Inserting Hoffman Enclosure/Panels

[agrantDXF7L]

I would like to be able to insert an enclosure with the corresponding subpanel and different views (top,bottom, sides) showing. What would be the best method to do this? I need to have catalog information available for the enclosure and subpanel for BOM purposes. I am aware that Autocad Electrical already comes with Hoffman catalog info but the DWGs are lacking in my opinion. 

We primarily use Hoffman enclosures and therefore have access to 2D DXFs of everything. 

[OP21]

This is very easy to do.

Clean up your Hoffman dwg as needed.

Once all your enclosure views are setup, go to the Panel tab/Symbol builder and start creating using the appropriate attribute template for the symbol type (this case Panel Footprint).

Select your objects, insertion pt, etc.. then you enter the attribute editor.  Once all is done, you can select the save file path and symbol name (FP_HoffmanModel)...

One BoM time saver is to add Mfg01, Cat01 attributes for sub-component parts needed for the enclosure (inner panels, mounting feet, door switches, etc..) a time saver when creating your BoM...

When you insert your new enclosure block FP_HoffmanModel, all your required BoM data is embedded in the Multi-Catalog section when you edit the footprint.

Here's a screen shot of a Hammond panel with sub component data already stored in the block... If you need to add or remove components you modify has needed.  Helps to not forget stuff... 🙂

[agrantDXF7L]

I guess I was concerned about being able to move the different views around after inserting the panel as opposed to moving the entire block at one time. I use the layout tab with viewports for plotting purposes. As long as I am able to distinguish each view in a viewport I should be okay.

[rhesusminus · Accepted solution]

Just a little side note to Omars already exquisite answer.

If you, in your panel symbol save each of the views as a separate block. so that you have block within a block. You can get AcadE to automatically "explode" the "main" block, so that the separate "subblocks" are exposed. This means that you can move/delete the view(s) you don't want.

This is done in the footprint lookup database by adding an asterix in front of the block name. It's used in some of the default rittal cabinets already:

Open one of those blocks as well, to see how they're built.

A few tips:

• Add all the attributes to the "view" that you'll always keep in the drawing, like the mounting plate.
• Make sure that none of the blocks in the drawing are named the same as the drawing they're in. This will cause an error message when the footprint is inserted.

[agrantDXF7L]

Very interesting! I knew of sub assembly items when inserting schematic symbols but I did not know you could do that same for panel footprints. I will look at the Rittal enclosures and try to replicate what was done but I have a feeling that I may need some help to get it just right. Can you direct me to any resources that may help in that regard? 

[rhesusminus]

Help files? Haven't looked myself. So, learning by doing 🙂 And feel free to ask whenever you get stuck!

[jonathanP8DYY]

Hello, I'm trying to replicate the Rittal enclosures, with no success. 

Have anyone achieve to create one that can guide me?

[rhesusminus]

It will help a lot of you tell us what you've done so far and where it stops for you.

[jonathanP8DYY]

I have my views (front, bottom) in regular Autocad, and put them on one dwg. I create a block per view.

In ACADE I tried several ways:

• create 1 block merging both view, while inserted and exploded (I put the "*" to do it automatically) the block lost the Tags
• create 1 block with one view, then created another dwg with the ACADE block and insert the missing view. create a regular ACAD block. while inserting in ACADE and exploded both views are still together. 
• create 1 block with one view, then created another dwg with the ACADE block and insert the missing view. create a ACADE block with both view. while inserting in ACADE and exploded TAGS get lost

[rhesusminus]

Maybe you can post your block here?

And, did you purge your drawing between testing the different variants? Just so that the block don't already exist in the drawing...

[jonathanP8DYY]

Here all my blocks. Hopefully can guide me in the right path on how to achieve the goal.

[rhesusminus]

Try with the attached file.

Make sure you add an asterisk in front of the block name in the footprint database, like this:

*X:\FOOTPRINTS\FP_ATTABOX.DWG

[agrantDXF7L]

It's good to see my post from 6 years ago is still helping people out to some extent! I never was able to figure this out fully.  When I posted this question to the forum my process was different. I was inserting each view (front, left side, right side, bottom, back, subpanel) onto one drawing instead of breaking it up into multiple drawings. I settled on inserting each view  into separate drawings. I insert a generic tag included with ACADE called wd_ptag onto at least one drawing. So one wd_ptag for the subpanel drawing and another for at least one of the enclosure drawings. Any accessories are notated with the wd_ptag as well. 

[jonathanP8DYY]

No luck, while inserted in ACADE is on block and doesn't allow exploded it.

[rhesusminus]

Should work:

[jonathanP8DYY]

Does the FP need to be in an ACADE directory path? I have it in another path and doesn't work.

How you create the dwg? so I can replicate it and try with a new dwg.

[OP21]

Under Options: Are your Support File Search Paths pointing to the directory for these files?

[jonathanP8DYY]

It's not that,

I created a new drawing (in the same project) and the footprint explodes as the video of @rhesusminus . So the issue is some data not updating in the drawing I tested the first time.

[rhesusminus]

It should be placed where you have all you other panel symbols. See the properties of your project to see where they are set up to be located.

You should also consider purging your drawing of all older versions of this block. Use the purge command, and select blocks. You might have to do this multiple times.

If you open the file, you can see that it contain two blocks. This is really it. Just make sure that you don't name any of those blocks the same as the DWG. I've added a suffix to the block name to differentiate them.

[jonathanP8DYY]

Thanks, the purge worked!
do you mean footprints blocks or regular ACAD blocks with text properties?