solidworks electrical routing equivalent to AutoCad Elect? 2

[gohj]

I have solidworks 2007 and am having a hell of a time trying to figure out how the electrical routing works.

I want to be able to go between a 2D wiring schematic and a 3D layout, similiar what is being shown in the attached link.(Demo of AutoCad Inventor electrical Routing)


Please looks at this demo video for AutoCad. Can Solidworks 2007 do this as well? As far as I can tell - the answer is no.

http://download.autodesk.com/us/autocadelectrical/2007Demos/POINTTOPOINTDRAWINGCREATIONWITHAIP.html

 

[ctopher]

Have you looked into SolidWorks Router?

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-08-07)

 

[gohj]

I’m sorry for not being clear. I'm using solidworks, routing/electrical.

If you look at the AutoDesk Demo video, you see a 3D model of an electrical enclosure with 7 connectors in it:
3 DR connectors
2 IDC connector
1 DB9 connector
1 Molex connector

At the beginning of the video you see a 7 branched blue colored harness lying in the enclosure.

The user imports wire schematic data (xml file).
From/To lines appear showing pin to pin connections (each connector has several pins).
The user selects “Auto Route Wires” and the model updates The pin to pin connection lines are re-pathed through the blue harness. The 3D model looks just like a real life assembly.

I just want to know can Solidworks do all this.

I can see how to create the equivalent of the blue harness using a
From/To file,
Cable/Wire file,
Component File.

But I don’t see anything in the Solidworks routing comparable to the “Auto Route Wires”.

 

[ctopher]

I don't have Router, but I assumed it could do what you ask. Did you ask your VAR?

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-08-07)

 

[J-C]

Here's a video I found...I think it covers what you're looking for. There is a From/To import wizard. Video makes it look easy....but I imagine you have setup the libraries and stuff.

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/onl...s/electricalrouting/06_ElectricalRouting.html

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
UG NX4.01.0 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2007 SP3.1 on WinXP SP2

 

[gohj]

thanks Gildashard

that link helps a lot

 

[Standing]

Thanks Jason,
I am always looking for Routing stuff. A star for you. I have not seen this one before. I am tasked with setting up SolidWorks Router for our group. Management wants it and most engineers and designers do not. I know this will work, so I am assigned the task.


Bradley
SolidWorks Professional x64 2007 SP3.1
Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 3.93 GB of RAM
Virtual memory 12577 MB
NVIDIA Quadro FX 3400

 

[J-C]

The demo looks good...at least they make it look easy.

Let us know how it goes. I'm curious about performance on larger assemblies. This is probably something we could use as well....currently we draw splines to repersent wiring and get length information.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
UG NX4.01.0 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2007 SP3.1 on WinXP SP2

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you go to the SolidWorks Customer Portal, there is a Links section at the bottom RH corner. The Online Seminars in that section have many tutorials on all kinds of topics ... two of which are on Routing.


SW07-SP3.1
SW06-SP5.1

 

[gohj]

just went to solidworks and watched the Online seminar.
Not very good.

The kind of thing I am trying to understand is how to create one of the cables shown in the video demo

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/onl...s/electricalrouting/06_ElectricalRouting.html

If you look, there is a cable coming out of the power supply terminating at what looks to be a 20 pin molex connector. You can actually see all 20 wires going into the molex connector.

Is the molex connector a "part" with 20 connection points?
OR
is the molex an "assembly", a plastic piece with 20 pin parts, each part having a connection point?

If you look at any of the connector models provides by solidworks as part of the routing add_in you only see parts, and each part has only one connection point.

 

[SBaugh]

I have been going through the tutorial when i have time too and to be honest its not as hard as it seems, but you have to really read through it well in SW07... the manuals are not real clear. But with some help I was able to get through a couple of the lessons and its pretty slick IMO... of course I tried using it back in 2001-2 and it was horrible then, much better now-a-days.

Biggest thing is is setting up all your locations in Tools\options and under Routing options

Basically
Start a cable connection you just click\ Routing\Electrical\Standand Cables - select your connector type and wire diameter/length, select "insert cable" the location of the connector 1 and then Connector 2.

Your finished with the first wire... that is the basic way to put a wire into SW.

I plan to take time to learn more of this, just hard to find the time too around here.

Regards,


Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Standing]

Scott,
Where did you find a tutorial on SolidWorks Router? I looked in SolidWorks and on the SolidWorks Web site. I did not find anything. Would you be so kind as to show me the path?


Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Bradley ... There are several links in the above posts.


SW07-SP3.1
SW06-SP5.1

 

[Standing]

CorBlimeyLimey,
Yes, I looked at those, which will help. I was thinking of a tutorial similar to the one SolidWorks has under help. Those are really getting to be cool.


Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[SBaugh]

Bradley,

I work for a VAR so I get all the Tutorials for my training, but I think you can purchase it from your VAR at a cost. Unless they are offering training, which your VAR might be.

Otherwise might just call and see what their pricing is on it... Unless you are sweet talker

Regards,



Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Standing]

Scott,
This sounds like a real good plan. What would I ask for?
I was thinking “Do you have SolidWorks routing tutorials for self paced training, that I can do in my office?”


Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400

 

[SBaugh]

That's about right! I would tell them you are wanting to either get training on the Routing package or see if you can purchase the routing manual.

You might look on Ebay too... I have seen some people sell their old manuals.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

More info:

http://www.forefrontstudios.com/ffs-swrm/RMHome_files/RMInfo.htm

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-19-07)

 

[Standing]

Thanks Chris

Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400