Zuken Enables 3D Collaboration Between Automotive OEMs and Harness Suppliers

Zuken’s wire harness visualization and analysis software, E³.HarnessAnalyzer, has been enhanced and extended to support the latest industry standard data formats, visualize harness data in 3D and automatically compile schematic drawings for the displayed modules.

E³.HarnessAnalyzer enables OEMs and suppliers to open, inspect and collaborate on previously proprietary harness design data generated by different authoring tools used in the industry.

E³.HarnessAnalyzer 2018 is available for general release now, at the same time as E3.series 2018.

“E³.HarnessAnalyzer has gained industry-wide recognition as a de facto standard for the exchange of wire harness design and manufacturing information between automotive OEMs and suppliers,” says Reinhold Blank, Zuken business director, Automotive. “With its coverage of the latest industry standard data formats such as KBL and HCV, Zuken paves the way for barrier-free communication between OEMs and suppliers in a discipline that has been locked in by proprietary toolsets and data formats.”

The range of supported import formats has been extended to include native PLMXML and DSI capabilities. In addition, E³.HarnessAnalyzer now supports the import of data in the latest vehicle electric container industry standard format, thereby enabling review and inspection capabilities for comprehensive 150% wire harness designs, including their full range of options and variants.

3D Visualization

In addition to 2D drawings, E³.HarnessAnalyzer 2018 supports the display of wire harnesses as 3D structures. The new capability is based on 3D coordinates that are specified in KBL, VEC or PLMXML structures. Leveraging these coordinates, E³.HarnessAnalyzer generates a dynamic 3D representation that is directly coupled to the KBL data model, enabling bidirectional highlighting of selected objects, as well as representation of bundle diameters based on the individual selection of KSK modules to be considered.

Schematic browsing

In addition to topological information, KBL, VEC and PLMXML data also contain connectivity information of wire harnesses and their components. Leveraging this information, E³.HarnessAnalyzer 2018 can generate schematic views applying user-defined filter criteria. The schematic is then automatically compiled in a fraction of a second. The generated diagram is fully linked to the 2D and 3D view. This capability enables users who have no access to the original schematics data to investigate and analyze details of the harness connectivity.

For more info, visit Zuken.

Sources: Press materials received from the company.