Configuration and reuse in harness assemblies

Cable& Harness interacts with configurations in much the same way as other components. When a normal assembly is converted to an iAssembly factory, all primary harness assembly occurrences directly under the top level are added to the table, creating a column for each. These harness assemblies remain adaptive to the first configuration.

When a new configuration row is added, a non-adaptive harness assembly occurrence is automatically created for the new configuration. Each row is a member in the iAssembly factory which can be swapped for any given harness assembly occurrence in a selected configuration. Non-adaptive harness assemblies do not update when the configuration changes.

For each configuration you can decide which version of the harness assembly is used, and whether a particular harness assembly must be unique. If it must be unique, use Make Adaptive on the harness assembly so that it can respond to the given configuration. Autodesk Inventor then populates the interchange set . The interchange set in the iComponent table is used to keep track of which harness assembly is used in each configuration. Keep in mind that a harness assembly can be reused in any number of configurations, but will only be adaptive and respond to changes for a single configuration.

For example, if the iAssembly has a primary harness assembly occurrence, and the iAssembly table has two members, the harness assembly occurrence is adaptive in the first member by default. It is non-adaptive in the second member. If this harness must adapt to changes in the second member, use Make Adaptive on the nonadaptive occurrence in the second member. When you use Make Adaptive the table is populated with the new, adaptive assembly.

Note: Once you use Make Adaptive, you cannot reverse the action on that occurrence.

For more information, refer to:

• Learn about iAssemblies
• Create iAssemblies
• Place an iAssembly member in an assembly

When is Make Adaptive available for configurations?

When working with configurations, Make Adaptive is available for a harness assembly occurrence if the top-level assembly is an iAssembly, and if the occurrence has an adaptivity column in the table within the top-level assembly.

What happens when a harness occurrence is made adaptive?

When a secondary occurrence of a harness assembly is made adaptive, three things happen:

1. The entire harness assembly is copied.
2. The secondary occurrence of the harness assembly is replaced with the new assembly. The new assembly is a primary occurrence and is adaptive. All custom constraints are reconnected.
3. The new assembly is added to the interchange set of the harness assembly occurrence, and becomes the active assembly for the current configuration.

How does Make Adaptive differ between the reuse and configuration workflows?

When Make Adaptive is used on a harness assembly in a configuration:

• The harness is copied.
• The secondary nonadaptive occurrence is replaced with an adaptive primary occurrence.
• All custom constraints, even those outside the assembly are reconnected.

When Make Adaptive is used for the reuse workflow the same thing occurs, with the exception of custom constraints. Custom constraints are suppressed rather than reconnected.

How are harness assembly configurations named and located?

When Make Adaptive is used for harness assemblies in configurations, you cannot provide a custom location. The file is located in the same folder as the member file. Under that folder is the AIP folder followed by the Cable and Harness folder.

Note: If a harness assembly is converted to an iAssembly factory, each configuration has a specific subfolder under the top assembly folder and contains the same file structures as in a single harness assembly. In the assembly configuration workflow, the harness assembly keeps the same file name as in the corresponding configuration folders in your project work space.