{"id":15956,"date":"2017-01-15T11:15:35","date_gmt":"2017-01-15T16:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/tech\/?p=15956"},"modified":"2017-01-24T11:16:25","modified_gmt":"2017-01-24T16:16:25","slug":"favorite-2017-electrical-enhancements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/tech\/2017\/01\/favorite-2017-electrical-enhancements.html","title":{"rendered":"My Favorite 2017 Electrical Enhancements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last year, I wrote about all the new enhancements that came with SOLIDWORKS Electrical 2016<\/a>, and with the recent release of SW2017, SOLIDWORKS delivered for Electrical again. I wanted to use this blog to bring attention to my favorite updates to Electrical for 2017, but to also note that In 2017, the Electrical Ecosystem saw an addition of a new product in SW PCB,<\/a> as well as a focus in improving the functionality, interface, and reporting.<\/p>\n

Features\/Functions<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

One customer request that made it into Electrical 2017 is the ability to propagate data to objects.\u00a0 Typically, wire styles have formulas to generate their marks, so this gives us the ability to keep generic marks, while propagating complex marks that don\u2019t fit the formula.\u00a0 This function can be found in the Process tab, and gives the user the ability copy values from Wire, Equipotential, Terminal and PLC data and paste them into object data fields. In the example below, I\u2019m able to convert my PLC terminal names to my wire equipotential marks.<\/p>\n

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My other favorite feature is the addition of the Super Part tool (also a customer request!).\u00a0 We all know a connector is never just a connector; it is a backshell, adapter, strain relief, ground rings, contact pins, and then finally the connector body. In the past, we would place our connector symbol, add the base, accessory, and auxiliary manufacturer parts to the component, and then make a macro of that connector so we could reuse it again in the future.\u00a0 Super Parts, allow us to skip the macro step and have a library manufacturer part assembly that we can select upon placing our symbol.\u00a0 With a Super Part created, it\u2019s a simple filtered search that will yield us a group of manufacture parts with a single click.<\/p>\n

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Interface<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

We kept the same look and feel from 2016, but we do have access to some new buttons and helpful side panels.\u00a0 My favorite button isn\u2019t necessarily new, but it went underwent a name change and some added some new functionality.\u00a0 The \u201cCreate SOLIDWORKS Cabinet\u201d function has been changed to \u201cCreate SOLIDWORKS Assembly,\u201d which makes me happy, since our electrical designs are not always going to be panel based.\u00a0 This option also gives us the ability to \u201cSelect Existing Files,\u201d meaning we can now reference previously created or working assemblies as part of our Electrical projects.<\/p>\n

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The addition of the Properties Panel came in the 2016 release.\u00a0 This gave us some upfront information about what we click in the interface (wire styles, sheet properties, etc.)\u00a0 New for 2017 is the ability to see Graphical Properties inside of that Properties Panel..\u00a0 We can now edit layers, line styles, text, alignment, and positions direct from the interface.\u00a0 Before we\u2019d need to dig into the Modify tab, find the Properties pop out, and navigate between two windows.<\/p>\n

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Reports<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

We can now navigate to linked line item entities inside Reports and Design Rule Checks.\u00a0 Contextual menus create links that will pop up the properties of documents, components, symbols, cables, equipotential, wires, and manufacturer parts.\u00a0 This helps speed up design verification and validation, to ensure the proper parts are being used or wire styles are following the correct formulas.<\/p>\n

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In a multi-user environment, we sometimes have many hands in a project, and we want to make sure that all data is accurate and consistent before going out the door.\u00a0 This responsibility usually falls on the last person in the project. Fortunately, an option in the Project Configurations menu to \u201cUpdate generated drawings\u201d will prompt that user to automatically update data in reports and terminal strip drawings before printing or archiving.\u00a0 This will hopefully provide the proper warning to ensure all data is up to date before releasing.<\/p>\n

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Other Items Worth Mention<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

A few other enhancements that have me excited for 2017 are listed below. However, the complete list can be found in the 2017 What\u2019s New document at this link<\/a>.<\/p>\n