Network routing best practice

[dgrobe]

Guys, what is the best practice for routing networks?  my cables will run between assemblies, so i routed my network in the top level.  now i have a bunch of missing references in my model when i open it.  is there a way to "fix" the locations in space in the cable assembly?  or a way to fix the network so it doesnt reference the top level?

[jroeber · Accepted solution]

Under the locations menu, there is a command to "convert to offset", where you can make locations dependent upon a csys rather then unrelated assemblies.  You can convert a bunch of locations at once.

You could also create a skeleton in your harness assembly, and put copy geometries of related surfaces in that skeleton.  Then place your locations upon that skeleton.  Set the copy geoms to be independent, and then your harness assembly should regen without the need of external assemblies.

[dgrobe]

thank you sir, I have started using shrinkwraps to route the networks.  I will try your idea with the CSYS options..

[dgrobe]

i use the convert to offset option on the points, and sometimes it works, sometimes it wants to snake the network through the points.  instead of a smooth route, it will snake it in an S shape through points.  the problem i run into now is i cant share networks, so the cables, and wires wont bundle correctly.  now i have wires from one assembly, inside wires from another assembly.  instead of running next to each other.

[fmohr]

Dan,

I tried using the share network functionality for the first time a few weeks ago and I got the same results after I converted the locations to "offset".  This is just a guess, but I don't think the shared network functionality "linkage" still exist on the locations even after they have been converted.  Whether this is a bug or not it would be up to PTC to decide.  What I ended up doing, after I routed the second harness was this;  I unshared the network,  this dropped my second harness within the first.  I then converted the locations to offset.  And finally, manually adjusted each routing location to show the two harnesses laying side-by-side.  Now, my harness was pretty small, and I only had to do this to 10-15 locations, so it wasn't too bad.  Any more, I would have to think of another process.