Adding a Flexible to a Bundle

This task explains how you can add a flexible to a bundle, using the Tangent to Tubes command. The concept is explained below.  

 

 To add a flexible to a bundle you route parallel to two flexibles. You are following the route of two flexibles in which one flexible is following the route of a master flexible. The user has already used the Routing Parallel to a Flexible command to route a flexible parallel to an existing one (which creates a bundle) and now wants to place a third flexible that parallels both. In the image below, the location where the two flexibles meet is where the third will be placed, though you can enter an offset value to adjust its location. You can add numerous flexibles using this procedure.

You should know which tube was the master tube when the second tube was routed.

1. Click the Flexible Tube Routing button to open the Flexible Routing dialog box and then select the start point of your route. Click the Follow Tube button in the Flexible Routing dialog box. The Follow Tube dialog box displays. Click the Tangent to Tubes button - new fields become available. In the example below the user has already made some selections.
  2. Fill in the values in the top portion of the dialog box by selecting the same master route and same start and end points as you selected when you created the second route.
  3. In the Tangent Tube section, select the start and end locations. Click on the No selection line in each pane before selecting. Instead of selecting points, you will need to select the circles that display at the location, as shown in the image below. You need to select circles on both the master and follow tubes. The selected circles display in the Start and End Point panes, as shown above.
  4. The circles change color (as shown below) after selection, and an additional red circle displays to show the location of the new route. If you wish to change the location then click on the Start and End Point panes and select Reverse Direction.

  5. Click OK in the Follow Tube dialog box and select the ending point of your new route. The new route is created. Click OK in the Flexible Routing dialog box to exit the command.