I am looking for a reliable (and preferrably easy) way of creating service loops in Cabling. Anyone have any suggestions or methods that they use?
I am looking for a reliable (and preferrably easy) way of creating service loops in Cabling. Anyone have any suggestions or methods that they use?
The method I've used is: create a helix outside of the route sketch in the location that you want the loop. Then when routing, use "convert entities" to copy the helix into the route sketch. Connect the route to the ends of the converted sketch entities. Unfortunately, it makes it such that there are two sketches to edit if you need to change the route, but it's the quickest way I know to do it.
I submitted an enhancement request a while back to allow arcs in route sketches. I don't see why they are blocked. Somebody wrote extra code to keep them out. They are valid 3D sketch elements. And arcs are added in pipe routes for auto filleted corners.
If you guys think that would help model service loops add another vote for the enhancement. SPR 593824 It should be possible to use arcs in route sketches
Other than that the idea of converting a helix from another sketch is a decent workaround. Adding the geometry to a clip or something similar would be an easy way to reuse it in the future.
Hi Guy,
I was hoping someone would have come up with some smart way to do this. So far, no joy!
You can only do it by modelling the loop. Effectively you need to create a spline or splines as a helix. I'm sure it can be done in some smart way either by creating a helix then create points on it to pass a spline through, or just create a few guide points on offset planes then route a spline through the points. You may need to break it into several splines so that the sweep doesn't get confused.
That's the best i can think of.
Cheers
Andy