Routing Branches along External Curves

This task shows you how to route branches along external curves.

Routing branches along external curves allows you to use more elaborated geometry than the electrical flexible curve. The external curve can be created inside or outside the CATPart document.

aprereq.gif (1223 bytes)

You cannot route single bundle segments along external curve using this scenario.
Refer to Routing single bundle segments along external curves.

Valid external curves are curves of the following types: spline, line, helix, spiral, split, join, projection, intersection, corner and connected.

  • Bundle segment geometry is created with the selected curve as center curve.
  • You can add branch points anywhere along the curve.
  • Some parameters are unavailable:
    • Bend radius
    • Build mode (slack, length, bend)

    Since the branch center curve is a predefined curve, these parameters are no longer pertinent.

  • Only Diameter and Section are available.
  • To modify the bundle segment shape, you must edit/modify the selected curve.
  • Since the branch is built on an external curve, you cannot add definition points, vectors, or devices to the spine definition.
  • A branch is created for each external curve: It is not possible to select more than one external curve at a time for each branch, but it is possible to use joins and other types of curves combining several curves.
  • Electrical connections are automatically created if the ends of the external curve correspond to bundle segment extremities.
  • Electrical connections are created only in the branch definition command.
    If the ends of the external curve are modified, no electrical connection update is done.
  • The branch length is the external curve length.
Open the sample document.

  1. Double-click to activate the root product: GeometricalBundle1

  2. Click Multi-Branchable Document .

    The Electrical Harness Assembly workbench switches to the Electrical Harness Installation workbench.
    The Branch Definition dialog box opens:

  3. Click the External Curve box and select the curve in the geometry (Part.1):

    Reminder: if you are working in Visualization mode, double-click Part.1 to display the curve.

    When selecting the external curve in the geometry:
    • OK and Apply become available
    • The shape is automatically generated
    • Route Definition is unavailable: no modification to the external curve route can be made
    • Bend Radius and Build Mode are unavailable
    • The length of the branch is displayed in the Length box: this is the length of the external curve.

  4. Optional, to modify the external curve:

    • Reset the External Curve field with the contextual menu
    • Select another external curve in the geometry
    • Or, directly edit the external curve.

  5. Click OK when done.

  6. Add other branches to join the branch you just defined to connectors.

    1. Click Branch Definition .
      The dialog box opens. Fill up the parameters of interest.

    2. Click Route Definition and select the objects of interest to define the route of the branch.

    3. Click OK to validate.

    4. Repeat these steps for the other extremity.

    The final result looks like this: