The placement types are separated into single placement, multiple placement, and placement of locked areas. For this the mounting clearances for every item / device must be stored in the parts data to where the device walls are not on top of each other, but rather next to each other. The clearances are automatically accounted for during placement.
Individual placement
In single placement, all devices used in the schematic, or all devices present in the parts preselection are displayed in a list view or tree view. The content depends on the filter settings.
During actual placement, the X and Y positions of the item on the mounting panel are displayed (not on the page!). The handle (contact point) for part placement is always at the middle left on creation; this greatly simplifies the positioning of the devices on a mounting rail. (The handle can be changed in the Settings: 2D panel layout dialog but should always be kept consistent for each project.)
If you have selected the display of insertion points of symbols and texts (Tab View > Command group General > Insertion points) and the handle differs from the insertion point, it is displayed as well.
Multiple placement
If you select several devices for placement, then the part placement can occur sequentially on the mounting panel per mouse click. Even if you do not move the cursor during placement, the symbols will be automatically adjoined to the previous symbol after the first placement (which is effected like an individual placement via the specification of X and Y position) according to the equipment direction if there is enough space on the mounting panel:
- "Horizontal": From left to right
- "Vertical": From top to bottom.
The equipment direction is defined using the Settings popup menu item in the 2D panel layout - <Project name> dialog.
The dimensions of the parts are taken from the parts management (Tab Properties: the Dimensions property group in the Mounting data hierarchy level).
Note:
In order to use the same part placement on two differently dimensioned panel layout pages (for example, one page displaying an overview and another displaying a detailed hook-up), the Representation type drop-down list, which can be used to set the type of placement, is available in the Part placement tab of the Properties <...> dialog.
The standard setting is part placement using the "Panel layout" representation type, but contrary to this the "Detailed panel layout" representation type can also be selected. It is possible to display an item a second time in the panel layout via this representation type without this affecting the quantity in the bill of materials.
Example:An item is placed on the completely depicted mounting panel with the "panel layout" representation type, on a second mounting panel a second time with an enlarged drawing with the "detailed panel layout" representation type. The quantity reported in the bill of materials is "1".
Placement as device
A mounting panel stored in parts management as a macro can also be inserted as a device. It is irrelevant whether a macro is stored as a "graphical macro" (category Mounting data) or as a "schematic macro" (category Data) on the Properties tab. What is important for macros is that they are saved with the "Parts placement" representation type when they are created. In order to place a mounting panel part as a device, the following requirements must be fulfilled:
- The part must belong to the generic product group "Mechanics", the product group "Housing", and the product subgroup "Mounting panels" (Product subgroup property, ID 22028). Only when this property has been set for a part will it be recognized as a mounting panel. Parts for which this property is not specified will be treated as normal devices.
- If an appropriate part is found, EPLAN checks whether a graphical macro or a macro is stored in the parts data. If no graphical macro / macro is stored, a message is shown and you will be asked whether you wish to apply the measurements of the part.
- If no measurements have been assigned to the part, the function is canceled.
Inserting mounting panels as devices is possible on open "Panel layout" type pages in the following ways:
- via the Insert center, object type devices
- using drag & drop from the device list
- by inserting a part as a device from the EPLAN Data Portal.
Locked areas
The software allows particular areas of the mounting panel to be locked for placements. Part placement can't occur in these areas. If this is attempted, then the placement is inhibited and an appropriate message is displayed.
A locked area is an independent object drawn as a rectangle.
See also