Merging Branches

You can merge two branches having a common extremity to design a uniform harness. This allows you to generate a coherent bill of materials for your harness.

This scenario describes how to merge two branches sharing a common passing point. The scenario is identical for branches sharing the same support.

Notes:
  • You cannot merge branches built on external curves.
  • You cannot merge branches which have two common extremities.
  • You cannot merge branches built in Constrained Length mode.
  • A branch built in Straight Bend mode can only be merged with another branch built in Straight Bend mode.

Merging of the branches can be customized using the Compute Preferences to Merge Two Branches (EHIMerge_ComputeMergeBranchPreferences) opening ID to compute the parameters of merging branches.

Before you begin: If you want to keep the passing point or the support shared by the two branches in the route after the merge, select your Merge Branches option in Me > Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Electrical and Electronic Systems > Electrical 3D Design > Branch section. For more information, see Branch Point Management.
  1. In the work area, select a first branch, and then click Immersive Branch Definition .
  2. On the context toolbar, click Creation Mode > Merge Branches .
  3. Select a second branch.

The two branches are merged into a single branch. The properties of the first selected branch are applied to the second branch. However, the properties of each segment are kept in the merged branch.

When the Retain shared route point option is selected When the Retain shared route point option is not selected
  • The common passing point is kept in the branch route. The design of the branch is updated accordingly.

  • A branch point is created. Its reference point is the common passing point. It is positioned at a distance of 0 millimeter from the common passing point.
  • The common passing point is not kept in the branch route. The design of the branch route is updated accordingly.

  • A branch point is created. Its reference point is the first end of the merged branch. It is positioned with a ratio corresponding to the relation between the length of the first branch and the total length of the two merged branches.
Notes:
  • After a merge, branches belonging to another product but sharing the same passing point as the merged branches are reconnected to the created branch point. They must be loaded to be reconnected.
  • You can merge two branches with multiprofile segments but the final shape is not guaranteed to be the same as the original one. The computation of multiprofile segments can reverse some rotation angles on profiles.
  • If the two branches are in the same electrical geometry but in different electrical branch geometry, the second selected branch will be internally cut and pasted into the first branch's electrical branch geometry before merging.