How can I create equipment and assign product codes (PCODEs)? How can I choose equipment to insert by PCODE?

Background

Product codes for equipment are stored in the CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml file. A placed piece of equipment will get a product code assigned if it matches properties such as the manufacturer and dimensions associated with the product code in the CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml file.

The process for adding equipment product codes in BRCM can be summarized as follows:

1. Use Equipment Manager to create and configure the equipment as desired.
2. Insert the equipment into a design file.
3. Use the Object Info tool to determine the Material name.
4. Add the equipment to the CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml file using the Material name as the Tag.

This article uses the addition of a PCODE for a junction box in an imperial dataset as an example.

Steps to Accomplish

Add a new Manufacturer

This step is only required if the desired manufacturer is not available in Equipment Manager for the type of equipment for which the PCODE is to be added.

1. Open EQP_JunctionBox.xml in a text editor.
2. Find the <Collection id="Manufacturer"> line.
3. Add the following line to this group:
   <CollectionItem name="ACME" prompt="_[ACME]_" />
4. Save and close EQP_JunctionBox.xml.

Configure and place the equipment

1. Open an equipment DGN file.
2. From the Tasks area, select BRCM Detail Design > Equipment Manager.
3. On the Place Equipment tab, select the Junctionbox item from the drop-down list in the Equipment Data area.
4. Select the Object / Level 1 node then set the Manufacturer value to ACME.
   
5. Select the Object / Level 2 node, then set
   
   1. Width (inch) = 6.
   2. Height (inch) = 6.
   3. Depth (inch) = 4.
      
6. [Optional] Enter JB664 in the "Type a configuration name" field, then click the disk icon to save. This step allows this junction box to be selected by the product code (JB664).
   
7. Click OK and place the junction box on the drawing.

Get Material name the equipment

1. Select BRCM Tools > Object Info.
2. Select the placed junction box.
3. On the resulting Object Info dialog, note or copy the name value of the Material property. It should be "ACME Junction Box 6x4x6" in this example.
   

Add the equipment and PCODE to CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml

1. Open the CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml file in a text editor.
2. Select an entire Equipment element (from <Equipment> to </Equipment> as highlighted below) for an existing Junction Box item and copy it to the clipboard (CTRL+C).
   
3. Paste the element immediately after an existing </Equipment> closing tag.
4. Modify the pasted element so that the Tag property is the Material name ("ACME Junction Box 6x4x6"), and the Manufacturer, descriptions, and PCODE are as as shown:
   

       <Equipment>
         <Properties Tag="ACME Junction Box 6x4x6" />
         <Products>
           <Product>
             <Properties Manufacturer="ACME" Description="Junction Box 6x6x4" ExtDescription="Junction Box 6x6x4" Unit="pcs" Quantity="1" QuantMode="0" PCode="JB664" />
           </Product>
         </Products>
       </Equipment>

5. Save and close the CAT_EQP_PCode_EN.xml file.

Insert the new equipment

1. Open an equipment DGN file.
2. From the Tasks area, select BRCM Detail Design > Equipment Manager.
3. On the Place Equipment tab, select the Junctionbox item from the drop-down list in the Equipment Data area.
4. If step 6 of the "Configure and place the equipment" section above was performed, select the PCODE from the configuration name drop-down list (if no configuration names are listed, switch to a different equipment type and back, for example, switch to Lighting then back to Junctionbox).
   Otherwise, set the Manufacturer value to ACME, set Width (inch) to 6, set Height (inch) to 6, and set Depth (inch) to 4.
5. Click OK and place the junction box on the drawing.
6. Select BRCM Detail Design > Update BRCM Database.

Review the report

1. With the equipment DGN file still open, select BRCM Detail Design > Output Manager.
2. On Output Manager, select the Detail_BOQ template.
3. Click Select Resources.
4. On the resulting Collaboration Manager dialog, right-click the equipment DGN file and select Request Lock. Click OK.
5. Click Preview. The Manufacturer and Product Code columns should be populated as shown:
   
   

Keywords: part number, bill of quantity, BOQ, BOM