Root Marking System

SOLIDWORKS Electrical 2015, SP04

28/11/2015
Revision 1.1
Written by: Sebastian Davies, Joydeep Roy

3DS.COM Dassault Systmes | Confidential Information | 01/02/2012 ref.: Document_Reference |

 Table of Contents

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Symbol/Component Mark principles .................................................................................................... 4
3. Manual Symbol Mark ............................................................................................................................ 4
4. Automatic marking Root value .......................................................................................................... 6
a) Component Classification Root value ............................................................................................ 6
b) Symbol Root value ............................................................................................................................ 6
c) Symbol/Component Properties - Class ............................................................................................. 7

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 Revision History
Rev # Date Description
1.0 Jan 2013 Document created.
1.1 Nov 2015 Verified for 2015/SP04

Note
All SolidPractices are written as guidelines. You are recommended to use these documents only
after properly understanding customer situation. Distribution of this document is limited to DS
SolidWorks employees and VARs.

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 1. Introduction
The following guide describes how values can be applied within SOLIDWORKS Electrical to
2D components. Numbering is a core requirement for any electrical project, as it identifies
component parts in reports as well as providing associative information in the project drawings,
in addition to supplying electrical engineers with information about a symbols purpose.

2. Symbol/Component Mark principles

A mark is a value applied to a project component that acts as an identifier within an electrical
project. The marking system is user definable on a project level, so that different projects can
have different marking systems to provide design flexibility, this is a requirement where projects
are created using different symbols standards, for example ANSI or IEC.

Generally electrical marking systems require a Root value that acts as a component identifier,
and a Numeric value. For example in an IEC standard F is used for protection devices such as
fuses, Q for circuit breakers whereas in ANSI standard CB is used for circuit breakers, FU for
fuses, OL for overloads.

The Numeric value is user definable and can have leading zeros, the row or column number from
the titlebox/drawing border in addition to other variables.

The marking system can be defined through the Project Settings, Mark tab.

3. Manual Symbol Mark

On placement of a symbol into a scheme drawing the Symbols Properties dialog will be
displayed. The symbol will automatically have a Mark value assigned to it, this is based on the
symbol classification or the part applied to it.

The mark is made up of a Root value and a number, by default the program will not
automatically duplicate a symbol/component mark number in a project.

It is possible to manually modify a mark number to create a new unique mark in the project, or to
duplicate an existing symbol/component mark.

In order to manually apply mark values select the Manual mode radial in the Symbol/Component
properties dialog.

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The Mark field is activated and a user definable value can be entered into the field. The manual
mark mode is the only way to duplicate mark values while retaining distinct
symbols/components that have no association.

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 4. Automatic marking Root value
As explained previously a symbol/component mark normally includes a root value, this is
automatically populated into the Symbol/Component properties dialog Root field. The root
value is taken from one of three places in the program.

a) Component Classification Root value

Symbols and/or components are grouped into Classifications, and each classification available
within SOLIDWORKS Electrical can have a Root mark associated to it.

To review, change or define the classification root values select the Library tab, Component
classification icon, to access the Symbols / parts classification dialog.

The Root column contains the value associated to each of the classifications, it is possible to
double left mouse click on the root fields to change the associated value.

This value will only be applied to symbols that have no value entered into the Symbol properties
root value.

b) Symbol Root value

It is possible that symbols/components within the same class require more than one root value, in
order to accommodate this each symbols properties includes a Root mark field that will take
precedence over the component classification root value.

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In order to set a root value for a symbol select the Library tab, Symbols Manager icon, select a
classification, locate and select a symbol, and select the Properties icon to access the Symbol
Properties. It is possible to double left mouse click on the root mark field to change the
associated value.

A value entered in this field will take precedence over the symbol/component classification root
value.

c) Symbol/Component Properties - Class

After a symbol/component is placed/created in a project it is possible to change its Classification
properties, this will automatically apply the root value from the classification to the
symbol/component. This will take precedence over any root value applied in the symbol
properties.

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