Smart 3D Connections

Is there a way to know what is connected to what in a 3D model?  For instance if I wanted to see what all was connected from one device ID to another is there a way to do this?  I may have two breakers but there is bundles of cable, rigid bus, and connectors between them.  I would like to have a report show me that.

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  • Hi Donnie, the software does not track connections in 3D LAYOUT mode.
    What information would you like to be reported? Is it essentially a bill of materials? I assume creating a construction drawing showing only the items within a named group does not meet your needs.
    Are you expecting to select a starting device and an ending device and have the software report what is in between? Or would the ability to filter a report on a selection set be acceptable?



  • Yes we are trying to track a circuit within the station. So I would like to go from Line coming in to Line going out and only see what is on that circuit. I wanted to see if that was tracked somewhere but if not then we have to come up with a way to attribute so we can filter a report I am assuming.
  • Can you provide any information with respect to why this functionality is being requested/what it is used for? This may help steer the development of a new tool.

    Why is the 3D model being used as the source or interface to get the "what is connected to what" information, as opposed to a single line diagram or schematic? Is it because the 3D layout and schematic design is done by different departments?

    "The unique attributes of each item" is in the form of symbol text and parts database data, correct?

    The software will need a means of filtering out other elements from the "current-carrying, high-voltage elements" in the layout. Are you already using attributes on the symbols that could be used for this purpose? If not, it might be necessary to add such an attribute to all relevant symbols.



  • This may need to be a phone conversation but I will try to explain the best I can. We run a check on each circuit of our system to find the "Most Limiting Series Element" (MLSE). This is not a check on the entire model but only on what is in a single circuit. We would like to be able to run reports on just capturing those items. There are attributes attached that identify properties. The problem with using a schematic style mode for this is that they do not have the level of detail that a 3D model has. For instance on a single line we show one line between two peices of equipment but that line might be 12 cables in the 3D model. In our report for the MLSE we need to know every single part in the circuit down to the connectors. Maybe we can set up a conference call for this one so we can all understand the goal.
  • I don't think a call is necessary. There's just a few things I'd like to clarify.

    • How will the report be limited to one circuit? Can this be done by filtering (is there an attribute common to the circuit that could be filtered on such as Installation or Location)? Or will an object, or perhaps the starting and ending objects in the circuit need to be selected?
    • The report is to help you determine the MLSE, the report itself will not be determining the MLSE, correct? Unless this could be achieved with simple sorting of the results.
    • Are only objects with coincident hook points connected, or is anything that touches connected?
    • How will the software distinguish "current-carrying, high-voltage elements" from items not to be included in the report? An attribute or part number field?



  • Good questions.  You are on the right track.

    •How will the report be limited to one circuit? Can this be done by filtering (is there an attribute common to the circuit that could be filtered on such as Installation or Location)? Or will an object, or perhaps the starting and ending objects in the circuit need to be selected?

    Was hoping that pick the first in last item and through some sort of smart connections the program would be able to know what to include.  Could do some sort of attributing but that makes it a bit more manual than we would hope to have it.

    •The report is to help you determine the MLSE, the report itself will not be determining the MLSE, correct? Unless this could be achieved with simple sorting of the results.

    No it will not.  This will take some calculations.  We want to be able to produce a list on the fly to import into another software we use to calculate this.

    •Are only objects with coincident hook points connected, or is anything that touches connected?

    Anything that touches.  We have set up our hook points to be specific to equipment, current, etc. so we don't have the coincident hook points throughout a circuit.  I think thats what you meant if we could filter it on a particular color hook point? 

    •How will the software distinguish "current-carrying, high-voltage elements" from items not to be included in the report? An attribute or part number field?

    Yes we have thought about this and thought to add "MLSE" to part that can be considered in the calculation.  The thought is to add this to the Parts Database.

  • I've submitted this as Enhancement TFS 349343.

    By coincident hook points I just meant that two symbols could be considered connected if their hook points were on top of each other; I didn't mean the same color hook points had to be used throughout the circuit. In any case I wrote it up as "anything that touches".



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