Exploring Add-on Tools in E3.series – Part 1

In the future, designers will process the entire workflow for developing a product using various software tools. There doesn’t appear to be a comprehensive tool that will cover all requirements of the different disciplines with all their specialties. Considering the rising number of smart tools across the board – cross functionality is a growing challenge that is bound to get increasingly difficult to resolve. To maintain a best-in-class solution, the connection between these tools is paramount to success.

The highly intuitive E3.series software offers a number of add-on tools that will increase productivity while allowing collaboration between all engineering disciplines. Keep in mind that functionality will vary based on your own MCAD and PLM solutions and their versions. Let’s explore the add-on tools in E3.series and see what’s available.

Mechanical bridge

E3.3DRoutingBridge and E3.HarnessFlattening enables companies to integrate their electrical harness designs with all major MCAD solutions. Electrical harness details such as connectors, terminals, splices and netlist information are transferred to the MCAD system. The length and structure data for the harness is then fed into E3.series, where the final details are added for manufacturing. You will also have the ability to automate the creation of the 1:1 scale harness print in E3.formboard.

These add-on tools offer a bidirectional XML interface* to allow changes in the design while ensuring E3.series and MCAD integration are synced. E3.3DRoutingBridge and E3.HarnessFlattening optimize your design workflow helping mechanical and electrical engineers to either work independently or collaboratively.

E3.series supports the following 3D harness design systems:

PLM integration with PLM bridge

Along with the mechanical bridge, E3.series offers PLM integration with major PLM/PDM tools. Since engineers are working under such tight schedules, it can be difficult to keep track of every change along the way. These tools offer easy-to-use plug-ins with an intuitive toolbar for all functionality.

E3.ZPA allows the design engineer to check-in/check-out the project, import/export BOM information, and effectivity control release cycles. Below you will see a general process overview of the PLM bridge from concept to production release.

E3.series supports the following PLM/PDM tools:

More helpful interfaces

The mechanical bridge and the PLM bridge are only a sampling of what Zuken has to offer. There are several other interfaces to make the journey from concept to production an easy and efficient process.

• ·      E3.SaberFrameway and E3.simulation
  • With the growing expense for prototypes, simulation is an important part of any modern product design process. Saber, from Synopsys, is an industry-leading tool for DC load and transient analysis.
  • The E3.SaberFrameway add-on tool enables exporting parts of an electrical project from an E3.series project. The exported file helps in setting up the simulation in the Saber simulation tool, reducing the time and effort required to complete the simulation.
  • E3.SaberFrameway and E3.simulation can easily save time by enabling E3.series project data to be used directly in the Saber simulator. Used together, they help reduce or eliminate time spent on potential errors and ultimately minimize cost by reducing the number of required prototypes.

• E3.NCBridge and E3.PLCBridge
  • E3.PLCBridge supports parallel development of electrical, fluid engineering and PLC software. It enables the exchange of channel parameters for one or more PLC devices.
  • This bidirectional Interface between E³.series and a PLC programming software (AutomationML, ABB, B&R) enables the exchange of channel parameters for one or more PLC devices.
  • E3.NCBridge supplies all the necessary information to CNC configuration software for optimizing the project planning of CNC control systems.
  • E3.PLCBridge and E3.NCBridge will help increase the quality of the product development process by allowing quick and easy synchronization of I/O information and providing consistent data within your projects.

• E3.SystemsEdition
  • E3.SystemsEdition Interfaces with CR-8000 tools, enabling block creation in E3.series using CR-8000 blocks, mapping of E3.series blocks using the CR-8000 database, or mapping of CR-8000 blocks using the E3.series database.
  • This intuitive add-on will help save time when importing layout schematics into E3.cable and synchronizing latest status with E3.series block information. The integration with E3.series ensures you will improve design processes and data quality.

Utilizing these E3.series add-on tools provides an intelligent solution for design data collaboration. Take on the ever-growing software technology with a single tool suite and ultimately reduce design errors and costs. So far, we have only covered about half of the productivity tools available in E3.series. The Zuken utility belt has more amazing tools that can increase your productivity and keep you ahead of those deadlines. Stay tuned, we will be discussing the other tools – both licensed and free – in Part 2 of this blog post.

Check out all E3.series functionalities on our website and browse our on-demand webinar library.