Dimensioning Spline Length

I've been reading through some old posts on this topic, and was
wondering if anyone has found a way to dimension the length of a spline
for SWx 2006? I need to do this so that I can route wires that are a
predefined length.

 

As I understand it, you can do this with the Routing package from
SolidWorks, but there is not a way to set a length of a spline in
regular SolidWorks. You can measure a spline, but cannot constrain it
to a particular length.

 

Matt, I'm still trying to learn how to use the routing package
properly, but I think that you can only apply a slack factor (say 10%)
which as far as I can tell works a bit like rounding up when
tolerancing dimensions. You can redimension the drawing view of a
flattened spline, but this is not associative (I think), and does not
drive the model to change its length. Some of our wire assemblies, we
make as a standard sub-assembly and use in many different top-level
assemblies. The path that these wires take is often different, and
sometimes we coil up the slack, instead of using a shorter wire. If we
could predefine the total length of the wire, then we could just bend
it around the assembly in the correct path to see if it would fit.
Just thought that maybe the flex command will do this better. Will
give it a try now and post my results.

 

Using the flex tool does seem to work, however, it is a bit cumbersome.
I'm having trouble fixing the start of the bend, but I think this can
be overcome when I learn how to use this tool properly. I did a quick
check of the resultant length of the bent wire, using the area of the
surface it created, which was near spot on, if you take the tolerance
fine enough. The only problem, is I would have to create a
configuration in the part for every assembly that it appears in to
define the flex features. If I could nest these features inside the
top level assembly it would be perfect(like holes, and cut extrudes can
be). It would be cool if I could just grab and drag the wire at
different points around the assembly with some predefined limitation on
minimum bend radius, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure I saw the ability to specify a particular length for a
spline in a demo. I've actually got a training book here, although I've
never been through training on it, and there is a picture on pg 16 if
you've got the manual that shows the Cable Definition property manager.
At the bottom of the dialog is an area to key in a length, in addition
to the slack you were talking about.

Matt
(American without a television)

 

I'll have another look at this. It is early days yet with the routing
software and I'm really struggling to learn how to make it do what I
want, which from related posts seem normal for using the routing
add-in. Thanks for the tip.