Flattening a Cable With A Connector & Back Shell

Discussion created by Jason Henke on Jun 18, 2009
Latest reply on May 1, 2017 by Dwight Jarrett

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 7

I have a question pertaining to flattening a cable route. So I have a cable with a back shell and connector on each end. One back shell is straight the other is 90 degrees. So I have connection points on the connectors obviously in order to make my route. But when I flatten it, only the cable and the connector shows up in the flattened state. Now I know that the back shell originally had no affiliation with the route so that's why it wasn't showing up. So I tried making it affiliated with the route. I tried putting sketches in the back shells and converting entities, I tried adding routing points. But still it will not show up in the flattened state. I've attached a zip file in this post with a few ways that I have tried without any success. Maybe someone here can enlighten me. Also one more question. One of the connectors was made as an assembly, because it has a nut on it. If I pull that assembly in it doesn't automatically start a route as if it would if it where a part. Is that normal?

Any help or advice from some routing guru's or possibly even an example would be greatly appreciated.

Specs:

Windows XP 64bit SP2
SolidWorks 2009 64bit SP3.0

Attachments

Cable1.zip15.0 MB

Outcomes

Mike Wilson Dec 23, 2010 2:57 PM

bump

Actions

Mike Wilson @ Mike Wilson on Dec 24, 2010 12:59 PM

OK, I found a few work-arounds. Basically the issue is this...

If an electrical component is not 'officially' considered 'part of the route' (i.e. it doesn't have a cpoint with a route segment tied into the cable somehow) then it WILL NOT show up in the flattened state.

This can be frustrating for things like backshells, zip ties, labels, covers, heat shrink etc. that need to be shown in the drawing and documented in the BOM.

You can insert them and mate them in the unflattened configuration, but again, in the flattened configuration, they are suppressed.

So how do you get around this?

I have some tricks. If you guys care, I will post em.

Actions

Doug Meeker @ Mike Wilson on Sep 12, 2011 5:12 PM

I know this is an old post but I am having the same problem. I would like to know the workarounds for this.

Actions

Mike Wilson @ Doug Meeker on Sep 13, 2011 4:35 PM

Here you go Doug. I attached an example file for reference...

Flattening Cables With Accessories (e.g. Backshells, Hdwr, Housings, etc.)

NOTES:

1. Non-connectors (components without CPoints) will be referred
to as an 'Accessory'. Components with a CPoint will be referred
to as a 'Connector'.

2. Accessories must be mated to an existing connector to flatten
   properly. Mates to the cable or other non-CPoint components may
   cause flatten process to fail. Use 'Coverings' feature to simulate
   things like labels, tie wraps, heat shrink, looms etc.

3. PDM Workgroup users: Since Virtual Assemblies have limited support
   in PDMW, you may have an issue where non-virtual parts (residing
   within the virtual assy) are not checked in/out of the vault.
   The workaround is to drag a copy of the non-virtual components in
   the top level of the cable assy... then suppress them. Putting them
   in a folder is recommended.

4. Reference Designators: If you use them in your BOM and they don't
show up when doing step #3, try adding ref des to the suppressed
components.

Procedure:

*) Insert 1st accessory into cable assy and mate as desired to
existing connector

*) Drag accessory into the 'Components' folder

*) Right-click accessory and select 'Form New Sub-assy Here'
   NOTE: Inserting or dragging-in a new sub-assy may give error
         'Cannot insert files into routing assemblies'
         This is a workaround for the error

*) Name new sub-assembly as desired

*) Make sub assy 'virtual' (if not already)
- Delete old file from disk

*) Drag existing connector to new virtual sub-assy

*) Open sub-assy and 'fix' connector

*) While in the sub-assy, expand feature tree of connector and
highlight it's CPoint

*) Select 'Create Connection Point', select OK
NOTE: New ACPoint is added to sub-assy

*) Save and close out of the sub assy

*) Edit route

*) Delete sketch stub from connector to remove association to the old CPoint
NOTE: Alternatively you can use 'Edit Route CPoints' and deselect
the connector's CPoint, however your route sketch may disappear.

*) Right-click ACpoint in the sub-assembly and select 'Add to Route'
NOTE: New stub is created

*) Attach new stub to existing route sketch

*) Exit sketch and save

Route should now flatten properly

Attachments

1600CBL041-001.zip4.1 MB

Actions

Doug Meeker @ Mike Wilson on Sep 13, 2011 6:36 PM

Great! Thanks Mike. That worked for my backshells. I will try covering for the zip ties and labels.

-Doug

Actions

Anthony Freitas @ Mike Wilson on Feb 6, 2017 4:25 PM

I keep trying to perform this workaround and running into problems. After I've created the subassembly from an accessory (which defaults to virtual for me), I cannot drag the connector(s) into it; I receive the message "Cannot move a component of a route subassembly unless it is open in the assembly containing its driving route". Using your attached file as a guide, could you elaborate which connector you moved into the virtual subassembly?

Actions

Dwight Jarrett @ Anthony Freitas on May 1, 2017 9:12 AM

I am having the same issue as Anthony, has there been any update to this.

Actions

7 Replies

Mike Wilson Dec 23, 2010 2:57 PM
bump
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
- Mike Wilson @ Mike Wilson on Dec 24, 2010 12:59 PM
  OK, I found a few work-arounds. Basically the issue is this...
  
  If an electrical component is not 'officially' considered 'part of the route' (i.e. it doesn't have a cpoint with a route segment tied into the cable somehow) then it WILL NOT show up in the flattened state.
  
  This can be frustrating for things like backshells, zip ties, labels, covers, heat shrink etc. that need to be shown in the drawing and documented in the BOM.
  
  You can insert them and mate them in the unflattened configuration, but again, in the flattened configuration, they are suppressed.
  
  So how do you get around this?
  
  I have some tricks. If you guys care, I will post em.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Doug Meeker @ Mike Wilson on Sep 12, 2011 5:12 PM
    I know this is an old post but I am having the same problem. I would like to know the workarounds for this.
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Mike Wilson @ Doug Meeker on Sep 13, 2011 4:35 PM
      Here you go Doug. I attached an example file for reference...
      
      Flattening Cables With Accessories (e.g. Backshells, Hdwr, Housings, etc.)
      
      NOTES:
      1. Non-connectors (components without CPoints) will be referred
         to as an 'Accessory'. Components with a CPoint will be referred
         to as a 'Connector'.
      2. Accessories must be mated to an existing connector to flatten
         properly. Mates to the cable or other non-CPoint components may
         cause flatten process to fail. Use 'Coverings' feature to simulate
         things like labels, tie wraps, heat shrink, looms etc.
      3. PDM Workgroup users: Since Virtual Assemblies have limited support
         in PDMW, you may have an issue where non-virtual parts (residing
         within the virtual assy) are not checked in/out of the vault.
         The workaround is to drag a copy of the non-virtual components in
         the top level of the cable assy... then suppress them. Putting them
         in a folder is recommended.
      4. Reference Designators: If you use them in your BOM and they don't
         show up when doing step #3, try adding ref des to the suppressed
         components.
      
      Procedure:
      *) Insert 1st accessory into cable assy and mate as desired to
         existing connector
      *) Drag accessory into the 'Components' folder
      *) Right-click accessory and select 'Form New Sub-assy Here'
         NOTE: Inserting or dragging-in a new sub-assy may give error
               'Cannot insert files into routing assemblies'
               This is a workaround for the error
      *) Name new sub-assembly as desired
      *) Make sub assy 'virtual' (if not already)
         - Delete old file from disk
      *) Drag existing connector to new virtual sub-assy
      *) Open sub-assy and 'fix' connector
      *) While in the sub-assy, expand feature tree of connector and
         highlight it's CPoint
      *) Select 'Create Connection Point', select OK
         NOTE: New ACPoint is added to sub-assy
      *) Save and close out of the sub assy
      *) Edit route
      *) Delete sketch stub from connector to remove association to the old CPoint
         NOTE: Alternatively you can use 'Edit Route CPoints' and deselect
         the connector's CPoint, however your route sketch may disappear.
      *) Right-click ACpoint in the sub-assembly and select 'Add to Route'
         NOTE: New stub is created
      *) Attach new stub to existing route sketch
      *) Exit sketch and save
      Route should now flatten properly
      Attachments
      1600CBL041-001.zip4.1 MB
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
      - Doug Meeker @ Mike Wilson on Sep 13, 2011 6:36 PM
        Great! Thanks Mike. That worked for my backshells. I will try covering for the zip ties and labels.
        
        -Doug
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
      - Anthony Freitas @ Mike Wilson on Feb 6, 2017 4:25 PM
        I keep trying to perform this workaround and running into problems. After I've created the subassembly from an accessory (which defaults to virtual for me), I cannot drag the connector(s) into it; I receive the message "Cannot move a component of a route subassembly unless it is open in the assembly containing its driving route". Using your attached file as a guide, could you elaborate which connector you moved into the virtual subassembly?
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
        Dwight Jarrett @ Anthony Freitas on May 1, 2017 9:12 AM
        I am having the same issue as Anthony, has there been any update to this.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions

Flattening a Cable With A Connector & Back Shell

Attachments

Outcomes

Attachments

Related Content

Recommended Content