Topology - Segments

Cables: Edit Cabling Create Segment Create Segment

This feature prompts the user to select two existing nodes by using the mouse pointer inside the Main View.

Cables: Edit Cabling Create Segment Edit Segments

The Edit Segments dialog box shows two lists: on the left side is the list of all available nodes, on the right side the list of the existing segments. The dialog box can be also accessed via Cable Navigation Tree: Segments: selecting the Segments folder and either double-clicking or choosing Edit inside the context menu (via right-mouse-click). The icons on the top of the dialog box enable actions which are explained below. The meaning of each icon is also explained by tool-tips. To see a tool-tip just move the mouse-pointer over the corresponding icon:

The Available nodes frame in the left column includes all features to define and edit nodes (see Nodes). The Segment list frame on the right enables the following actions which are listed below. The meaning of each icon at top of the frame is also explained by tool-tips. To see a tool-tip just move the mouse-pointer over the corresponding icon:

• Edit a segment

•  Subdivide a segment

•  Bundle all existing segments automatically

• Delete the selected segments

Defining a new segment

Segments are defined by pairs of Nodes. If you select any number of nodes on the left side the arrow button ">" will be enabled. You have the following possibilities how to create a segment:

1. Select one node on the left side and press the arrow button ">". A new segment will be added to the segment list on the right. Now select a second (different) node and press the arrow button ">" again in order to complete the segment. Incomplete segments are indicated by dots

2. Select two nodes on the left side by using the left mouse button and <CTRL>. When pressing the arrow button ">" a new segment in-between these two nodes will be added to the segments list.

3. Select an arbitrary number of nodes on the left side. If you press the arrow button ">", all nodes will be grouped into pairs in the order of their appearance in the node list, and a corresponding number of segments will be automatically created on the right side.

The segment’s length is displayed in parentheses in the specified unit length that can be defined on the right top of the Available Nodes - frame.

Editing a segment

Pressing the button leads to the dialog box as shown in the figure below. The name of the selected segment is shown on the top. The dialog box itself consists of two different tabs: Bundle and Nodes:

Bundle tab

The meaning of the Bundle tab is best explained by using the example from Topology Overview. The segment includes cables from two different Routes and without any additional measures these cables will overlap. On the top right of the bundle tab there is the Fixed button. If this button is activated the user has to care about removing the overlaps in the corresponding segment. There are two options for re-arranging the cables:

1. Manually by editing the coordinates in the table.

2. Pressing the Auto Bundle button on the right bottom of the dialog box.

The effect of the re-arranging is shown in the two figures below:

Before re-arranging: overlapping cables                                                                        After re-arranging: no overlapping cables

After the re-arranging the  Reset button on the top right of the dialog box is released. By pressing the button the bundle can be restored to the status before the re-arranging. If the user de-activates the Fixed button the CST Cable Studio will remove all overlaps during the Meshing and Modeling procedure automatically (see Modeling Overview).

The icons on the top of the Bundle tab enables actions which are explained below. The meaning of each icon is also explained by tool-tips. To see a tool-tip just move the mouse-pointer over the corresponding icon:

•   Create a sub-bundle that does only exist in this particular segment. Already existing cables inside the table can be easily dragged-and-dropped to or from such a sub-bundle. The idea behind is to enable the grouping of several cables so that they can be treated as an entity with respect of placing and rotation. With a right-mouse-click on a sub-bundle, there is the possibility to open the Edit Bundle dialog box that allows the definition of an additional insulating material, which e.g. can be wrapped around the sub-bundle.

•   Edit insulator of sub-bundle: the corresponding dialog box allows the definition of an additional insulating material, which e.g. can be wrapped around the sub-bundle

•  Delete a sub-bundle

•    Select environment material for the sub-bundle

• Reset environment material for the sub-bundle to default

Nodes tab

The  Nodes tab enables the insertion of  additional nodes inside a segment and therefore offers a special feature for advanced users. In general, a segment is defined by a pair or nodes, thus building a straight line in-between. By adding additional nodes, it is possible to define a curved run. The figure below shows the original start node (in the Node1-frame) and the original end node (in the Node2-frame). Both frames are separated by a dialog field that enables the definition of interim nodes. The icons on the right side enables actions which are explained below. The meaning of each icon is also explained by tool-tips. To see a tool-tip just move the mouse-pointer over the corresponding icon:

•   Create a new interim node

•   Duplicate an interim node

•  Move an interim node upwards in the list

•    Move an interim node downwards in the list

• Delete the interim node

In the figure above we see that two additional nodes were created.

Subdivide a selected segment

 Pressing the button leads to the dialog box as shown in the figure below:

The length of the original segment is the default value in  New Maximum Subsegment Length field.  Entering a value of 200.0 and pressing the Apply button automatically generates interim nodes on this segment. in such a way that the segments of the new sub-segments do not exceed the specified limit. The result can be seen by opening the Nodes-tab inside the Segment Edit dialog as explained above (see the figure below):

 NOTE:

All cable bundles with a de-activated Fixed flag will be automatically bundled as soon as the modeling process will have been started. Be aware this might lead to different simulation models and therefore to different simulation results. Hence, reproducibility is only guaranteed if the Fixed flag is activated.