Create ribbon cables

Define the ribbon cable by selecting Cable and Harness tab Create panel Create Ribbon Cable , selecting start and end connectors, and indicating how the ribbon cable engages with the connectors. Each mouse click in the graphics window creates a work point on the ribbon cable. Work points are used to add folds and manipulate the ribbon cable into the appropriate position and shape.

Note: Only connectors authored as ribbon cable connectors can be selected when creating ribbon cables. Other types of connectors cannot be selected.

What is created in your 3D model

The visual representation of the ribbon cable is comprised of multiple sweeps and possibly boundary patches. The visual representation can be divided up into 5 different types of entities.

Ribbon Cable Sketch	Since the ribbon cable is made up of multiple sweeps, a path sketch is required. When you create the initial ribbon cable, you create the underlying sketch. That sketch defines the path for the individual sweeps used for the visual representation of the ribbon cable. The sketch is only visible while you edit the ribbon cable or when the ribbon cable is displayed as centerlined.
Ribbon Body Representation	To give the body a more ribbon-like representation, use a single line surface sweep. The line used for the profile of the sweep is the same length as the width value defined in the raw ribbon cable definitions use for the ribbon cable.
Conductor One Representation	The representation for conductor 1 is created by another sweep. A circular profiled surface is swept using the same path as the ribbon body sweep (the ribbon cable sketch). The appearance specified in the library definition for conductor 1 is applied to the representation’s surface. There are times that the sweep for the ribbon body representation cannot be created. When this happens the ribbon cable is displayed as centerlined just like the wires and segments in the harness assembly that cannot be swept. There is an exception. When a ribbon cable is displayed as centerlined, not only is the ribbon cable sketch displayed, but the first and last conductor of the ribbon cable is also displayed. The diameter of the conductor 1 representation is determined by the display mode that is currently being used for the ribbon cable. If the ribbon cable is displayed as rendered, the diameter of the conductor 1 representation is equal to the height value defined in the library definition used for the ribbon cable. If centerlined is selected as the display mode for the ribbon cable, the diameter for the conductor 1 representation is very small, which gives it the appearance of a line.
Last Conductor Representation	Besides the conductors that are represented by the last conductor representation, there are not many differences between it and the conductor 1 representation. It is a circular profile surface sweep with diameter determined by the height specified in the definition and the display mode. The main difference is the appearance that is applied to its surface. While the conductor 1 representation uses an appearance specifically called out for it, the last conductor sweep is applied with the appearance specified for the ribbon body.
Fold Representation	You can add folds to your ribbon cable. Since the ribbon cable material or raw ribbon cable is not very thick, the folds are not layers of raw ribbon cable. They are representations that exist on a plane tangent to the ribbon cable. These folds are represented with the use of 1 or more triangular boundary patches, depending on the type of fold you are creating. Note: Selecting to use solid sweeps to model the harness assembly has no affect on a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable is always represented by surfaces. Because of this, ribbon cables do not have interference checking.

You can also set the ribbon cable ID, and select a category and the ribbon cable definition to use from the library.

Tip: You can create work points within the assembly before creating the ribbon cable, to precisely position the ribbon cable to key points in the assembly.

In the browser, double-click a harness assembly. On the ribbon, click Cable and Harness tab Create panel Create Ribbon Cable . In the graphics window, click the start connector to use. A green directional arrow is displayed on the connector showing the outward direction. The orientation is indicated with an orange arrow. Optionally, click Flip to reverse the side on which to create the ribbon cable. Use the arrow displayed in the graphics window as a guide. Select a connector pin on which to position conductor 1 of the ribbon cables. Repeat Steps 2-4 to establish connectivity with the end connector. A spline displays as a preview of the ribbon cable's path. Click OK. The ribbon cable is created. If needed, insert any number of interior points to control the shape of the spline in the ribbon cable sketch. Click in sequence from the Start fitting to the End fitting or endpoint. To associate the point with existing geometry, select a vertex, work point, or center points on circular components. To offset a point at a specified distance, select a face or work plane. As you make your selections a line appears from the selected point to the current cursor position. The system draws the line between the points as selections are made. To change the offset while pausing over a face, right-click and select Edit Offset. In the Edit Offset dialog box, enter the offset value (with or without a unit), and then click OK. Once the offset is changed, the new value is used until the segment is finished or until the offset is changed. Note: If no unit is specified the default unit setting is used. When the ribbon cable shape is complete, right-click and select Finish.

Note: To add ribbon cables with intermediate connectors, create the ribbon cable so that it passes through the intermediate connectors. The intermediate connectors, however, are not recognized as part of the ribbon cable assembly. No connectivity is created to these connectors.