As consumer product design becomes more ergonomic and stylistic, and technology shrinks the size of electronics, the 3D packaging of the electronic components into enclosures become more difficult. The challenge involves coordination between the electrical schematic, mechanical components, and PCB layout, as well as interferences between PCBs, wiring, cabling, and the surrounding environment.
The routing of the wiring and cabling in the 3D assembly model can be a significant part of the problem. One solution is to create cable subassemblies containing connectors and wires. Both discrete wire harnesses and ribbon cables can be modeled parametrically, which allows the repositioning and routing of the wiring within the enclosure.
So want an easy way to make a parametric ribbon cable to use inside a SolidWorks assembly? Here is a simple assembly example consisting of connector parts at each end, two ribbon guide parts, and the ribbon cable part.
Reach Phil Sluder, TriAxial Design and Analysis, at sluder@triaxialdesign.com
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