About Placing Parts

This page provides you with more information about placing parts.

This page discusses:

Terminology

Part is a generic term. In some case, it refers to an instance, and in other cases, it refers to a reference.

Part Placement

You can complete part placement in two steps:

  • The selection of the raceway part reference or the PLM template
  • The placement location

You can execute these two steps in any order.

When you select the raceway part reference, the default option is Define part sub type or select a new part. The last selection option you used is not memorized.

If you go on placing the raceway part reference you have selected, you will always place the same raceway part.

Placement of Multiple Instances

To place multiple instantiations of the same reference, double-click the command. A single click lets you place only one instance of a reference and exits the command.

Resize

Some parts, in most cases a reducer, require a resize of the network. In this case, the Propagate Size command is available. For more information, see Resizing the Network.

Eccentric Parts

When placing an eccentric part, you must comply with the following behaviors:

  • if the points are in the same plane as the one created by the X axis and the Z axis of the port, then all points between the port and the next bend are aligned with the eccentric part.
  • if the points are not in the same plane as the one created by the X axis and the Z axis of the port, then the next points are left as is and you need to use the adjust layout command to modify the network.

Default Orientation

A part is placed on a network according to different parameters.

When you place a part on a port, the nominal size value of the port is used to connect the ports with the same value. For example, when placing a reducer, it is automatically oriented to connect the port that has the same nominal size.

Instantiation Rule

The Instantiation Rule attribute is taking into account during the part placement.

Depending on the value of this attribute, the behavior is as follows:

  • Reuse Reference: the part is always instantiated from the selected reference
  • New Reference: the part is always instantiated and the reference is duplicated
  • Reuse or New Reference: as the selected reference can have both behaviors, a dialog box appears to let you choose if you want to create the new instance from the same reference.

In the case of a cut elbow, the behavior of Reuse or New Reference is managed automatically through the Reference Bend Angle attribute:

  • If an elbow has a reference bend angle value equal to the bend angle of the selected route, then the Reuse Reference mode is used.
  • If no elbow has been retrieved among the existing values, then the closer reference bend angle is selected and the New Reference mode is used.

For more information, see About Cut Elbow.

Filtering Rules for Elbow and Cut Elbow

When using the Place Part on Port or Node command, consecutive filters are applied (if required) according to the values of the Instantiation Rule, the Reference Bend Angle, the Bend Radius and the Guidance for HVAC and raceway parts.

The following table shows the different values that the filter uses to retrieve the elbow or cut elbow to place on the route.

Filtering Step Instantiation Rule Reference Bend radius Bend Radius Guidance (only for HVAC and raceway parts)
1st Reuse Reference = Turn Angle = Bend Radius computed from the route = Guidance value computed from the route
2nd Reuse Reference 0 0 = horizontal
3rd Reuse or New Reference >= Turn Angle = Bend radius computed from the route = Guidance value computed from the route
4th New Reference >= Turn Angle = Bend radius computed from the route = Guidance value computed from the route

For the first filter, the Instantiation Rule is the Reuse Reference, the Reference Bend Angle is equal to the Turn Angle, the Bend Radius and the Guidance values are computed from the route.

If no part was found, a second filter is applied: the Instantiation Rule is the Reuse Reference, the Reference Bend Angle and the Bend Radius are 0 and the guidance is horizontal. This filter is used for old data.

If no part was found with the second filter, a third filter is applied: the Instantiation Rule is Reuse or New Reference, the Reference Bend Angle is higher or equal to the Turn Angle, the Bend Radius and the Guidance values are computed from the route.

If no part has been found with the third filter, a last filter is applied: the Instantiation Rule is New Reference and the Reference Bend Angle is higher or equal to the Turn Angle, the Bend Radius and the Guidance values are computed from the route.

Parametric Parts

A parametric part is a part or a route that can adapt its dimensions accordingly to the dimensions of the object to which it is connected.

A parametric part is defined following the criteria described in Raceway Object Definition. You need to verify the Allow Search for Route with Instantiation Rule = NewReference preference to allow the search of a parametric part when no standard part was found.

Parametric parts have a specific behavior when using the part placement, routing, or resize commands.

Routing

The following table describes the behavior of the parametric parts or routes when you connect a part and route during the routing command.

Parametric Part Standard Part
Get Data Do Not Get Data Get Data Do Not Get Data
Parametric route The route is adapted to the part. The part is adapted to the route. The route is adapted to the part. The dimensions of the parametric route are not modified from the catalog.
Standard route The part is adapted to the route. The part is adapted to the route. Standard behavior. Standard behavior.

Standard behavior: the reference of the new object is searched in the specification based on the dimensions of the selected object.

Part Placement

The following table describes the behavior of the parametric parts during the part placement.

Parametric Part selected in 3D area Standard Part selected in 3D area
Parametric part from catalog The parametric part from the catalog is adapted to the parametric part selected in the 3D area. The parametric part is adapted to the standard part.
Standard part from catalog The parametric part is adapted to the standard part. Standard behavior.

Standard behavior: the reference of the new object is searched in the specification based on the dimensions of the selected object.

When placing parametric parts that adapt to fit a part selected in the 3D area, the parametric part is connected to the port. A coefficient is calculated and applied to the other ports to keep the same proportions as the original parametric part.

Resize

During the resize command, the parametric parts in the network are modified according to the size of the connected objects on the ports.