Creating Standard Supports

This task explains how to define a support for electrical bundle segments.
This functionality is available in Electrical Part Design workbench only.
A support is a mechanical object used to hold the bundle segments in position.
Open the Support.CATPart document.

  1. Click Define Support Part .
    You are prompted to select a part.

  2. Select the support either in the specification tree or in the geometry area.

    The Support Definition dialog box opens:

    • If you select a support that has been created previous to V5R17, a warning message is displayed.
    • If you want to convert a support created previous to V5R17:
      • Open the support in the Electrical Part Design workbench.
      • Click Define Support.
         
        An INFORMATION dialog box is displayed informing you of the conversion:
      • Click Yes in the INFORMATION dialog box to convert the support.
        • If the selected support has a Published Ref Line (displayed in the specification tree), but the bundle segment point on this support is still a Point on Plane, we identify it as a converted support.
        • Selecting the converted support should automatically migrate the original arrangement to the new model.

  3. Enter/change the name for the support.

  4. Select the point through the support, to define the reference position of the bundle segment in the support.

    Note: Using the Define Support Part command several times on the same support allows you to define several ways through (multi-support).
    If the point is not already defined, click the button.
    For more information, refer to the Point Definition.
    You are prompted to select the first plane: the way in of the support.

  5. Select the front face.
    You are prompted to select a second plane: the way out of the support.

  6. Select the opposite face.
    To be selectable, it must be parallel to the first face.

  7. Optionally, select a base plane to define a retainer. Refer to Creating Retainers.
    If nothing is selected, the support is considered as standard one.

  8. Click OK to validate.

    The specification tree is updated:

    Two extra planes have been defined (Plane.1 and Plane.2) and publications created.
  • When you define another way through a support (multi-support), the second plane is predefined as it is for the first way.
    A first way through the support has been created:
    Using the previous steps, when you select the support a second time to create the second way through:
    • Select another point
      (or define one if necessary by clicking the button).
    • The second plane is already defined.
  • Defining supports generates Publication labels: if you instantiate the support in a product environment, it can be replaced, keeping the links with the bundle segments going through the support.
  • The Base Plane Definition field is used for the retainer type of support.