Creating an Adaptative Part

This task explains how to define an adaptative part such as a support, using a formula.
Make sure you use Electrical Harness workbench when modifying the bundle segment routed through an adaptative support.
Using non electrical commands to modify electrical data may lead to inconsistencies in relation to the behavior implemented using electrical commands:

Editing branch points or bundle segment centerlines by double-clicking them is not the recommended method. Use the bundle segment edition command.

As well as editing, modifying, replacing directly geometrical features created automatically (splits, curves, etc.) or formulas, those modifications have to be done cautiously.
Moreover, restructuring or reordering those features may lead to unpredictable results.

Refer to Electrical Harness Installation User's Guide - User Tasks - Working with Branches - Creating/Modifying Segments within a Branch.

In visualization mode, when the part document is not loaded, an adaptative support is recognized as such if the ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS parameter is published.
To take advantage of this option, you need to publish it manually.
If this option is not selected, or if the parameter is not published, the support is not seen as adaptative.

Refer to Part Design User's Guide - Advanced Tasks - Using Tools - Publishing Elements.

Open the AdaptativeClamp.CATPart document.

This document also contains three formulas that have been defined to re-compute the support geometry after routing:

1 - The support remaining length value is set to:
20mm*(2*PI+1)-(2*PI*Radius)

2 - The inner diameter value is set to:
Radius

3 - The outer diameter value is set to:
Radius + 2mm

  1. Click Formula .

  2. Select the Length as Filter Type and click New Parameter of type.

  3. Enter the name for it: ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS
    and a value: 18mm for example

    Note: the name must strictly be ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS.

  4. Select the support radius (PartBody\Sketch.1\Radius.50\Radius) and click Add Formula:

  5. Enter the formula:

    PartBody\Sketch.1\Radius.50\Radius = 'ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS'

    (the radius is equal to the new parameter ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS)

  6. Click OK to validate the entries made in both dialog boxes.

Now, if you route a bundle segment through this support:

  • A formula will automatically be generated under the root product of the document, if and only if the ELEC-SUPPORT-RADIUS parameter has been detected:

    Support radius = Bundle segment diameter * 0.5
  • The support will exactly fit the bundle segment diameter. The formulas given above are used to re-compute the support geometry.