AutoAssemble - Schematic Data Driven Assembly

The AutoAssemble tool is used to automatically add components to assembly models.  It works in two modes:

1. Automatically constraining existing components to an existing assembly based on schematic data.
2. Automatically generating an assembly model tree of existing or new components [more info here]

Mode 1 - Automatically Adding Constrained Components

The following video demonstrates the automated assembly of multiple components based on an input file.  In this example, cabling connectors are added to an electronic equipment cabinet based on a file with schematic connectivity data.

Example File:

The following link is to an example file which can be used to assemble connectors

Download Example CSV File

Example Video:

The prerequisites:

Before using AutoAssemble, we first need to have named locations added into a skeleton, so that our connectors know which location to assemble to.

In this example, a cabinet has electronic components arranged in 3 shelves which are shown as highlighted in the model shown below. 

In this example, we will be adding our connectors to our "output assembly" RF_CABINET_CABLING.ASM 

The locating coordinate systems (csys) correspond with the ports on the components.

The cabling connectors will be added to a separate cabling assembly, RF_CABINET_CABLING.ASM. The cabling assembly has a skeleton which has been pre-populated with the copies of connector locating csys as described above. AutoAssemble constrains the connectors to the skeleton, not the electronic components, and avoids external references.

The locations in the skeleton are coordinate systems (csys) labeled in accordance with the connector reference designators in a schematic diagram.  

    Tip: To avoid generating unnecessary external references, component port locations should be brought into the skeleton via an external copy geometry feature.

These coordinate systems can be created and labeled manually or much better, auto-generated using CadActive’s AutoInterface tool.

The Connectors

The connector part models have a required Component Interface which references an appropriately oriented mating coordinate system on the part as shown below.  This Component Interface must be labeled based on the value set in your Settings by your organization (the default is "CONNECTOR_MATE").  By standardizing the name of the interface, we can now use that interface to auto-constrain the connector to the skeleton.

Example Steps

AutoAssemble is launched from the CadActive tab.

• Select the "Target Assembly" , which will receive the connectors.  In this case, it is RF_CABINET_CABLING.ASM as highlighted in the model tree below.

• Press the "Select Input File" button and use the browser to select the appropriate schematic data file.  The file can be of CSV or NWF format. A portion of the CSV file used in this example is shown below.  

Schematic Data File for Assembling Connectors

The schematic data in the file is rather straightforward:

• MODEL_NAME - Actual model name for the model (connector in this example) to be retrieved and assembled. NOTE: If the connector belongs to a family table, you will need to include the FULL name (aka "INSTANCE001<FAMILY_NAME>.PRT")
• DESIGNATION -  The desired designation that will be applied to this new component. AutoAssemble automatically applies the value to the Creo Cabling Designation (or to the desired component parameter) for the connector for use in cable routing operations.  
• MATING_BLOCK_NAME - The reference designator of target component.
• MATING_BLOCK_CONNECTORNAME - The target connector/port on target component
• COLOR - A dolor to be applied to assembled component. Current acceptable color values are BLACK, WHITE, BLUE, BROWN, GRAY, GREEN, MAGENTA, ORANGE, RED, and YELLOW.
• <PARAMETER_ABCD> - A user-defined parameters to be automatically applied to assembled component. Set the column header to be the name of the parameter, and the rows to be the values as desired.

In this example, once AutoAssemble has run, 99 color coded connectors have been designated and constrained to the cabling assembly.