Wiring Harness Design
PREEvision Use CasePREEvision – Model-Based Design and Development of the Wiring Harness
PREEvision enables development engineers in finding cost-optimized designs and working out all the details.
PREEvision supports a comprehensive development from architecture design to series production. Due to the shared database in one integrated model, wiring harness engineers can use the data of the architecture design to elaborate the wiring harness in detail.
In return, architects can use wiring harnesses of the series production for optimization.
Advantages
- Consistency from initial design to production order
- Precise representation of model data
- Easy exchange of designs and geometry data via KBL
- Automation such as wiring harness router and ground spot optimization
- Automatic calculation of cable lengths, weight, costs, etc.
- Easy creation of diagrams, including plugs and pin assignments
NEWS
Clarity With a Few Clicks
With PREEvision Auto-Layout, wiring harness designers and architects can quickly get the views on the data they are working on. An algorithm generates easy to read diagrams with as few crossing wires as possible.
The Use Case
PREEvision helps wiring harness engineers to find cost-effective wire and cable assembly designs by providing multiple modeling layers with dedicated tables and diagrams.
To be able to compare alternatives, optimize the design and ultimately develop the wiring harness in detail, PREEvision provides the modeling layers of the hardware network topology, the electric circuit diagram, the wiring harness and the vehicle geometry. Additionally, PREEvision provides special tools such as a wiring harness router, import and export functions via VEC or KBL or the power calculation that is important for architects.
Functions / Features
Hardware Network Topology
For the basic hardware architecture, components such as ECUs, sensors, and actuators can be modeled as well as the connections between the hardware components.
Electric Circuit Diagram
In the electric circuit diagram, hardware components and their connections are refined through the description of the electrical characteristics and the definition of the power supply and ground.
Integrated circuit synthesis automatically generates schematic connections and spares the developer from having to carry out error-prone activities. PREEvision provides hardware modules and components such as fuses and resistors for modeling the internal electrical design of components.
The power calculation of PREEvision determines the static power consumption of a component network in various different operating states. The required diameter and materials for cables and pins, for example, can be determined based on this.
Wiring Design
Based on an electric circuit diagram, PREEvision can synthesize a wiring diagram with connections and pins which can be refined with details such as wires and cables.
The wiring harness layer contains all wire connections, connectors, splices, isolation points, and pins.
Vehicle Geometry
The vehicle geometry can be modeled or imported from a 3D KBL file.
In the geometry diagram, possible routing paths, installation locations for components, and connector locations can be defined.
Wiring Harness Routing and Terminal Determination
To connect the wiring design with the geometry in PREEvision, installation locations and connector locations must be connected via so-called mappings with E/E components and wiring harness connectors.
If the connectors of the wiring diagram are mapped to connector locations in the geometry, the wiring harness router can calculate the optimal routing via wiring segments as well as the needed isolation points.
As final steps, terminal determination and adaption of the wiring harness follow for productionreadiness.
Data Exchange
PREEvision provides different final work products for the serial production of the wiring harness:
- Wiring Harness Diagram
Typical harness diagram as PDF or image file including connector locations. This diagram shows the wiring connectors at the end of the segments including detailed pinning information.
- VEC and KBL Files
PREEvision also supports KBL (VDA “Kabelbaumliste” format) for exchanging manufacturing master data, circuitry information, and geometry data. Via VEC information of the electric circuit and the wiring design including master data can be exported.
- Reports
Additional data needed for smooth collaboration between OEM and suppliers can be provided via reports. The predefined report templates can be easily modified and adapted to specific needs.
Features and Utilities
Assistance and benefits from various PREEvision functions:
- Consistency Checks
Automatic and editable checks help to develop a consistent model. - Reuse
Reuse of single components or bigger parts of the model to minimize redundant work. - Metrics
PREEvision’s inbuilt scripting environment with full read/write capability in the data model allows customers to develop their own analyses using the data contained in their model and also allows customers to automate, and thereby streamline, their modeling process. - Version Management
Reuse and further development of parts from previous projects as new revisions or part of a new branch. - Change Management and Lifecycles
The integrated change management provides functions for assuring controlled and structured implementation of change requests. It supports efficient and consistent follow-up of change requests and errors for all development artifacts. PREEvision therefore supports the handling of tickets, including their linking to the technical artifacts. Life cycles in PREEvision enable management of work flows that is tuned to the specific organization. - Variant Management
Development of a 150% model including all available functions and their corresponding components. Different product variants are tailored and managed as subsets. - Table Editors
Define and easily set up tables and table editors to represent exactly the data needed for a specific task.
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHT
Controlling Complexity in the Vehicle Wiring System
Model-based wiring harness development
Handwritten corrections on printouts, giant spreadsheets, and countless tool changeovers: these and similar approaches are used in an effort to keep a handle on the development of a vehicle wiring system.
More efficient approaches are needed to control the complexity of modern electrical distribution systems in the long run. The model-based development methods already in use in many industrial sectors provide the needed tool for this.
Translation of a German publication in "Elektronik automotive", special issue S4/2016 "Bordnetz"
VIDEO HIGHLIGHT
Model-Based E/E Development with PREEvision
From architecture design to series production
PREEvision offers a comprehensive modeling language to describe all aspects of e/e systems. All engineers involved in the development process find tailored diagrams and editors for their work. And all in one integrated tool. Based on a given geometry, wiring harness designers, for example, define the complete wiring harness including all details like pins, connectors, wires, cables and splices.
Playing time 4:00 minutes, published 3/2018
