blog about EPLAN Enhances Efficiency with Prefabricated Cable Guide

In electrical engineering design, prefabricated cables have revolutionized assembly processes with their plug-and-play functionality, significantly enhancing efficiency and reducing project timelines. However, to fully leverage the advantages of prefabricated cables in EPLAN software and avoid potential design errors, proper configuration is essential. This article delves into the key aspects of configuring prefabricated cables in EPLAN, empowering engineers to harness this powerful tool effectively.

Imagine a high-pressure project scenario where every minute counts. Traditional cable installation—requiring on-site cutting, stripping, and crimping—is time-consuming and prone to errors. Prefabricated cables, much like Lego bricks, simplify the process with ready-to-connect solutions, drastically cutting labor costs and installation time. But this efficiency hinges on mastering their configuration in EPLAN.

This property (ID 20621) is central to prefabricated cable configuration. When enabled, EPLAN bypasses the cable itself and directly displays the connected devices as the source and target when determining and outputting cable paths. This ensures clarity in visualizing the cable's connection relationships.

This project setting ensures that connections at pin connection points are treated as direct connections. This means the link between a device connection point and a cable pin's connection point is classified as a direct connection. Direct connections appear in a specific color in schematics, are not numbered, and are not routed according to EPLAN 510 layer settings (for internal/direct connections).

Understanding direct connections is critical: they represent physical links between connection points without the detailed routing and numbering applied to standard connections. This simplifies schematic drawings and eliminates unnecessary connection details for prefabricated cables.

EPLAN does not support managing male and female pins as combined functions for prefabricated cables. Since prefabricated cables come with predefined connectors (with fixed gender attributes), additional management in EPLAN is unnecessary.

The true strength of prefabricated cables lies in their standardization and reusability. EPLAN's parts management allows engineers to create and configure these cables for easy deployment across projects. Here's how:

Begin by creating a module and selecting "Electrical Engineering > Cables > Prefabricated" in the "Product Grouping" property. This identifies the module as a prefabricated cable.

Define the cable and its connectors by adding function templates. For example, include a "Cable Definition" template and three "Conductor/Core" templates. Populate these with cable specifications such as color/number coding and cross-sectional area/diameter.

Under the "Module" tab, add one or two connector parts. Single-layer cables require one connector; double-layer cables need two. Click "New," then select the part in the "Part Number" column.

In the parts management tree, mark the module and select "Summarize Function Templates" from the context menu. This aggregates the connector function templates as sub-parts under the module, sorted beneath the cable function templates.

If a cable definition template doesn't exist, EPLAN automatically adds it as the module's grouping element, placing it first in the function template list.

In the "Function Templates" tab, assign pins to cable connections. For single-layer cables, assignments are made in the "Conductor Start" column; double-layer cables require assignments in both "Conductor Start" and "Conductor End" columns.

Single-layer cables typically feature a connector at one end, while double-layer cables have connectors at both ends.

Pin-to-conductor assignments can be specified using:

• Pin function template location (e.g., "6")
• Subordinate DT and pin designation (e.g., "X1:2")
• DT ID and pin designation (e.g., "ID:X1:2")

Use Message Class 501 (Parts) Check Run 501039 to validate assignments. This check identifies prefabricated cables with invalid pin assignments in parts management.

Prefabricated cable connectors may be screw-type or soldered. For soldered connectors, activate the "Suppress in Bill of Materials" part property. This excludes the part from BOM navigators, reports, and manufacturing data interfaces, ensuring only the module appears in outputs.

• Quick Module Creation: Duplicate an existing cable part, save it as a module via the "Record Type" property, and verify the product grouping is set to "Prefabricated." Then add connector parts.
• Subordinate DTs: Input the cable's subordinate DT on connector parts. When using prefabricated cables in projects, related pins will display under the cable DT in the device navigator.
• Schematic-to-Part Generation: If prefabricated cables are configured in schematics (cable definition as main function with one or two connector sub-devices), use the "Generate Part" command in parts management to create a new module from the cable's part number.

Mastering prefabricated cable configuration in EPLAN streamlines design workflows, minimizes errors, and accelerates project delivery. By capitalizing on EPLAN's parts management capabilities and standardizing prefabricated cable usage, engineers can unlock substantial efficiency gains in electrical design.