafting -> View options are set as follows:
Open the Tools -> Options... menu, then Mechanical Design:

In the Geometry generation / Dress-up frame, check the following options:

Project 3D wireframe

Project 3D points

For more information, refer to the View tab documentation.


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1. Select the Drawing tab:

This tab lets you define:

the type of representation for bundle segments:

with Double line


It is the default value.
or Single line.

the type of representation for protections


with Double line
It is the default value.
or Single line.

The line type representation for protections is only available for rectilinear protections.

the graphic representation you want to use when replacing devices or supports:
keep the 3D projection (or nothing for the internal splice, which has no geometrical representation).
It is the default value.
or use a 2D detail previously stored in a catalog.

In this case, the catalog name and path must be defined in the dedicated option.

2. Select the options of interest.

3. Click OK to validate.
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Extracting 3D Data
This task shows you how to extract geometrical or electrical bundles with all the devices that are associated to them, such as their

connectors, back shells, shells, contacts and supports from a 3D model.

Open the ElectricalAssembly.CATProduct document.

Keep opened the Flattening Assembly document you have created in the previous task.

If you have forgotten to open a second document, a warning message will be displayed.

1. Use the Windows -> Tile Horizontally item to get a better viewing of the process.

2. Click the Extract button .

It enables you to extract the information contained in the geometrical or the electrical bundles from your first document.

When duplicating an electrical bundle, all the links with the geometrical bundles associated to it are maintained.

3. Select an electrical or geometrical bundle in the geometry or in the specification tree.

The result looks like this.


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4. Save your data.

Note that any part or product type is created as a new document, except for the devices which are created as instances

only.

During the extracting process, the original ElectricalAssembly.CATProduct document is automatically closed.

The building mode of the bundle segments will automatically be turned into Length Mode, so that the flattening process

does not modify the bundle segment lengths.

It may happen that using the Extract command on documents created in V5R11, an error message appears saying: An error has
occurred during the data duplication.
You can try to use the CATDUA utility to clean the data and recover the correct geometry.
Refer to Using the Data Upward Assistant.
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Flattening the Harness

This task shows you how to flatten out geometrical bundles or bundle segments.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct document is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Flatten button .

The Flattening Parameters dialog box opens.

The default values of this dialog box are the values you have already defined in the Harness

Flattening Parameters dialog box.

2. Choose the Active plane. The default plane is the xy plane.

3. The algorithm mode can be coarse or fine.

Select Coarse for the purpose of this scenario.

4. The angle mode can be standard or regular.

Select Standard.

5. Select in the geometry an electrical bundle, a geometrical bundle, a bundle segment or a group of

bundle segments that are linked together.

The selection can be made either in the specification tree or in the geometry.

You can select several bundle segments at a time in the geometry.

6. Click OK to validate.

The result looks like this.


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There is a temporary restriction concerning the Fine mode: presently this mode works properly only when

the active plane is collinear to the z axis.

Methodology: Branch point in the middle of the support/retainer


Creating a branch point in-between the entry point and the exit plane of a support is not recommended. It
won't be handled by the flattening command.

Let's have a look at this scenario:


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If the support has been defined like this:

you route a branch through this support:

you will not be able to use the branch point in the middle of the support, as it will not be
handled when flattening.
The workaround is to define the support as shown below:

with the branch point outside the support definition area:


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This will be properly handled for the flattening.


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Straightening Bundle Segments

This task shows you how to straighten out a bundle segment along the tangent of a point you have

selected.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Straighten button .

2. Select the bundle segment you want to straighten out in the geometry. Note that it is impossible

to select the bundle segment in the specification tree, since the exact position of the selected point

has to be known.

Two options are available.

You can choose to straighten out the bundle segment partially or completely.

a. If you want to straighten out a part of the bundle segment only, select an intermediary

point.

The point from which the bundle segment will be straightened out is highlighted in green.
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Select any intermediary point or the extremity of the bundle segment.

The result looks like this.

b. If you want to straighten out the whole bundle segment, select a junction point between

two bundle segments.

The Straighten dialog box opens.

The junction point is highlighted in green.


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Press the Straighten complete bundle segment button.

The result looks like this.

3. Repeat the previous steps as often as needed.

Note that you cannot straighten out the entire geometrical or electrical bundle at a time.
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Rotating Bundle Segments

This task shows you how to rotate a bundle segment.

Two types of rotation can be considered: you can

rotate a bundle segment around a bundle segment extremity, whatever the direction.

bend a bundle segment whatever the selected plane.


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Rotating Bundle Segments whatever the Selected


Plan
This task shows you how to rotate a bundle segment around a bundle segment extremity whatever the direction.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Rotate button .


You are prompted to select a bundle segment extremity in the geometry. It is impossible to select the
bundle segment in the specification tree, since the exact position of the selected point has to be known.

2. Select an extremity.
A green arrow and a dialog box appear at the same time.

a. A green arrow indicating the bundle direction appears on the geometry. The user can modify the

angle by selecting the green arrow directly.

b. The Define Direction dialog box pops up.


Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 46
The default plane is the one you have defined in the Harness Flattening Parameters dialog box at
the beginning of your session.

3. Whether you indicate the bundle's main direction or you specify its angle and direction values one at a
time.

a. Enter the main direction.

In this example, you can select a geometrical line or a pad edge as the main direction.

b. Enter an angle value.

As you are changing the angle value, the green arrow is moving to show you the direction the
bundle segment is about to take.

c. Select two directions to retrieve the angle value.

As above, you can select a geometrical line or a pad edge. Once the two directions have been
defined, the angle between them is automatically calculated.

Note that you can modify the direction of the bundle directly on the geometry by clicking the arc of
circle around the selected point.

4. Click Apply. Thus the entered values are applied but the dialog box remains open and you can still modify
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 47
the inputs.
5. Click OK to validate.
The result looks like this.
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Bending Bundle Segments


This task shows you how to bend a part of a bundle segment to give it a new direction.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Rotate button .


2. Select an intermediate point on a bundle segment. Select the bundle segment in the geometry
and not in the specification tree, since the exact position of the selected point has to be known.

a. The Define Direction dialog box pops up.

b. A green arrow indicating the bundle direction appears in the geometry. You can also click

the green arrow and circle arc to change the direction the bundle segment is about to

take.
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3. As in the previous task, either you select the main direction, or you indicate the angle or you
specify two directions and the angle will be automatically calculated.
4. Click OK to validate.
5. The result looks like this.
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Rolling Bundle Segments

This task shows you how to roll a bundle segment.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Roll button .

You are prompted to select a bundle segment or a 3D point.

The geometrical bundle automatically switches position to the active plane you have defined in the

Harness Flattening Parameters dialog box at the beginning of your session.

2. Click a 2D point in the geometry.

a. The Define Direction dialog box opens.

Whether you select the main direction or you select an angle or two directions as in the previous

task.

Note that the Plane field is deactivated this time, since the geometrical bundle automatically

switches position to the right plane.

b. A green arrow and an arc of circle appear in the geometry. They indicate the point around which

the bundle segment is about to turn and the curve the bundle segment is about to follow. The

user can modify the angle by selecting the green arrow directly.
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3. Click OK to validate.

The result looks like this.


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Note that two new points have been added. They are shown in white in the geometry and they indicate

the tangents the bundle segment is following.

Two different cases can be considered:

the bundle segment is long enough to roll entirely around the virtual point so created.
the bundle segment is too short and it winds around the point, following the curve to a certain extent
without being completely rolled up.
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Scaling Bundle Segments


This task shows you how to enter a bundle segment fake length. Working with fake lengths enables you to fit the whole
harness in the board.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task.

1. Click the Scale button .

You are prompted to select a bundle segment in the geometry.


The Scale dialog box pops up. The bundle segment true length is indicated.

2. Enter the fake length you want.

3. Click OK to validate.

The supports' relative positions are maintained when working with fake lengths.
If you want to work with true lengths again, press the Restore true length button.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 54

Synchronizing the Environment


This task shows you how to synchronize automatically your 3D flattened geometry at any time during your session. You

can add the missing components or remove the additional components, and also synchronize the bundle segment

structure.

Make sure you have set up the option for the synchronization report repository.

The new retainer component, as well as the split branches are taken into account in the Synchronize command.

The ElectricalFlattening.CATProduct is still open from the previous task. Open the initial document

ElectricalAssembly.CATProduct as well.

1. In the initial document, select a bundle segment and modify its length, diameter, bend radius, instance name or

color.

2. Save your document.

3. Switch back to the extracted model.

4. Click the Synchronize button .

If there is no selection in the specification tree, the first electrical bundle modified will be
synchronized. But, if there is more than one electrical bundle, you must select one otherwise a
warning will be displayed.
If there is no electrical bundle, all the geometrical bundles will be selected and updated.
You can do a multi-selection (protections, devices, supports, etc. at the same time).
In a previous task: Synchronizing Parameters, you have already specified if the bundle segment
extremities have to be moved or not during the synchronization.
If not, select the Flattening Parameters item in the specification tree to modify them.

The Synchronize dialog box pops up:

During the synchronization step, only the selected options will be performed. This will optimize the

synchronization length.

The html report will be generated accordingly and will show only the selected options.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 55

This dialog box lets you define what you want to synchronize:

Components

Components allows you to choose which components you want to update:


Devices
Bundle segments
Supports
Protections
Wires.

You can select at the same time as many components as needed.

Actions
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Actions allows you to customize the actions during the synchronization step:
Remove the components deleted in 3D
Add the components added in 3D
Replace the reference of components changed in 3D (it can only be used with the Supports or Devices
options activated.)
Synchronize the bundle segment structure (it can only be used with the Bundle Segments option
activated.)

It allows to:

add a branch or a branch point,


add or remove intermediate bundle segments
replace one or more bundle segments with one or more different bundle segments.

Synchronize the attributes.


For the synchronization of the position of protections and/or supports, you must select Bundle
Segments instead of Supports and/or Protections.

Synchronize the knowledge parameters.

It allows you to:


to synchronize the knowledge parameters added to the protection and adaptative support
components. They are listed in the set named To be synchronized.
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This set needs to be created in Knowledge Advisor workbench:
To do so:

Choose Add a set of Parameters button.


Change the name in the Properties dialog box to: To be synchronized.

Place your parameters in this set by drag & drop.

Note that parameters resulting from a formula are not synchronized.

For more information refer to Knowledge Advisor User's Guide.

If a design table has been used to build the protection, its Configuration parameter is
synchronized at the same time.
Note that previously this action was in the Attributes.

You can select as many actions as needed.

Options

Options:
Simulation (generates a report without applying changes to the flattened document.)
Html report (generates the report in the Tools -> Options predefined folder.)

Automatic flattening on the added components


Reset the synchronization attributes.
(all components will be set to the False value again, so only the newly changed components will be set
to True. You can use Edit/Search to retrieve quickly all components.)

5. Click OK to validate.
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A status bar appears showing the synchronization progress:

Here are the different steps that can be seen through the synchronization process according to the options

previously selected:

Analyze step is processing


Replaced components synchronization is processing
Removed components synchronization is processing
Bundle segment structure synchronization is processing
Added components synchronization is processing
Attributes synchronization is processing
Knowledge parameter synchronization is processing
Generating Html report

An HTML file is generated in the synchronization report repository if Html report is checked.

For more information about the html report, see Generating the HTML Report during the Synchronization.

The extracted document is updated if Simulation is not checked:

The attributes that have been modified will show the Synchronize property set to True.
Once the attributes have been reset, the Synchronize property will turn back to False.
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Thus you can visualize what electrical attributes have been modified in the initial model.

Methodology: Electrical Harness Integration

It is recommended not to change the branch/bundle segment orientation if you work in the context of EHF:

if you first create the branch/bundle segment this way:

do not modify it like this:


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It would not be supported when synchronizing the data.


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Generating the HTML Report


during the Synchronization
This file explains the contents of the Html Report created during the Synchronization.

The HTML report is composed of accurate fields, which describe the changes that occurred during the

synchronization.

Only the tables which have modified components are shown, except for the Synchronization Parameters

table, which is always present.

They rely on the fields that can be found in the Synchronize dialog box.

Synchronization Parameters:

Option:
Simulation
Automatic flattening on added components
Reset the synchronization attributes.

Action:
Remove the components
Add the components
Replace the reference of components
Synchronize the bundle segment structure
Synchronize the attributes
Synchronize the knowledge parameters.

Components:
Bundle segments
Devices
Supports
Protections
Wires.

List of Removed Components:


Bundle Name
Bundle Segments
Devices
Supports
Protections
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Wires.

List of Added Components:


Bundle Name
Bundle Segments
Devices
Supports
Protections
Wires.

List of Replaced Components:


Bundle Name
Devices
Supports.

List of Bundle Segment Structure Modifications:


Bundle Name
Modification Number
Before
After.

List of Bundle Segment Attribute Modifications:


Bundle Name
Name
Reference Designator
Length
Diameter
Bend Radius
Separation Code
Color.

List of Device Attribute Modifications:


Bundle Name
Instance Name
Reference Designator
Sub Type
Part Number.

List of Support Attribute Modifications:


Bundle Name
Instance Name
Part Number
Support Position.
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List of Protection Attribute Modifications:
Bundle Name
Instance Name
Reference Designator
Layer Number
Taping Angle
Overlapping
Inner Diameter
Width
Thickness
Bend Radius
Linear Mass
Line Type
Length.

List of Wire Attribute Modifications:


Bundle Name
Instance Name
Reference Designator
Sub Type
Diameter
Linear Mass
Bend Radius
Separation Code
Color
Modified Route.

List of Elements Showing an Error:


Bundle Name
Instance Name
Error Message.
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In the Synchronization Parameters table, the options that have been selected in the Synchronize dialog box are
set to YES, the others are set to NO:

Synchronization Parameters
Options Actions Components

Simulation NO Remove components YES Bundle segments YES

Automatic flattening YES Add components YES Devices YES


on added components

Reset the synchronization NO Replace component reference YES Supports NO


attributes

Synchronize bundle segment NO Protections NO


structure

Synchronize attributes YES Wires YES

Synchronize knowledge YES


parameters

In all the fields of the attribute and structure modification list, two lines appear:

The first line indicates the status of the component before synchronization.

The second line indicates the parameters that have been changed with the synchronization.

List of Wire Attribute Modifications


Bundle Instance Reference Sub Diameter Linear Bend Separation Color Modified
Name Name Designator Type Mass Radius Code Route

Electrical Wire- Wire-plus1 2mm 0kg_m 20mm Attribute yellow


Bundle2.1 plus1 unset

5mm NO

The added, replaced, removed component fields have one line per element indicating the modifications.

List of Added Components


Bundle Name Bundle Devices Supports Diameter Protections Wires
Segments
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 65

Wire-minus1
Electrical
Wire-minus2
Bundle2.1
Wire-minus3

Find hereafter the list of the errors that can occur during the synchronization and that will be reported in the Html
file:

"The 3D harness flattening and 3D harness design link is broken"


"Error during the Analyze"
"Error during the Remove Component Synchronization"
"Error during the Bundle Segment Structure Synchronization"
"Error during the Add Component Synchronization"
"Error during the Attribute Access"
"Error during the Replace Component Synchronization"
"Error during the Bundle Segment Attribute Synchronization - Different Bundle Segment Structure"
"Error during Attribute Synchronization - Internal link failed to 3D harness flattening from 3D harness design"
"Error during the Bundle Segment Attribute Synchronization - Different Number of Supports"
"Error during the Bundle Segment Attribute Synchronization - Different Supports Configuration"

"Error during the Add Component - The original component document is not saved"
"Error during the Wire Route Synchronization"
"Error during the Protection Synchronization - Underlying Curves are not connected"
"Error during the Protection Synchronization - Underlying Curves are not tangential"
"Error during the Device Move"
"Error during Bundle Segment Move"

List of Elements Showing an Error


Bundle Name Instance Name Error Message

Connector_F.1 Error during Add Component Synchronization


Geometrical Bundle2.1
Connector_F.2 Error during Add Component Synchronization

Note: The Html report is generated with a default Cascading Style Sheet document (.css) that can be
personalized.
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Viewing Related Objects

This task shows how to use the Related Objects viewer to navigate through the objects connected to the

selected object.

The Related Objects command displays all the bundle segments of a branch even those which are not

connected. The reason is that the command displays the whole document contents: And all the bundle

segments inside a multi-branchable document belong to the same CATPart document.

You can focus on an object and see how it was constructed via its related objects.

The related objects command identifies the parent, any children or connected objects and the relationship

between objects. It is available when none of the icons of the workbench are activated that is to say when you

are in Select command .

Accessing related objects can be done in two ways:

by clicking the Related Objects icon in the toolbar


from the contextual menu, by selecting Related Objects.
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The different options available are:

Reframe on selection: reframes the main 3D window on the Related objects selection.
Reframe on selection: the main window selection corresponds to the Related objects
selection. The main window display is not reframed.
Freeze: freezes the contents of the Related objects window. You can still
navigate in the main window: the Related objects view will not be
updated.
Freeze: the Related objects selection corresponds to the main window
selection.
View related objects: displays the parent, any children or connected objects.
View related objects: only displays the selected objects.
Functional: displays the functional system. If the bundle segment contains wires,
the corresponding signals are displayed in the bundle segment.
N.B.: the signal name is displayed followed by the separation code, if

any:

Functional: hides the functional children elements.


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Wire: displays the wires contained in the bundle segment.

Wire: hides the wires contained in the bundle segment, shows the bundle
segments and signals.

Harness: displays the relationship to the harness: connectors, equipments,


shells, etc.

Harness: hides the children bundle segments, only shows the signals and wires.

Sub objects: displays the electrical contents.


Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 69

Sub objects: hides the electrical contents.

On a complex electrical system, the 3D view allows you to limit display to a specific area thus enlightening
the information regarding this area.

Open the RelatedObjectsSession.CATProduct document.

1. Select an object: Geometrical Bundle1.1 for example.

2. Click the Related Objects icon .


The Related Objects dialog box appears. The geometry area and the specification tree are reframed on
the object selected.
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3. Select the Bundle Segment4.1 in this window.


The dialog box focuses on the object selected: Bundle Segment4.1 (center of the window) and
shows the parent and the connected objects:
on the left is the parent object (Assembly meaning).
It represents the container object.
on the right are the children objects (Assembly meaning), connected to the Bundle Segment4.1.
They represent the contents.

This window shows the following:


the bundle segments assembly within the geometrical bundle
the Bundle Segment4.1 is connected to three bundle segments
the Bundle Segment4.1 contains two wires and their associated signal.
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4. Select the Sig2.

The geometry area is reframed on the signal and it shows:


the signal extremities with the functional connectors
the wire that realizes the signal
the harness objects: the physical connectors that correspond to the signal extremities as well as
the bundle segments, and the wire they contain.

5. Click the 3D tab to display the geometry.

6. Close the dialog box to exit the Related Objects viewer.


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Using the Drawing Capabilities


You can use these functionalities only if a Drafting license is available.

These functionalities allow you to take advantage of the Interactive Drafting capabilities:

You can easily create a drawing of the flattened harness using the various representation options.

The Linetype Personalization allows you to create a different aspect for the single or double lines in a

drawing.

The Wire Annotation command in the Interactive Drafting workbench allows you to create a wire annotation
on bundle segments and connectors.
The GVS integration allows you to store the drawing options within the drawing document and no longer in
the flattening parameters. It gives you access to dress-up capabilities in the Drafting workbench when
working on Electrical Harness Flattening documents.
Note that GVS only works on EHF data, that is to say after extraction from the 3D data.
You can now gain in efficiency by creating dimensions for technological features such as electrical harness.
For a drawing created with a flattened document, you can have dimensions only on bundle segments and
protections.
The Interactive Drafting workbench lets you define and store text templates into catalogs to be used when
creating texts associated to technological objects:
Create Text Templates.

Store Text Templates into a Catalog.

Annotate Drawings using Text Templates.

Drawing Update Command Disabled

The Drawing Update command is not enabled after a modification of parameters in the 3D document, if
this modification concerns one of the following attributes displayed in Text Templates, Wire Annotations
or Report of the drawing:

External reference
Reference designator
Sub type
Reference part number
Layer number
Taping angle

You can change a geometrical attribute (i.e. diameter, length) in the 3D document, then the Update
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 73
command becomes active.

In the context of the new Automatic Generation command, these attributes are updated with the
Update Dress-up command.
Note that the Update Dress-up command only applies to the text templates automatically generated.
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Customizing a Drawing View

This task shows you how to generate a drawing view, using various representation options.

You can use the Getting Started sample to perform this scenario.

Make sure the Drafting -> View options are set as follows:
Open the Tools -> Options... menu, then Mechanical Design:

In the Geometry generation / Dress-up frame, check the following options:

Project 3D wireframe
Project 3D points

For more information, refer to the View tab documentation.

1. Open the Tools -> Options... menu, then in the Equipment & Systems category, choose the Electrical Harness

Flattening item to define the electrical drawing catalog.

To do so:
click the Add button
browse to the catalog: .../online/ehfug_C2/samples/GraphicReplacement/CATDraw2DElectricalDetail.catalog.
click OK to validate.

This catalog contains the 2D detail of connectors:


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A mapping is done between the connector external reference (or the part number if the external reference is not

valuated) and the name of the 2D detail.

If an equivalence is found, the corresponding 2D detail replaces the connector in the drawing.
If not, the 3D projection is displayed.

2. In the Drawing tab, select:

the double line for bundle segment and protection representation


the 2D detail option for device graphical representation
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 76

3. Click OK to validate.

4. Using the Getting Started document of the flattened harness, perform the mapping:

a. Right-click a connector to display the properties,

for example: RectangularConnector-MX10 (Connector-5)

b. Click the More... button to display the Electrical tab.

c. Enter PN-AC1265 in the External Reference field.

d. Click OK to validate.

Once this is done, you will generate the drawing.

5. Open a new drawing document.

6. Click the Front View button and select the top-face of the rectangular connector as Plane.
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The drawing document updates according to this choice:

The rectangular connectors have been replaced with the chosen 2D detail and the protections and bundle segments
are displayed with a double line.

Note that the External Reference attribute does not exist for the support and you need to create it.

To do so:

Right-click the support to display the Properties.

At the bottom of the Product tab, click the Define other properties... button.

The dialog box displays:


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Select String in the combo and click the New Parameter of type button.

Edit the name: External Reference

This property is added to the support.

You can now enter a value to map a catalog 2D detail.


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Personalizing Line Types


This task shows you how to personalize the line type used for the drawings you will generate.

First you must create your own CATCollectionStandard variable and save it to the Linetype list available in the

Tools -> Options.

Refer to Creating a CATCollectionStandard Variable.

Open the Protection_Test and switch to Electrical Library .

1. Click the Define Protection button then select the protection in the geometry.

The Protection Definition dialog box displays:

2. In the Line type combo box, select the line type (choose the line number) you have created with the

CATCollectionStandard variable.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 80

See also Protection Linetype in Drawing

3. Click OK to validate.

4. Save the modified protection into your working catalog using the Store Device button .

5. Open the Sample-Protection and switch to Electrical Harness Installation .

6. Click the Protection button .

The Instantiate Protection dialog box opens:


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7. Click the catalog button next to the Protection field.

a. Select your working catalog and choose the previously modified protection.

b. Click OK to validate.

8. Select the bundle segment then click OK to validate.

Your protection is instantiated:


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9. Create a new Product and switch to Electrical Harness Flattening.

Keep the Sample-Protection opened.

10. Click the Harness Flattening Parameters button .

a. Select the Drawing tab.

b. Choose single line representation both for bundle segments and protections.
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11. Click OK to validate.

12. Save your document.

13. Click the Extract button .

a. Select the geometrical bundle of your Sample-Protection product.

b. Save your extracted document.

14. Click the Flatten button ..

The Flattening Parameters dialog box opens:

15. Select the geometrical bundle and click OK to validate.

The result looks like this:

16. Open a new drawing document using the File -> New... command.

The New Drawing dialog box opens:


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17. In the Standard combo box, select the CATCollectionStandard variable you have previously created and

validate.

See also Protection Linetype in Drawing

18. Click the Front View button .

You are prompted to select a reference plane on the 3D geometry.

19. Click a plane in the flattened document.

The drawing updates according to this choice:


Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 85

You can see that the protection is represented by the created line type:
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 86

Protection Linetype in Drawing

When creating a protection, the Linetype choice takes into account information coming from the Tools ->
Options -> General -> Display -> Linetype tab.
When generating the drawing, the line type taken into account comes from the Tools -> Standards... menu
item.
The line contents of these files may be different, therefore, since the mapping is done in relation to the line
number (1 to 63), it may not show the correct pattern.
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Creating Wire Annotations

A dedicated command is available in the drafting workbench to create a wire annotation on bundle

segments and connectors. The wire attributes in the annotation can be customized.

Open the WireAnnotation document.

1. Generate a drawing like it is explained in Generating a Drawing.

2. In the Drafting workbench, click the Wire Annotation button .

Two dialog boxes open:


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The Tools Palette, which allows you to show or hide the wire annotation dialog box:

When it looks like this, the Wire Attributes dialog box is visible.

When it looks like that, the Wire Attributes dialog box is not visible: Click the Tools
Palette to make it visible.

The Wire Attributes dialog box, which allows you to select the attributes you want to see as
annotations:

To add an attribute from Available to Favorites, select the attribute of interest then
click the right arrow .

To remove an attribute from Favorites, select it in the list then click the left arrow .
By default, the last Favorites used are available when the dialog box is re-opened.
If you want to save different favorite lists: select the attributes needed, enter a name in
the input field then validate. You can then display your favorite list in the combo box.

3. Choose Reference designator, Diameter, Length and Bend Radius for example.

4. Then, select a bundle segment or a connector in the geometry.

A table is created, showing all the attributes that you have selected in Favorites:
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 89

If you want to add another wire annotation, you have to click again the Wire Annotation

button before selecting a bundle segment or a connector.

There is an automatic update of the modifications except if you remove or add some

components.

Note: This command is not available for internal splices.

If you want to customize the graphical representation of the table, right-click to display the contextual
menu then select Properties.
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Integrating the Graphic View Style (GVS)

The integration with the Generative View Style allows you to store the drawing options within the drawing document and no

longer in the Flattening Parameters:

the type of representation for bundle segments and protection:


double line
single line

the graphic replacement for devices, internal splices and supports:


3D projection
2D detail

Note that GVS only works on EHF data, that is to say after extraction from the 3D data.

Find more information in the Generative View Style section.

Using the graphic view styles lets you access to the electrical dress-up capabilities.

Location of generative view style files

The location of generative view style files is defined by an environment variable, which can be set during installation or
modified afterwards:

Variable name Description

CATCollectionStandard Path and name of the folder which contains:


the generativeparameters sub-folder (which itself contains the customized generative view
styles). It is in this generativeparameters sub-folder that you should add the generative view
styles customized for a company, project or user.
the drafting sub-folder (which itself contains the customized drafting standards). It is in these
drafting sub-directories that you should add the drafting standards customized for a company,
project or user.

Copy the .../online/ehfug_C2/samples/standard/generativeparameters/GVS_sample_1.xml to the respective folder in your

environment.

Refer to the Generative Drafting User's Guide for Administration Tasks.

Set up the Drafting -> Administration option as follows:

Refer to the Administration tab documentation.


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1. Open the Tools -> Options... menu, then in the Equipment & Systems category and choose the Electrical

Harness Flattening item to define the electrical drawing catalog for devices and supports.

To do so:
click the Add button
browse to the catalog: .../online/ehfug_C2/samples/GraphicReplacement/CATDraw2DElectricalDetail.catalog.
click OK to validate.

This catalog contains the 2D detail of connectors:

2. Open the Tools -> Standards... menu.

The Standard Definition dialog box opens.

Select generativeparameters in the Category list.


Select GVS_sample_1.xml in the File list.

The electrical components shows with their representation:


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For example, the graphic representation is:

single line for bundle segments


double line for protections
2D detail from the previously defined catalog for single insert connectors

and so on.

Note about the splices:

It is possible to define a graphic replacement for the splices in the GVS, either 2D detail or 3D projection.

However, only the 2D detail is valid, as the 3D representation, displayed like this:

cannot be projected in the drawing.

If you select this graphic view style to generate a Front View drawing :

the drawing looks like this:


Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 93

3. In the Standard Definition dialog box, now select the DefaultGenerativeStyle.xml in the File list.

The electrical components shows with their representation:

For example, the graphic representation for the bundle segment is in double line, etc.

If you select this graphic view style to generate a Front View drawing :

the drawing looks like this:

4. Click OK to exit the Standard Definition window when you are done.
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You can change the characteristics of a given GVS only if you are working in administration mode.
Whereas, you can change the GVS used (and stored) in a drawing sheet if you are working in user mode:
Select Tools -> Import a generative view style...
The dialog box opens:

Select a style and click OK to validate.

or right-click the active view and use the Properties contextual menu:
At the bottom of the Properties dialog box, the Generative view style drop down list lets you choose the style of
interest:
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Generating Dress-up Automatically

Using the GVS gives you access to dress-up capabilities in the Drafting workbench when working on

Electrical Harness Flattening documents.

This command allows you to generate and update automatically wire annotations, text templates and

technological feature dimensions on electrical components in the drafting workbench.

The automatic generation options are stored within the GVS.

for example: the definition of the bundle segment template, with a predefined type of text template.

You can use the Getting Started sample to perform this scenario.
Make sure the mapping is defined for the graphic replacement.

You have set up your environment to use the graphic view style: for example, you have selected the
GVS_sample_1.xml.
Refer to Integrating the Graphic View Style (GVS).

1. Open the flattened document.


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2. Switch to the Drafting workbench and open a new drawing document.

3. Click the Front View button and select the top-face of the rectangular connector as Plane.

The drawing document updates according to this choice:

4. Click the Automatic Generation button .

The drawing is updated according to the graphic view style previously defined:
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What is generated?

Text Templates on:

bundle segments
protections
supports
connectors:
single insert connectors
ground studs
internal splices
external splices
terminal strips
terminal blocks

back shells.

Wire Annotations on:

bundle segments
connectors:
single insert connectors
ground studs
internal splices
external splices
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terminal strips
terminal blocks

Technological Feature Dimensions on:

bundle segments
protections.

as defined in the graphic view style.


They are placed at a default location but can be moved for a better legibility or presentation.

To do so:

a. click and drag the annotation you want to move

b. release the mouse button when you are satisfied with the new position.

5. If you modify the original 3D document for example:

to change a bundle segment diameter


to change a connector position
to add or remove a branch
etc.

you will need to update the drawing.

To do so:

a. First click the Synchronize button to reflect the modifications of the geometry on
the the flattened document.

b. Then click the Update Current Sheet button to reflect the modifications of the
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geometry on the drawing.

c. Finally click the Update Dress-up button to:

delete the text templates, dimensions and wire annotations no longer used
add the new ones corresponding to the modifications of the geometry
update the existing ones, keeping the position if it has previously been changed.

Text template creation and GVS


It is recommended to create the text template with a leader to allow the dress-up update in the context of

the automatic generation. If you don't want it to display in the drawing, use for the font the same color as

the background.

Using Automatic Generation or Update Dress-up


If the administrator modifies the characteristics of the graphic view style (refer to Administration Tasks),

for the user to get these modifications in his drawing, or if the user wants to change the graphic view

style of his drawing, it is necessary to:

a. import the GVS of interest

b. update the drawing using the Update Current Sheet button

c. either run the Update Dress-up command: the imported GVS only applies to the new text
templates.

d. or run the Automatic Generation command: the imported GVS applies to the whole
drawing sheet.
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Creating Intra-Technological Feature


Dimensions
This task will show you how to create dimensions for technological features such as electrical harness.

You need an Electrical Harness Assembly license for the purpose of this scenario as we will be
dimensioning Electrical Harness Assembly features. Intra-technological feature dimensioning is also
available for other applications such as Structure Functional Design or Ship Structure Detail Design. For
more information on the availability of technological feature dimensioning for a given workbench, refer
to the related documentation.

Refer to Before you Begin for general information about technological feature dimensions.

Open the ElectricalAssembly.CATProduct document and make sure it is loaded in the Electrical Harness
Assembly workbench (if necessary, select Start -> Equipment & Systems -> Electrical Harness
Assembly to launch the workbench). Open the ElectricalAssembly.CATDrawing document.

1. Click the Multiple Intra Technological Feature Dimensions icon from the Dimensioning
toolbar, Technological Feature Dimensions sub-toolbar.

You can also click the Technological Feature Dimensions icon and then select the

Multiple Intra Technological Feature Dimensions icon from the Tools Palette.

2. Select the feature that you want to dimension. Note that the name of a feature is displayed as a

help as you move the cursor over it.


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The dimension is created as specified by the feature. In this specific example, the bundle
segment specifies that the dimension should provide its overall length.

The dimension creation command remains active.


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3. Repeat step 2 for each additional feature that you want to dimension.

4. End the dimension creation by clicking anywhere in the drawing (but not on a technological

feature) or by lining-up the dimension. The intra-feature dimensions are created as specified by

the feature.

You can now handle the dimension(s) just like any other dimension.
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Creating Text Templates


This task will show you how to create text templates.

Before you begin, you need to make sure that the package corresponding to the type of object for
which you want to create a template is correctly loaded. For the purpose of this scenario, you will load
the Product package. Go to Tools -> Options -> General -> Parameters and Measure and click
on the Language tab. Check Load extended language libraries and uncheck All packages. From
the Available Packages list, select ProductPackage and click on the right arrow to add it to the
Packages to load list. Click OK, and then exit and re-start the software.

Create a new drawing.

1. Click the Text icon from the Annotations toolbar.

2. Click anywhere in the drawing. A green frame appears, as well as the Text Editor dialog box.

3. In the Text Editor dialog box, type Part number:.

4. Without closing the Text Editor dialog box, right-click the frame and select Insert link

template from the contextual menu which is displayed.

5. In the Insert Link Template dialog box which is displayed, select the ProductPackage

dictionary, the Product type and the PartNumber attribute, and click Insert.
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6. Back in the Text Editor dialog box, press the Enter key and type Revision:.

7. Back in the Insert Link Template dialog box, select the Revision attribute (leave the other

fields as is), click Insert and then Close.

8. Click OK in the Text Editor dialog box. The text template is now created.

9. Make sure the text template is selected and click the Frame icon in the Text Properties
toolbar.

10. From the Frames sub-menu, choose the Scored Rectangle frame .

11. Right-click the text template, and select Add Leader from the contextual menu.

12. Click in the drawing to end the leader creation. The text template is now set.
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13. Right-click the text template, and select Properties from the contextual menu.

14. Click the Feature Properties tab in the Properties dialog box which is displayed.

15. In the Feature Name field, type Part number & Revision and click OK. You will use this

feature name to identify this text template in the future.

16. Create another text by repeating steps 1 to 3, this time typing Part name: in the Text Editor

dialog box.

17. Repeat steps 4 and 5, this time selecting the Name attribute in the Insert Link Template dialog

box.

18. Click Close in the Insert Link Template dialog box and then OK in the Text Editor dialog box.

The text template is now created.

19. Make sure the text template is selected and in the Graphic Properties toolbar, choose green

from the Color list. The text template is now set.

20. Repeat steps 13 to 15, this time typing Part name in the Feature Name field. You will use this

feature name to identify this text template in the future.

21. Select File -> Save As and save the drawing as a .CATDrawing document.

Now that your text templates are defined, you need to store them in a catalog.
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Storing Text Templates in a Catalog


This task will show you how to store text templates in a catalog.

For more information on catalogs, refer to the Using Catalogs chapter in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

Open the TextTemplates.CATDrawing document.

1. Select File -> New.

2. In the New dialog box, select CatalogDocument from the list of types and click OK. The Catalog

Editor workbench is launched and a new catalog is created.

3. In the left-hand pane, double-click Chapter.1 to activate it.

4. Select Insert -> Add Family.... The Component Family Definition dialog box is displayed.

5. Type Text templates in the Name field.

6. Make sure Standard is selected in the Type field, and click OK. The family is created.

7. For more convenience, select Window -> Tile Horizontally to display your Catalog Editor and

Drafting windows at once.

8. In the Drafting window, select one of the text templates, e.g. Part number & Revision.

9. In the left-hand pane of the Catalog Editor window, double-click Text templates to activate it.

10. Select Insert -> Add Component.... The Description Definition dialog box is displayed.

11. On the Reference tab, click the Select external feature button. The dialog box is updated with

information about the selected text template, i.e. Part number & Revision.
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12. Click OK. The selected text template is listed on the Reference tab, in the right-hand pane of the

Catalog Editor window.

13. Go back to the Drafting window and select the other text templates, e.g. Part name.

14. Return to the Catalog Editor window and repeat steps 10 and 11. The dialog box is now updated

with information about the Part name text template.

15. Click OK. Both selected text templates are now listed on the Reference tab, in the right-hand pane

of the Catalog Editor window.


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16. Select File -> Save As and save the catalog as a .catalog document.
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Annotating Drawings Using Text Templates


This task will show you how to annotate drawings using text templates stored in a catalog.

Before you begin, you need to make sure that the package corresponding to the type of object for which you want
to create a template is correctly loaded. For the purpose of this scenario, you will load the Product package. Go to
Tools -> Options -> General -> Parameters and Measure and click on the Language tab. Check Load
extended language libraries and uncheck All packages. From the Available Packages list, select
ProductPackage and click on the right arrow to add it to the Packages to load list. Click OK, and then exit and
re-start the software.

Open the GEAR-REDUCER.CATDrawing document.

1. Click the Text Template Placement icon from the Annotations toolbar.

2. In the Place Text Template dialog box, browse to select the TextTemplates.catalog document. This

document is located in your documentation installation folder (by default, this folder is C:\Program

Files\Dassault Systemes\XXXdoc\online\), in cfysa_C2\samples\Drafting. Leave the Place Text

Template dialog box open to perform the next steps.

3. On any view, select the part that you want to annotate, making sure that you click where you want the

anchor point of the annotation to be located. Note that the name of a part is displayed as a help as you fly

the cursor over it.


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The Place Text Template dialog box now lists all the templates available in the selected catalog and

which can be applied to the selected object.


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4. In the Place Text Template dialog box, select the text template that you want to apply, Part number &

Revision for example. The annotation is created at the point you clicked when selecting the part to

annotate, and contains information retrieved from the 3D part. Note that this annotation is associative to

the 3D part.

5. If you want, select the other text template (Part name). Note that this annotation will also be created at

the point you clicked, so it will overlap the first annotation. For better results, you will have to move it

afterwards.

6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for other parts that you want to annotate.

Note that the last template you selected in the Place Text Template dialog box remains active when
annotating other parts. You can de-activate it by clicking the Clear selection button.

7. When you're done, click Close to close the Place Text Template dialog box.

You can also multi-select the parts that you want to annotate (using the Ctrl key) prior to clicking the Text
Template Placement icon.
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Filtering Wires
Based on External Configuration System
This command is available in the Electrical Wire Routing and the Electrical Harness Flattening
workbenches.
It is dedicated to electro-mechanical designers.

How does the filtering command work:


The filtering command is performed from a maximum harness configuration (called 150%) including
all the wires, the bundle segments, the connectors, supports and protections of the harness.
It retrieves through CAA V5 interfaces the list of filtering criteria depending on the selected systems,
as it is the harness part number.
The user selects a criteria.
The filtering command retrieves from CAA V5 interfaces the list of valid wires for the selected
criteria.
According to the wires routed in the harness for the selected criteria and the filtering options:
the bundle segment diameter is recomputed,
the bundle segments and/or devices are shown or hidden:
if no wires are routed in a bundle segment, it is hidden by default,
if no wires are connected to a device, it is hidden by default.
the supports are shown or hidden according to the wires routed in the bundle segments that are
using them:
if no wires are routed in bundle segments going through supports, the supports are hidden by
default.
the protections are shown or hidden according to the wires routed inside the bundle segments
they are covering:
if no wires are routed in bundle segments covered with a protection, the protections are hidden
by default.

Without CAA V5 development, this functionality is not available.

This task explains how to filter any 150% harness to get accurate geometry for a configured harness.
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The document may contain:


a geometrical bundle with bundle segments and connectors
an electrical bundle with the corresponding wire references
supports and protections.

1. Click the Filtering Management button.

The Filtering Management dialog box opens:


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It displays:

a. the list of filtering criteria corresponding to the harness part number.

b. the filtering options:

Activate bundle segments with no routed wires:


check this option to show the bundle segments which do not contain wires.

Activate devices with no connected wires:


check this option to show the devices belonging to the selected harness when no
wires are connected to them.

Activate supports with no bundle segments inside:


check this option to show the supports which do not contain bundle segments
routing wires.

Activate protections with no bundle segments inside:


check this option to show the protections which do not contain bundle segments
routing wires.

The combination of these options is possible.

c. the Reset the 3D Mockup button: click this button to come back to the original

document, with no criteria selected.


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2. Select a criteria.

3. Select the filtering options, if need be.

4. Click Apply to display the harness according to your previous choice.

The result looks like this:


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5. Optional: use the Reset the 3D Mockup button to come back to the original document.

6. Click OK when you are done.


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Defining the Report Format


This task shows you how to define the report format. You use this function, together with the function
described in Generating a Report, to get the values of properties of objects in a document.

Examples from the Piping Design workbench are used here.


Substitute the appropriate resource or directory when working in another workbench.

Before you generate a report you need to define its format. This means deciding which properties you
are interested in. This report format is kept in a file which you can use to generate reports from other
documents.

To use this function you must first set up an option:

a. Click Tools -> Options -> General -> Parameters and Measure

b. Select the Language tab.

c. Under Language check Load extended language libraries.

d. Click OK to validate.

1. Click Tools -> Report -> Define.

The Report Definition dialog box displays.


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2. Enter a Report Name and select a directory location.

3. Enter a Report Title - you can select anything but you must enter a title.

4. Check the Show Inherited Attributes box if you want to.

5. Click the down arrow and select the Dictionary related to your program.

6. Select the Type of object.

The list of attributes you see in Step 7 depends on the type you select here. However, when you
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generate a report you will get values for all objects in the document that have the attributes in

your report format. If you want to limit the objects for which you get a report you must create a

query (Step 9).

7. Select an attribute in the Attribute field and click the Add button.

The attribute is added in the window.

Add as many attributes as you want to.

8. You can further refine your report by using the Edit -> Search function to define a query.

This allows you to generate a report on a narrower selection of check valve, say, of a certain

size, instead of all check valves in your document. The queries you create are available for

selection when you click the arrow in the Query Name field above.

Detailed instructions on using the Search function can be found in the Infrastructure User's

Guide under Basic Tasks - Selecting Objects.

Briefly:

a. Click Edit -> Search to bring up the Search dialog box.

b. Select the Advanced tab, then select a workbench, type of object and attribute you are

interested in.

c. Clicking the Add to Favorites button brings up the Create a Favorite Query dialog

box, where you can name the query and save it.
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Generating a Report
This task explains how to generate a report listing values of selected properties. Before you do this you need to define
the report format.

Examples from the Piping Design workbench are used here.


Substitute the appropriate resource or directory when working in another workbench.

1. Click Tools -> Report -> Generate.

The Generate Report dialog box displays.

2. Click the Open button and select the format you want to use for your report, in this case NewReport.

3. If you had defined a query in your report format then check Objects From Predefined Query.

4. If you select one or more objects in the document then check Currently Selected Objects.

5. Check All Objects in Document if you want a report on all objects in your document.

6. Click OK and select a format, such as HTML, when you are prompted.

The report is generated. It shows values for all properties defined in your report format for all objects in the
document that have them.
Where an object does not have a property the report displays asterisks.
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7. Click Insert in Document if you want to display these values in your document.

To generate the report from a schematic and insert it in a schematic, click the Insert in Document button
and click anywhere in your drawing.
To generate the report from a 3-D document and insert it in a schematic, click the Insert in Document
button and select the sheet or view in the specifications tree.
Do not select a point in the sheet. The data will be placed at the origin of the sheet or view, and can be
moved to another location.

8. Click Save As to save the report.

Specify a file name and location.


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Electrical Integration from External Data


This document explains the external data exchange capabilities available in the electrical workbenches.

Environment Settings
Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing
Selecting Systems from External Data
Placing Devices from External Data
Creating the Cable Harness
Placing Internal Splices
Automatic Routing
Exporting Data from CATIA
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Setting up the Environment


Make sure the options are set up as follows:

1. Select the Tools -> Options... command then in the Infrastructure category, click Part

Infrastructure.

2. In the General tab:

Keep link with selected object option must be checked:

This makes possible the contextual links between the bundle segments and the geometry when
creating the harness.

3. Then in the Equipment & Systems category, click the Electrical Harness Installation

workbench. Click the Harness Management tab:

The bundle segment naming rule is set to Parent-Bundle Segment(#PN#)


to help you recognize to which geometrical bundle a bundle segment belongs.

4. Click OK to validate the entries made.


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Setting up the Electrical Process Interfacing


This document shows how to set up the options to take advantage of external data from partners through
XML files.
See also the Customizing - Electrical Process Interfacing documentation.

It is also possible to use CAA V5 APIs to get information from legacy databases.

1. Select the Tools -> Options... command then in the Equipment & Systems category, click the

Electrical Process Interfacing tab.

This tab lets you define:


the access to external data
the electrical iXF repository path
the electrical working catalog path.

2. Make sure Enable external systems interfacing is checked.

However, you are required to identify the path:


of the folder in which the XML files available are stored
of the working catalog containing the V5 parts which Part Number are referred to in the XML
files.

3. Use to locate the iXF systems repository.


For this example, the path is: .../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration
4. Select the Electrical Mapping tab to select the working catalog:

Click the Browse button to locate the catalog containing the V5 parts, which Part Number
attributes are referred to in the XML files.

For this example, the path is: .../online/cfysa_C2/samples/ElectricalIntegration/


ElecIntegration.catalog
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5. Click OK to validate the entries made.

It is now necessary to define the electrical objects mapping regarding the working catalog.
To do so:
use the Tools -> Options... menu
then in the Equipment & Systems category, select the Electrical mapping tab.

Refer to the Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical mapping documentation.


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Selecting Systems from External Data


Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command

is available in the Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.


This task explains how to select the system prior to placing electrical components or routing.
Once a system is selected, the list of devices is loaded and ready to use.

1. Switch to the Electrical Assembly Design workbench or Electrical Wire Routing .

2. Click the Select External Systems button.

The System Selection dialog box displays with the XML files available:

3. Select one or more systems and click the right arrow .


for example: Electrical Bundle2.1

4. Click OK to validate.

The component list is filled up with these data and available for assisted placement or routing.

If a system has already been selected, the data is reloaded.


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Placing Devices from External Data

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command is available in the
Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.

And the Electrical Library commands Place Physical Device and Add Link are replaced with this one: Manage Links

This task explains how to place electrical components from the external device list.

1. Click the Manage Links button.

The device list displays:

The components you can place are:


equipments
connectors
internal splices
shells.

You can filter the list:


Show all devices: the list displays all the devices referenced in the external data file, even if they are not placed in the
geometry.
Show only devices present in session: the list displays only the devices placed in the geometry.
Show only changed devices: the list displays only the devices which part numbers have been changed in the external
data file.

2. Select a component, for example the battery: Battery 6volts.1

If the component is not linked to a 3D element, the Place and Link buttons become available.

3. Click Place.

The catalog browser opens.


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Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser has been filtered to display only the object with the same
part number as the object selected in the device list.
If the part number is defined neither in the device list nor in the catalog, you can navigate in the catalog browser to
select the component of your choice.

4. Select this equipment: Battery 6volts and click OK.

The equipment is placed and automatically linked, together with the connector that belongs to it.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product and appear in the geometry at the origin. You can change
their locations using the compass.

The component list is updated: the equipment, connector and pins are shown as linked in the device list.
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If all the sub-element part numbers are filled up in the device list and found in the catalog, they are automatically
placed and linked.

5. Repeat these steps for the second equipment: Battery 6Volts.2.

6. Click Close when you are done.

Make sure you have defined the electrical objects mapping regarding the working catalog.
To do so:
use the Tools -> Options... menu
then in the Equipment & Systems category, select the Electrical mapping tab.

Refer to the Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical mapping documentation.


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Creating the Cable Harness

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command is available in the Electrical
Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.

And the Electrical Library commands Place Physical Device and Add Link are replaced with this one:

Manage Links .

This task explains how to define the cable harness and place the connectors at each extremity.

1. Switch to Electrical Harness Assembly workbench .

2. Insert a new product under the root product.

Either use the contextual menu - Components -> New Product - or select the Insert -> New Product menu item.

3. Click the Geometrical Bundle button.

4. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design workbench again.

5. Double-click to activate the geometrical bundle to place the extremities.

6. Click the Place Physical Device button.

The component list displays:

You will place the mating connectors: Connector_M.1 and Connector_M.2.


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7. Select a connector, for example Connector_M.1

8. Click Place.

Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser opens with the predefined connector:

9. Select this connector: Connector_M and click OK.

The connector is placed and automatically linked, together with the pins that belong to it.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product and appear in the geometry at the origin (0, 0). You change the
location using the compass.

The component list is updated: the connector and pins are shown as Linked in the device list.

10. Repeat these steps for the other mating connector if you perform the whole scenario.

The result looks like this:

You will now connect the male connectors to the batteries.

The parent product, common to both devices to be connected, must be active.

11. Click the Connect Electrical Devices button.


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Select successively the connector connection point of both connectors to link them.
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Placing Internal Splices

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command is available in the Electrical
Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.

And the Electrical Library commands Place Physical Device and Add Link are replaced with this one:

Manage Links .

This task explains how to place internal splices anywhere inside the bundle segment, under the covering.

1. Switch to Electrical Harness Assembly workbench .

2. Double-click to activate the geometrical bundle.

3. Create the bundle segment harness.

To do so:

a. Click the Bundle Segment button.

b. Define the bundle segment parameters.

c. Define a construction point to link the harness between the batteries.

d. Define the bundle segment routes.

These steps are detailed in the Basic Tasks - Creating the Bundle Segment Document.

The result looks like this:


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You will now place the internal splices inside the bundle segments.

4. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design workbench .

5. Click the Manage Links button.


The device list displays.

6. Select an internal splice:

7. Click Place.

Since a mapping has been defined, the catalog browser opens with the predefined internal splice:

8. Select this internal splice: IS-2Term and click OK.

You are prompted to select the bundle segment on which you want to place the internal splice.

9. Click to select the bundle segment.

The Internal Splice Placement dialog box opens:


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10. Move then click to place the internal splice.

You can also modify the offset in the dialog box.

11. Click OK.

Repeat these steps for the other splice.


The internal splice is placed and automatically linked.
They are added to the specification tree under the active product. They do not have a geometrical representation.

The component list is updated: the splices and pins are shown as linked in the device list.
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12. Click Close when you are done.


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Automatic Routing

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command

is available in the Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.


This command allows you to select the systems to be imported.

The Automatic Wire Routing command in Electrical Wire Routing is modified:


This task explains how to route wires from an external wire list into an electrical bundle.
To know more details, refer to Considering External Data Routing in Greater Depth.
The document must contain at least:
a geometrical bundle with bundle segments and components at their extremities
a system.

1. Switch to Electrical Wire Routing workbench .

2. Double-click to activate the root product.

3. Create the electrical bundle connected to the geometrical bundle.

To do so:

a. Click the New Bundle button.

b. Select the geometrical bundle to be connected to.

These steps are detailed in the Basic Tasks - Defining the Routing Context - Creating the Bundle.

The electrical bundle is added to the specification tree under the root product.

4. Click the Automatic Routing button.

The wire list opens with connectivity and attribute information:


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For the wires available in the list, you get the following information:
the wire name
the wire reference designator
the wire external diameter
the wire bend radius
if the wire is routed or not
if the extremities have been found or not, or changed.

Filters can help you make your selection:

hide already routed wires


hide not routed wires
hide wires which extremities are not found.

The routing options allow you to use or not the knowledge rule.

5. Select one or more wires and click the right arrow.

The selected wires shift to the right column: they will be routed.

6. Click Route.

The Automatic Wire Routing Report is displayed

7. Close the report window.

The wires are added to the specification tree:


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The bundle segments diameter are updated according to the wiring information.
To know more, refer to Customizing - Equipment & Systems - Electrical Wire Routing
documentation.
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Exporting Data from CATIA

Since you have set up the option to enable the external systems interfacing, an additional command is available
in the Electrical Library and Electrical Wire Routing workbenches.
And the Export Wires... command in Electrical Wire Routing is modified.
Refer to the Electrical Wire Routing - Basic Tasks - Exporting Wires to know more about the Wire Export first method.
This task explains how to export data from CATIA, for back annotation purpose through CAA V5 APIs or using an XML
file.
Using this method, you can export data from a complete harness or a sub-assembly.
It allows you to generate the full harness schematic with the wires, the connectors at the their extremities, the
equipments, etc.

1. Switch to Electrical Wire Routing workbench .

2. Click the Tools -> Export Wires... menu item and select the Export Wires in iXF Format.

You are prompted to select a node in the specification tree and every electrical bundle belonging to it will be
exported.

3. Click a node in the specification tree.

The File dialog box opens:


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4. Navigate to select the folder where you want to store your file and enter the name of the file.

5. Click Save.

An .xml file is created.

Note that the wires are exported by harness (electrical bundle).


The data exported are:
the wire properties, particularly the wire length computed from the 3D geometry
the electrical objects connected to the wires (termination, cavity, etc.).
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Electrical and Knowledge


This section exposes the functions and objects available in the Knowledge Products.

Electrical User Functions


Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert
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Electrical User Functions in Knowledge Products

About the Electrical User Functions...


Elec_DistanceCommon

DistanceWireProduct

VisualMode

To be able to use these functions, you need to activate the ElectricalMeasure package.

To do so:

1. Select Tools -> Options... -> General -> Parameters and Measures and go to the Language tab.

2. Choose the ElectricalMeasure package and click the right arrow:

3. Click OK to validate.

Elec_DistanceCommon
Syntax

Elec_DistanceCommon(Wire1: Wire, Wire2: Wire):Length

Returns the common length of the two wires given as input arguments.

The type of Wire1 and Wire2 is ElecWire.

Example 1

The Elec_DistanceCommon user function can be used in Knowledge Expert to find all the couples of wires in the session that have a common length

greater than a given value.


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Example 2

In Knowledge Advisor, it can be used to define a rule giving the common length of two specific wires sharing properties.

Applying the rule displays the following message if the condition is met:
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Example 3

Still in Knowledge Advisor, to verify that two wires selected in the specification tree have a common length, the following action can be defined:

then ran: select two wires in the specification tree and click OK to validate.

The following message displays:


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DistanceWireProduct
Syntax

DistanceWireProduct(Wire1: Wire, Object: Product):Length

Returns the minimum length between a wire and a product in session. The product must contain at least one part.

Example 1

The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used with the f(x) command to display the distance between a wire and a component in the session.

This formula returns the following value:

Example 2
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The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used in Knowledge Expert to find all the wires in the session that have a minimum distance to

defined components smaller than a critical value chosen by the user. The components can be defined as heat-resistant.

Properties have been added to the product:

and to the wires:

A check is defined as follows:


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Updating the session displays green/red light on the check:


A report is generated showing the check result: some wires verify the condition, other not.

Example 3

The DistanceWireProduct user function can be used in Knowledge Advisor to define a rule that displays a warning message if a minimum distance

between a wire and an object is smaller than a critical value chosen by the user.
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Running this rule displays the following message:

Example 4

Still in Knowledge Advisor, an action can be defined using the DistanceWireProduct user function, to know the distance between a wire and an

object selected in the specification tree:

Run the action using the Action.1 contextual menu:

select a wire and a product in the specification tree then validate.


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This message displays:

VisualMode
Syntax

VisualMode (BundleSegment: Feature, Visualization Mode (LIGHT/FULL): String): Boolean

Description

This function is useful to minimize the size of the harness in LIGHT mode. It simplifies the visualization, the curve and the diameter only are

represented, the rib being deleted.

Example

Create a rule in Knowledge Expert:


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Running this rule displays the harness in LIGHT mode:

The rule is reversible: you can load a harness in LIGHT mode and reload the geometry by applying the rule with the FULL parameter:

The harness is displayed in FULL mode: the rib is recreated:


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Electrical Package in Knowledge Expert


An Electrical package is supported by Knowledge Expert.

To be able to use it, you need to activate the Electrical package.

To do so:

1. Select Tools -> Options... -> General -> Parameters and Measures and go to the Language

tab.

2. Choose the Electrical package and click the right arrow:

3. Click OK to validate.

This package can be accessed via the object browser and objects, attributes and methods in the package
can be used in expert relations.
You can, for example, write a rule to report in a file all the bundle segments with a diameter greater than
a specified value.

The package contains the following objects:

The IncludesWires attribute has been added to the BundleSegment object.

The CoveredBundleSegments attribute has been added to the Protection object.

BackShell FillerPlug SignalRoute


BundlePositionPoint FunctionalConnector Stud
Bundle FunctionalEquipment System
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BundleSegment GroundSignal Tape


Cavity GroupSignal TerminalBlock
CommandSignal InternalSplice TerminalStrip
ConnectorShell OffSheet Termination
Contact PowerSignal Termination_GeoConstraint
ContactPoint Protection VideoSignal
CorrugatedTube ShieldingSignal Wire
Equipment SingleConnector
ExternalSplice Signal

BackShell

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Back Shell type that you create when you select the icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

The back shell is a physical component used to guide the bundle segment extremity to the single insert
connector, and to protect the crimping area.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double
Defines the cable extra-length to be added to take into account the wire length inside the back shell.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the back shell reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the back shell in the
project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the back shell subtype (User defined subtype).

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the back shell attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified during
the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command.
Is True if modified.

Elec_External_Reference Type: String


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Defines the back shell external reference attribute.


It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if the back shell is connected to a single insert connector and a bundle segment.

BundlePositionPoint

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Bundle Segment Position Point type.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Harness Installation User's Guide.

The Bundle Segment Position Point type defines the point along a bundle segment at which the local slack is
applied.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
Elec_Slack Type: Double
Defines the slack length at the bundle segment position point.

Bundle

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Bundle type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Wire Routing workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

The ElecBundle type is an object that contains wires.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des Type: String
Defines the bundle reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the bundle in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


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Defines the bundle subtype (User defined subtype).

BundleSegment

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Bundle Segment type that you create when you select one of these icons

or in the Electrical Harness Installation workbench.


For more information, refer to the Electrical Harness Installation User's Guide.

The BundleSegment type is a segment of a geometrical bundle.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius Type: Double
Input data defining the bend radius value that corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the bundle segment
curve.

Elec_Bend_Radius_OK Type: Boolean


Is True if the bundle segment real bend radius is greater than the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute.

Elec_Creation_Mode Type: String


Defines the electrical bundle segment creation mode.
Three modes exist:
Slack: Elec_Length is not valuated.
Bend: Elec_Slack and Elec_Length are not valuated.
Length: Elec_Slack is not valuated.

Elec_Di_Slack Type: Double


Input data defining the percentage of distributed slack along the bundle segment.
This attribute induces the value of the Elec_Length attribute.

Elec_Diameter Type: Double


Defines the bundle segment diameter.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


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Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if both bundle segment extremities are connected.

Elec_Length Type: Double


Gives the bundle segment length.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String

Defines the bundle reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the bundle in the project.

Elec_Segreg Type: String


Defines the bundle segment separation code used by the routing algorithm.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the bundle segment subtype.
Elec_True_Length Type: Double
Attribute used in the fake length context of the extracted data in EHF.
This attribute keeps the bundle segment real length, coming from the 3D data.
In this context, the Elec_Length returns the fake length.

IncludedWires Type: CATIList

Returns a list of wires routed inside the bundle segment.

Cavity

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Cavity type that you create when you click this icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

The cavity defines a reservation for a connector.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
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Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double


Defines the wire length to be added to the wire routing length.

Elec_Id_Number Type: String


Defines a unique identifier for the cavity used to map a functional component and the corresponding physical
part.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the cavity reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the cavity in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the cavity subtype.

CommandSignal

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Command Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

The command signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a wire in
physical world.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the command signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the command signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


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Defines the command signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the command signal subtype.

ConnectorShell

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Connector-Shell type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A connector shell or shell is a non-electrical part which groups one or more electrical connector parts. It may be
part of an equipment.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des Type: String
Defines the connector shell reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the connector shell
in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the connector shell subtype.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the connector shell attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_External_Reference Type: String


Defines the connector shell external reference attribute.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Contact

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Contact type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A contact is an electrical component used within a termination and a cavity or between bundle segments.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Barrel_Diameter Type: Double
Defines the hole diameter which lets the wire through.

Elec_External_Reference Type: String


Defines the contact reference from an external library.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if all the contacts are connected.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the contact reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the contact in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the contact subtype.

CorrugatedTube

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Corrugated Tube type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical Library workbench. The corrugated tube is then instantiated using the Electrical Harness Installation
workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.

A corrugated tube is an electrical component applied onto bundle segments as a protection.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius Type: Double
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Defines the bend radius value, which corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the corrugated tube curve.

Elec_Bend_Radius_Protection_OK Type: Boolean


Is True if the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute is smaller than the real value of bend radius of the largest bundle
segment linked to the corrugated tube.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the single connector attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Inner_Diameter Type: Double


Defines the corrugated tube inner diameter.

Elec_Length Type: Double


Defines the corrugated tube length.

Elec_Line_Type Type: Double


Defines the corrugated tube line type.

Elec_Line_Weight Type: Double


Defines the corrugated tube linear mass, used for the flattened representation.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the corrugated tube reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the corrugated
tube in the project.

Elec_Ref_PartNumber Type: String


Defines the corrugated tube reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the protection subtype.

Elec_Thickness Type: Double


Defines the corrugated tube thickness.

Equipment

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Equipment type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

An equipment is an electrical device with one or more associated components: connectors, shells, contacts,
filler plugs, placed in cavities. An equipment can also comprise terminations and bundle connection points.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the equipment reference from an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the equipment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified during
the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the equipment reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the equipment in the
project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the equipment subtype.

ExternalSplice

Description

Describes the electrical feature of External Splice type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

An external splice is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments from different geometrical bundles.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the external splice reference from an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.
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Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the external splice attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the external splice reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the external splice
in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the external splice subtype.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if all the bundle connection points and terminations of the external splice are connected.

FillerPlug

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Filler Plug type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A filler plug is an electrical component used to block up an unused cavity.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des Type: String
Defines the filler plug reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the filler plug in the
project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the filler plug subtype.

ContactPoint

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Contact Point type that you create when you select the icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

This contact point is a functional electrical component that defines the point of contact or attachment for an
electrical signal.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Id_Number Type: String
Defines the contact point Id number.

Elec_Number Type: Integer


Defines a unique identifier for the contact point used to map a functional component and the corresponding
physical part.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the contact point reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the contact point in
the project.

Elec_Signal_IO Type: String


Defines if the signal is input or output.

Elec_Signal_Unicity Type: Boolean


Defines the unicity of the signal: True if the signal is unique.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the contact point subtype.

FunctionalConnector

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Functional Connector type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

This connector is a functional electrical component with one or more associated contact points, for example, a
power or signal transmission connector.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product


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Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the functional connector reference to an external library.

Elec_Id_Number Type: String


Defines a unique identifier for the functional connector used to map a functional component and the
corresponding physical part.

Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String


Defines the nominal part number of the physical connector that realizes the functional connector.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the functional connector reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the connector
in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the functional connector subtype.

FunctionalEquipment

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Functional Equipment type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

This equipment is a functional electrical component with one or more associated connectors, for example a
lamp or a battery.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the functional equipment reference to an external library.

Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String


Defines the nominal part number of the physical equipment that realizes the functional equipment.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


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Defines the functional equipment reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the
equipment in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the functional equipment subtype.

GroundSignal

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Ground Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

The ground signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a wire in
physical world.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Ground_Unicity Type: Boolean
Defines the unicity of the ground signal: True if the signal is unique.

Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String


Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the ground signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the ground signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the ground signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


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Defines the ground signal subtype.

GroupSignal

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Group Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

Groups signals will be routed together, for example shielded or twisted signals.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the group signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the group signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the group signal section.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the internal splice attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the group signal subtype.

InternalSplice
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Description

Describes the electrical feature of Internal Splice type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

An internal splice is a type of connector used to connect two or more wires belonging to the same bundle.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the internal splice reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Mass Type: Double


Defines the internal splice mass.

Elec_Offset Type: Double


Defines the distance to the bundle segment extremity selected to place the internal splice.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the internal splice reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the internal splice in
the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the internal splice subtype.

OffSheet

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Off Sheet Connector type that you create when you click the icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

An off sheet connector is a marker in the functional definition that is used to establish connections between
different systems.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
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Elec_Name Type: String


Defines the off sheet connector name.

Elec_Number Type: Integer


Defines the off sheet connector number.

Elec_Signal_IO Type: String


Defines if the signal is input or output.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the off sheet connector subtype.

Stud

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Stud type that you create when you click this icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A stud is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments with one or more wires connected through a
termination. It is used to ground bundle segments or pieces of equipment.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the stud reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the stud reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the stud in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the stud subtype.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True only if all the stud bundle connection points are connected.
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PowerSignal

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Power Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

The power signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a wire in
physical world.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the power signal.

Elec_Nominal_Voltage Type: Double


Defines the power signal nominal voltage.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the power signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the power signal subtype.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the power signal section.

Protection

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of protection type from which both the corrugated tube and the tape derives.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
CoveredBundleSegments Type: CATIList
Returns the list of bundle segments covered by the protection.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Length Type: Double


Defines the protection length.

Elec_Line_Type Type: Double


Defines the protection line type.

Elec_Line_Weight Type: Double


Defines the protection linear mass, used for the flattened representation.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the protection reference designator attribute.

Elec_Ref_PartNumber Type: String


Defines the protection reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the protection subtype.

ShieldingSignal

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Shielding Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

The shielding signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a wire in
physical world.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the shielding signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the shielding signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the shielding signal subtype.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the shielding signal section.

Elec_Nominal_Voltage Type: Double


Defines the shielding signal nominal voltage.

SingleConnector

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Single Insert Connector type that you create when you click this icon in
the Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A single insert connector is an electrical connector male or female. It's the physical representation for both the
plugs and the sockets.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the single insert connector reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the single insert connector reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the single
insert connector in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the single insert connector subtype.

Elec_Fmdb_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the single connector attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True in only two cases:
if the single insert connector is integrated into an equipment and connected to another single insert
connector,
if the single insert connector is connected to a bundle segment or a back shell and connected to another
single insert connector.

Signal

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Signal type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

A signal is a logical connection between two or more components. May be of the following types: ground,
shielding, video, power, command or grouped.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
Defines the nominal part number of the physical wire that realizes the signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the signal section.

Elec_ListPhysical Type: CATIList


Contains the list of ElecWire objects that realize the signal.

SignalRoute

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Signal Route type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical Wire Routing workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Wire Routing User's Guide.

The signal route is computed to find out the optimized way between two or more extremities of a signal.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
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Elec_Length Type: Double


Defines the signal route length.

Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String


Defines the nominal part number of the wire that realizes the signal.

Elec_Section Type: Double


Defines the signal route section.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the signal route subtype.

System

Description
Describes the electrical feature of System type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

A system consists of equipments, connectors and signals. It is an electrical unit, which accomplishes a specific
function.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Ref_Des Type: String
Defines the system reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the system in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the system subtype.

Tape

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Tape type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Library workbench. The tape is then instantiated using the Electrical Harness Installation workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library and Electrical Harness Installation User's Guides.

A tape is an electrical component applied onto bundle segments as a protection.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius_Delta Type: Double
Defines the bend radius value, which corresponds to the minimum bend radius of the tape curve.
This value takes into account the bundle segment and tape bend radius rule and ends up to an increased
rigidity due to the tape.

Elec_Bend_Radius_Protection_OK Type: Boolean


Is True if the Elec_Bend_Radius attribute is smaller than the real value of bend radius of the largest bundle
segment linked to the tape protection.

Elec_Covering_Length Type: Double


Defines the tape overlapping used when instantiating the protection.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the bundle segment attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Length Type: Double


Defines the tape length.

Elec_Line_Type Type: Double


Defines the tape line type, used for the flattened representation.

Elec_Line_Weight Type: Double


Defines the tape linear mass.

Elec_Number_Layer Type: Double


Defines the tape number of layers applied onto the bundle segment.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the tape reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the tape in the project.

Elec_Ref_PartNumber Type: String


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Defines the tape reference part number.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the protection subtype.

Elec_Tape_Thickness Type: Double


Defines the tape thickness.

Elec_Tape_Width Type: Double


Defines the tape width.

Elec_Taping_Angle Type: Double


Defines the taping angle.

Elec_Total_Tape_Length Type: Double


Defines the tape length considering the overlapping due to the taping angle, and also the number of layers.

Elec_Total_Thickness Type: Double


Defines the tape thickness considering the overlapping due to the taping angle, and also the number of layers.

TerminalBlock

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Terminal Block type that you create when you select this icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A terminal block is an electrical connector receiving bundle segments, each bundle segment being connected to
a termination.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the terminal block reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


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Defines the terminal block attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the terminal block reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the terminal block
in the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the terminal block subtype.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if all the terminal block terminations are connected.

Termination

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Termination type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A termination is a sub-element ensuring the electrical signal conduction between any type of electrical
component except the filler plug. It is indissociable from the electrical component and corresponds to a contact
crimped into a cavity.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double
Defines the length to be added to the wire routing length.

Elec_Id_Number Type: String


Defines a unique identifier for the termination used to map a functional component to the corresponding
physical part.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the termination reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the termination in the
project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


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Defines the termination subtype.

Termination_GeoConstraint

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Termination type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

This type of termination only exists for terminal strip and the stud connectors. It has an associated geometry (a
line), which allows the connection to be constrained between the bundle segment and the connector. The
bundle segment can only be connected via this associated geometry (the line).

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Extra_Length Type: Double
Defines the length to be added to the wire routing length.

Elec_Id_Number Type: String


Defines a unique identifier for the termination used to map a functional component and the corresponding
physical part.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the termination reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the termination in the
project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the termination subtype.

TerminalStrip

Description
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Describes the electrical feature of Terminal Strip type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

A terminal strip is an electrical connector comprising a strip of terminations.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature

Attributes
Elec_External_Reference Type: String
Defines the terminal strip reference to an external library.
It is used in Electrical Harness Flattening for 2D detail graphic replacement in a drawing.

Elec_Fmbd_Modify Type: Boolean


Defines the terminal strip attribute, which makes it possible to know if the component has been modified
during the Electrical Harness Flattening Synchronization command. Is True if modified.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the terminal strip reference designator attribute, which is the unique identifier for the terminal strip in
the project.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the terminal strip subtype.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if all the terminal strip terminations are connected.

VideoSignal

Description
Describes the electrical feature of Video Signal type that you create when you click this icon in the
Electrical System Functional Definition workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical System Functional Definition User's Guide.

The video signal is a logical connection between two or more components. It will be realized by a wire in
physical world.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product -> Electrical - ElecSignal

Attributes
Elec_Nominal_Part_Num Type: String
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Defines the part number of the wire that realizes the video signal.

Elec_Recom_Wire_Type Type: String


Defines the attribute of the wire recommended to realize the signal.

Elec_Routing_Priority Type: Double


Defines the priority for the signal routing.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the video signal used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Signal_Section Type: Double


Defines the video signal section.

Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the video signal subtype.

Wire

Description

Describes the electrical feature of Wire type that you create when you click the icon in the Electrical
Library workbench.
For more information, refer to the Electrical Library User's Guide.

Inheritance path: Standard - Feature -> ProductPackage - Product

Attributes
Elec_Bend_Radius Type: Double
Defines the bend radius.

Elec_Catalog Type: String


Defines the catalog from which the wire is selected.

Elec_Color Type: String


Defines the color of the wire.

Elec_Diameter Type: Double


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Defines the wire diameter.

Elec_FromConnectionPoint Type: String


Returns the reference designator value of the connection point to which the first extremity of the wire is
connected.

Elec_FromDevice Type: String


Returns the reference designator value of the device to which the first extremity of the wire is connected.

Elec_FullConnected Type: Boolean


Is True if both wire extremities are connected.

Elec_IsNetworkConnex Type: Boolean


Is True if a route exists between whatever nodes only using the network connected branches.

Elec_IsRouted Type: Boolean


Is True if the wire is routed.

Elec_Length Type: Double


Defines the wire length.

Elec_Line_Weight Type: Double


Defines the wire linear mass.

Elec_Ref_Des Type: String


Defines the wire reference designator.

Elec_Sep_Code Type: String


Defines the separation code of the wire used by the algorithm to find out the wire route.

Elec_Shielding_Signal Type: String


Returns a product of type ElecSignal that realizes the wire.

Elec_Signal Type: ElecSignal


Returns a product of type ElecSignal that realizes the wire.

Elec_Signal_Id Type: String


Defines the identifier of the signal used during the wire routing.
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Elec_Sub_Type Type: String


Defines the wire subtype.

Elec_ToConnectionPoint Type: String


Returns the reference designator value of the connection point to which the second extremity of the wire is
connected.

Elec_ToDevice Type: String


Returns the reference designator value of the device to which the second extremity of the wire is connected.

IsSingleInBundleSegment Type: Boolean


Is True when the wire route follows at least one bundle segment containing only this wire.
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Electrical Application Interoperability


In this section, you will find information about interoperability between CATIA Electrical Applications and

other applications listed below:

ENOVIA V5 Interoperability

Using ENOVIA Catalog for Electrical Mapping

Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator


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ENOVIA V5 Interoperability
using VPM Navigator
This task explains how to work with electrical data stored in ENOVIA V5, using VPM Navigator.
Also refer to Optimal CATIA PLM Usability.
We recommend that you read the VPM Navigator User's Guide to know more about this product.
This documentation can be found on the ENOVIA LifeCycle Applications Documentation CDROM.

1. Log on to VPM Navigator.

Once the connection has completed successfully, the icons in the ENOVIA V5 toolbar are no longer grayed out.

2. Click the the ENOVIA Search... button in the ENOVIA V5 toolbar.

The Result window listing all the PRCs appears.

A PRC (referred to as Product Root Class or root in VPM Navigator) is the most basic entity in your Product Structure.

3. In this window, double-click the object you want to open.

The VPM Navigator window displays, looking something like this:

You are now ready to work with this ENOVIA V5 data.

4. Click the Close button if you no longer need the Result window.
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Working with Electrical Data

This task shows you how to open electrical objects for editing purposes.

Electrical data can be saved in product document (in workpackage) or in component (in explode

mode): Geometrical bundles can be saved with both these modes, when CATPart documents (bundle

segments, devices, etc.) and electrical bundles are automatically saved as workpackage.

1. In the Product tree, right-click the object you want to open and, in the contextual menu, select the

Open... command.

Note that the multi-selection is possible using the Ctrl-key.

The following dialog box appears:


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2. Click OK to open the documents in context.

3. Now switch to Electrical Library to connect the plug of the geometrical bundle to the female socket

of the other.

To do so:
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a. Click the Connect Electrical Devices button .

b. Select the female socket.

c. Select the plug.

For more information about electrical device connections, refer to Electrical Library User's

Guide - User Tasks - Connecting Electrical Devices.

The bundle segment of the second geometrical bundle is updated.

4. Click Save in ENOVIA V5 to store your data in ENOVIA V5.


Also refer to Working with ENOVIA V5: Optimal CATIA PLM Usability.
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Working with ENOVIA V5:


Optimal CATIA PLM Usability
This section explains in more details how electrical data designed in CATIA is stored in ENOVIA V5, using VPM Navigator.
And this being user-friendly.

When working with ENOVIA V5, a new mode ensures that you only create data in CATIA that can be correctly saved in

ENOVIA V5.

ENOVIA V5 offers two different storage modes: Workpackage (Document kept - Publications Exposed) and Explode

(Document not kept). Electrical products have been configured to work in the Workpackage mode and the Explode

mode, according to the objects considered.

We recommend that you read the VPM Navigator User's Guide to know more about this product.

This documentation can be found on the ENOVIA LifeCycle Applications Documentation CDRom.

Working with Geometrical Bundle as Workpackage


A workpackage is one or more documents that are displayed in ENOVIA V5 as a single entity.

This means that a node in the CATIA specification tree is chosen as an entity to be shown in ENOVIA V5. The children are

not visible as documents in the ENOVIA V5 tree.

The geometrical bundle is a candidate to be stored this way, as it represents a complete and coherent package for the

electrical design.

Within CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5 through VPM Navigator, if the user selects a new product as a geometrical bundle,

the system automatically knows that this geometrical bundle has to be stored as a workpackage.

Checks are performed when using the Electrical tools to ensure that all entities created or modified will be correctly

stored, using the following rules:


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No links to geometry (that is to say external references) can be done from the part inside a workpackage to a part

outside the workpackage.

Let's see an example:

With a geometrical bundle stored as a workpackage (publication exposed mode), the bundle segments belonging to

this geometrical bundle cannot use, as routing objects, supports, devices or any geometry external to the

geometrical bundle while keeping the contextuality. The external references won't be synchronized and the bundle

segment shape won't any longer be contextual to any object outside the geometrical bundle. Contextual links are

kept inside the geometrical bundle.

The context for the external links must be set to a product node inside the workpackage.

Refer to Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing Part Infrastructure.

Mechanical constraints and electrical connections between parts inside the workpackage and outside the workpackage

must rely on published objects.

To make this possible, the following settings must be applied when working with CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5, to

store the geometrical bundles as workpackage in ENOVIA V5:


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a. Select Tools -> Options -> Infrastructure -> Part Infrastructure -> General tab.

In the External References frame, uncheck Use root context in assembly.

b. Select Tools -> Options -> Equipment and Systems -> Electrical Harness Installation -> Harness

Management tab.

In the Contextual Links frame, for Keep link with selected object, choose In geometrical bundle in the

list.

Anyway, the system checks that the rules are not violated and if those options are not set properly, an error message is

displayed:

Moreover, during the electrical connection between devices and/or bundle segments that are not inside the same

workpackage, publications are automatically created on the geometrical bundle stored as workpackage, to ensure that

constraints and connections are correctly stored.

Working with Geometrical Bundle in Explode Mode


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Using the Explode mode, all the nodes of the product structure are stored in ENOVIA V5.

This means that each component and its children are as many documents visible in ENOVIA V5.

Within CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5 through to VPM Navigator, if the user selects a new component as a geometrical

bundle, the system automatically knows that this geometrical bundle has to be stored in explode mode.

A single check is performed when using the Electrical tools to ensure that all the entities created or modified will be

correctly stored:

The context for the external links must be set to the root product node of the session.

Refer to Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing Part Infrastructure.

To make this possible, the following settings must be applied when working with CATIA connected to ENOVIA V5, to

store the geometrical bundles in explode mode in ENOVIA V5:

a. Select Tools -> Options -> Infrastructure -> Part Infrastructure -> General tab.

In the External References frame, check Use root context in assembly.

Commands Not Supported in ENOVIA V5


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For the time being, the following commands are not available if CATIA is connected to ENOVIA V5 Database:

In Electrical Library - Electrical Assembly workbench

Place Physical Device

Add Link

Remove Functional Link

Define Mounting Equipment

Define Equipment

Define Shell

Define Contact

Define Filler Plug

Define Back Shell

Define Cavity

Define Termination

Define Connector Connection Point

Define Bundle Connection Point

Define Cavity Connection Point

Define Back Shell Connection Point

In Electrical Wire Routing

New Wire Connection

Move Connection

Delete Connection

Merge Connections

Split Connection

New Wire

Select Signal
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Using ENOVIA Catalog


for Electrical Mapping
This methodology explains how to set up the Electrical Mapping option to use catalogs coming from ENOVIA.

First of all, the document environment needs to be set up to allow the catalog stored in ENOVIA V5 to be browsed/accessed.

Then the catalog of interest is selected in the Electrical Mapping tab. To do so:

1. Select the Tools -> Options command.

The Options dialog box displays.

2. Choose the General category in the left-hand box and click the Document tab.

This tab lets you define the document environment.

3. Select ENOVIA and click the Allowed button on the right.

The Current button is activated.

4. Click the Current button if you want ENOVIA to be launched by default.

The dialog box becomes:

5. Make sure you are connected to VPM Navigator.

6. Switch then to the Equipment & Systems category, to the Electrical Mapping tab:
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This tab lets you define the Catalog/Electrical objects mapping.

7. Click the Browse button.

The Search ENOVIA data is displayed as follows:

Together with:
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8. Enter one or more criteria and validate.

The Search Result window updates.

9. Select the desired catalog and click Open.

The Electrical Mapping tab is updated.


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10. Define the mapping as explained in the CATIA - Infrastructure User's Guide - Customizing - Customizing Settings -

Equipment and Systems - Electrical Mapping.

The catalogs stored in ENOVIA appears in the editor as ENOVIA5\Catalog name.catalog.


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Loading an iXF Document with VPM Navigator


This methodology explains how to load iXF documents when using VPM Navigator.

First of all, the document environment needs to be set up to allow the documents stored in ENOVIA V5 to be

browsed/accessed. To do so:

1. Make sure you are connected to ENOVIA V5 through VPM Navigator.

2. Click the the Search ENOVIA data button in the ENOVIA toolbar.

The Search ENOVIA data is displayed as follows:

Together with:
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3. Enter one or more criteria and validate.

For example: documents with iXFElec file extension

The Search Result window updates.

4. Select the desired document and open it, using the contextual menu (right-click -> Open item).
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 200

The document is stored in the current session, and ready to use.

5. Switch to Electrical Assembly Design.

6. Click the Select External Systems button.

The System Selection dialog box opens containing the previously selected iXF files:

7. Select the iXF file of interest and validate.

The iXF document is loaded.

For more information about external systems, refer to the CATIA - Electrical Library User's Guide - User Tasks -
Electrical Integration Scenarios - Electrical Integration from External Data
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Workbench Description
The Electrical Harness Flattening application window looks like this:

Click the hotspots to display the related documentation.

Menu Bar
Toolbars
Electrical Workbench Specification Tree
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Menu Bar

The Menu Bar and most of the items available in Electrical Harness Flattening workbench are the standard

ones. The different commands and tools are described in Infrastructure Version 5. For more information, refer

to the standard Menu Bar section.


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Electrical Harness Flattening Toolbar


This section describes the various icons available in the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench.
The toolbars are located on the right in the default set-up.

Electrical Harness Flattening Toolbars

See Defining Harness Flattening Parameters

See Extracting 3D Data

See Flattening Harness

See Straightening Bundle Segments

See Rotating Bundle Segments

See Rolling Bundle Segments

See Scaling Bundle Segments

See Synchronizing the Environment

See Filtering Wires Based on External Configuration System


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See External Data Access

See Related Objects

Electrical Dress-up in Drafting workbench

If a Drafting license is available:

See Wire Annotation

See Automatic Dress-up

See Update Dress-up


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Electrical Product Specification Tree


In this document, you will find the different icons generated in the electrical workbenches.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 206

Mounting Equipment
Equipment
Shell
Single Insert Connector, External Splice, Internal Splice, Stud, Terminal Strip, Terminal Block,
Filler Plug
Contact
Back Shell
Electrical container
Cavity
Termination
Connector Connection Point
Bundle Connection Point
Cavity Connection Point
Back Shell Connection Point
Geometrical Bundle
Multi-Branchable Bundle Segment
Branchable Bundle Segment
Bundle Segment
Electrical Bundle
Wire (not resolved)
Resolved Wire

Wire Connection Container


Wire Connection
Internal Splice
Functional System
Functional Equipment

Not linked to physical Linked to physical Partially linked to physical


Functional Connector

Not linked to physical Linked to physical Partially linked to physical


Functional Connection Point

Not linked to physical Linked to physical Partially linked to physical


Signal, Power Signal

Not routed (Not yet implemented) Partially routed


Shielding Signal
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Group Signal
Ground Signal
Video Signal

Other

Routed Signal in System Space Reservation (SSR)


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Customizing
Before you start your first working session, you can customize the way you work to suit your habits. This type
of customization is stored in permanent setting files: these settings will not be lost if you end your session.

Other information can be considered as customization:


Creating a CATCollectionStandard Variable deals with the line type of your drawings.

For the time being, Electrical Harness Flattening does not function with the Visualization Mode.

The entire geometrical bundle must be in Design mode for the workbench to work properly.

1. Select the Tools -> Options command.

The Options dialog box opens.

2. Select the Equipment & Systems category in the left-hand box.

3. Click the Electrical Harness Flattening workbench.

The General tab appears:

This tab lets you define:

the synchronization report repository

the electrical drawing catalog

4. If you want to work with the cache system, select the Infrastructure -> Product Structure

item.

The Cache Management tab appears:

This tab lets you define:

the cache activation

5. In the context of the graphic view style integration, select the Mechanical Design -> Drafting

item.

The Administration tab appears:


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This tab lets you define:

the graphic view style creation

6. Set options in theses tabs according to your needs.

7. Click OK when done.


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Electrical Harness Flattening

The General tab lets you define:

the synchronization report repository

the electrical drawing catalog

Synchronization Report Repository

Path

Indicate the folder path where you want to save the synchronization report html files.

By default, this field contains: ...\DassaultSystemes\CATTemp.

Electrical Drawing Catalog

Catalog path and Catalog name

Indicate the catalog path and name where the drawing 2D details or text templates for GVS are stored.

By default, this field is cleared.


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Cache Management

This page deals with the options concerning the cache activation used with Electrical Harness Flattening:

Cache Activation

Work with the cache system

If this option is selected, it means that only a representation of the geometry is available and stored in the

cache. For more information, refer to the customizing section about cache management.

By default, this option is cleared.


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Administration

This page deals with the administration option allowing you to use the Graphic View Style with Electrical
Harness Flattening:

Graphic View Style

Prevent generative view style creation

Unselect this option to be able to choose a generative view style in the View creation commands.

The Generative View Style toolbar is displayed.

For more information, refer to the customizing section about graphic view style.

By default, this option is selected.


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Creating a CATCollectionStandard Variable

The aim of this task is to create a CATCollectionStandard variable that will be used for the line type of your drawings.

First you must run a CATIA session in administrator mode. To do so, refer to:

CATIA Installation and Administration User's Guide - Administering Version 5 - Managing Settings - Locking Settings

You will find more information in the first scenario from step 6 to the end.

To learn more about CATCollectionStandard default variables, see About Standards.

1. Select the Tools -> Standards... menu item.

The Standard Definition dialog box pops up.

2. In the Category combo box, select drafting. And in the File combo box, select ANSI.xml.

The Save As New button is now available.

3. Select LineTypes in the left-hand list:


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4. Click Save As New and save the document into your drafting folder with another name:

5. Then double-click a line in the list and modify its aspect.

Your document is updated.

6. To apply your CATCollectionStandard, select the Tools -> Options menu item.

The Options dialog box displays:


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7. Select the General -> Display -> Linetype tab:

8. Double-click the line you have created in the steps above.

The Linetype Editor dialog box opens:

9. Select the line number previously created and click OK to validate.

The list in the Options dialog box is updated.

10. Click OK to validate the changes in the Options dialog box.

You can now use this line type for you drawings.
Electrical Harness Flattening Version 5 Release 14 Page 216

For more information, see:

Interactive Drafting User's Guide - User's Tasks - Administration Tasks - Administering Standards and Generative View
Styles
Interactive Drafting User's Guide - User's Tasks - Administration Tasks - Setting Standard Parameters and Styles - Setting
Standard Parameters - Linetype Definition
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Glossary

A
active plane The active plane is the plane you are working on when using the Rotate,
Flatten and Roll functionalities.
algorithm mode It has to do with the different ways you can flatten out an electrical or
geometrical bundle or a bundle segment.
The Coarse Mode will roughly straighten the selected bundle segments,
allowing for an easy viewing of the ones you are working on.
The Fine Mode will respect the actual path of the bundle segments as it is in
3D.
angle mode Two angle modes are available in this workbench.
The Standard Mode keeps the actual angles of the bundle segments as it is
in 3D.
The Regular Mode calculates regular angles and enables you to make out
the bundle segments clearly.

B
bend You can bend a part of a bundle segment so that it fits in. You do this by
clicking the Rotate button.

E
extract The Extract function enables you to duplicate your electrical data. You can
extract electrical or geometrical bundles with all the devices that are
associated to them, such as their connectors, back shells, shells, contacts
and supports from a 3D model.

F
fake length After the flattening step, the bundle segment geometrical length can be
modified while the real length, imported from the 3D Design, is stored on the
bundle segment.
flatten The Electrical Harness Flattening workbench allows you to flatten out
electrical and geometrical bundles or bundle segments. It enables you to
work on bundles in a 2D environment, as if working with a nail board. You
can work with true or fake lengths so that it fits in. They are automatically
built in length mode.

H
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harness flattening parameters At the beginning of your session, you are prompted to enter the harness
flattening parameters. These are the definition of the active plane, of the
algorithm and angle modes and the value of the minimum angle between
two branches. These parameters will be automatically applied to the other
functions. However, when using any Electrical Harness Flattening
functionality, the dialog box will systematically pop up -with these
parameters already defined- in case you want to modify them.

L
length mode The building mode of the bundles will automatically be turned into length
mode, so that the flattening process does not modify the bundle segments'
lengths.

R
roll If the bundle segment is long enough, it rolls entirely around a virtual point.
If it is too short, it winds up around the virtual point following the curve to a
certain extent without being completely rolled up.
rotate You can rotate a whole bundle segment by selecting one of its extremities, so
that the entire bundle segment fits in. If you want to rotate a part of the
bundle only, refer to the bend option.

S
scale You can work with fake lengths, so that the harness fits in the board. You
can do so by using the Scale function.
straighten This workbench enables you to straighten out bundle segments. You can
straighten a bundle segment either partially or completely.
synchronize This command allows you to update the geometry and the attributes of the
flattened document according to the original document.
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Index

A
active plane
algorithm mode

coarse mode

fine mode
angle mode

regular mode

standard mode

annotating drawings using text templates


annotations

text templates, creating

text templates, using

B
bending

C
catalogs, storing text templates in

CATCollectionStandard

changing annotation positions

coarse mode
command

Automatic Dress-up

Automatic Wire Routing

Define Protection

Extract
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Filtering Management

Flatten

Front View

Harness Flattening Parameters

Manage Links

Protection

Roll

Rotate

Scale

Straighten

Straighten complete bundle segment

Synchronize

Text Template Placement

Update Dress-up

Wire Annotation
creating

intra-technological feature dimensions

text templates

customizing a drawing view

D
defining harness flattening parameters
dimensions

intra-technological feature dimensions

DistanceWireProduct

drawing options

E
ElecDistanceCommon
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electrical application interoperability

electrical drawing catalog

electrical package
electrical user function

DistanceWireProduct

ElecDistanceCommon

VisualMode
external data

management

placing internal splices

extracting

F
fake length

scaling

filtering management

fine mode

flattening

flattening orientation
flattening parameters

active plane

algorithm mode

angle mode

G
generating automatic dress-up
generative view style

drawing options

graphic replacement mapping

graphic view style


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GVS

H
harness flattening parameters

active plane

algorithm mode

angle mode

drawing options

flattening orientation

minimum angle between two branches

scaling options while flattening

synchronizing options

I
insert report in drawing

intra-technological feature dimensions

L
length mode

line type personalization

loading an iXF document with VPM Navigator

M
minimum angle between two branches
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O
optimal CATIA PLM usability

P
placing internal splices

external data

placing physical devices

PRC

Product Root Class

R
regular mode
report

define a query

define format

format

generate

rolling

rotating

active plane

S
scaling

fake length

scaling options while flattening

standard mode

storing text templates in a catalog

synchronization report repository


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synchronizing

synchronizing options

T
technological feature dimensions

intra
text templates

annotating drawings with

creating

storing in a catalog

to be synchronized set
Tools Options - Drafting

Administration
Tools Options - Electrical Harness Flattening

General
Tools Options - Product Structure

Cache Management

U
updating dress-up

using ENOVIA catalog for electrical mapping

V
VisualMode

W
wire annotation

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