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1 -- Create a new part either in the assembly for the cable
2 -- Activate that part
3 -- Copy surfaces from the assemble parts into the cable part
4 -- Create a sline to connect the copied surfaces, add more points to the spline as necessary to define the desired path for the cable
5 -- Use that spline to drive a swept protrusion with the cable cross-section; the cross-section can be solid or surface
You may need to define more control for the cross-section orientation using multi-trajectory sweep to get the right orientation, but it seems that your path will be relatively planar.
Good luck and let us know how your cable turns out.
Depending on the curve form of the cable, you can create a bunch of 3D points in space, then connect the points by using the datum curve. And sweep the cross section of the cable along that datum curve.
My last reply was the intent of a 3D datum curve. Now that I think about it, it looks like both connectors seem to line up nicely, if so you just need to sketch a 2D curve and do a sweep protrusion of the cross section cable.
Intruder provides a nice method of top-down design for cables. Another way of creating reference geometry is to use a skeleton, or just activate the part from the assembly and reference away.
Ultimately though, the feature can be created as a swept protrusion, or a variable section sweep. The vss is much more powerful, but as intruder and trilli elude, your trajectory looks to be planar and your X-sec has little to no z-rotation.
Hi I've managed to change the design a bit and did what intruder sugested. Created a part within the assembly then activated it, next I created a swept protrusion using a sketched traj.
One more easy way is create series of points like the way you required ribbon cable and go to insert-advanced-pipe option. You have to select the series of points with solid / pipe protrusionand fixed/multiple radius all over the cable. I hope someone of you using this pipe option.
I used to use the pipe option, but it gets very cumbersome (in both creation and during editing) when the length has many non planar bends with multiple bend radii.
For getting the look of the cable that you want, I think the sweep is your fastest method.
Looks nice JimiH. The test now is to move things around in the assembly and see if your cable moves as well!
I use sketched Datum Point tool formaking points, so its not such cumbersome for editing. But in the sweep option, the sketch/trajectory that you are making must have to draw a radius at all the ends right. Here you just place the points on corresponding planethats all, the pipe option would ask you to provide a radius. I hope i am not making any senseless.
My favorite way of making nonplanar curves is to create 2 planar curves on perpendicular planes, and then intersect them. This allows you to easily create any end constraints you need using the intent manager.
the intersection should gives you a nice 3D curve; though it's harder to control the intersection. I suggest to use shell extrusion on both curves so you can see the shells' intersection while adjusting the best location.
Being an ex Pro/E Admin, I know that a lot of blood, sweat, tears, andlibrary attributes have to be put into the environment prior to the simple "select the connector".
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