Power Distribution
Design a DIN rail power distribution system. An AC input connector feeds a PULS power supply. The DC output passes through a main circuit breaker, routes through DIN rail terminal blocks, and fans out to two output circuit breakers. When the assembly is generated, ferrules are automatically created at every termination-to-termination connection. This example covers device groups, real parts from Phoenix Contact, PULS, and TE Connectivity, signal-based conductor classification, and the full ferrule workflow.
System Overview
| Component | Part | Description |
|---|---|---|
| X1 | TE Connectivity PE0SSS000 | 3-pin AC input connector (L, N, PE) |
| PS1 | PULS LP CP10.241-M1 | DIN rail power supply — AC in (N, L, PE), DC out (V+, V-, GND) |
| CB1 | Phoenix Contact 2907565 | Main DC circuit breaker (IN+, OUT+) |
| X1, X2 | Phoenix Contact 3273268 / 3273278 | 6-pin DIN rail terminal blocks in a Device Group |
| CB2 | Phoenix Contact 1464483 | Output circuit breaker (IN+, IN-, OUT+, SI, RST, OUT+) |
| CB3 | Phoenix Contact 1464483 | Output circuit breaker (IN+, IN-, OUT+, SI, RST, OUT+) |
Signals
| Signal | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AC_L | — | AC Line |
| AC_N | — | AC Neutral |
| PE | Green/Yellow | Protective Earth |
| VDC | Red | Main DC positive |
| 24V_CB | Red | 24V through circuit breaker |
| GND | Black | DC ground / return |
Place the Power Supply and AC Input
Add PS1 and X1
Place PS1 (the PULS power supply) and X1 (the AC input connector). PS1 has AC input pins (N, L, PE) and DC output pins (V+, V-, GND). X1 has 3 pins: L, N, PE.
Assign Parts
Open the Parts tab and assign TE Connectivity PE0SSS000 to X1 and PULS LP CP10.241-M1 to PS1.
Connect AC Input to Power Supply
Connect X1 to PS1 — each AC line (L, N, PE) runs from the input connector to the corresponding power supply pin. Assign signals AC_L, AC_N, and PE to the corresponding nets.
Add Main Circuit Breaker
Place CB1
Place CB1 and assign Phoenix Contact 2907565. CB1 has IN+ and OUT+ pins — it protects the main DC bus from the power supply.
Connect PS1 to CB1
Route the DC positive output (V+) from PS1 into CB1 IN+. Route CB1 OUT+ toward the distribution terminal blocks. Assign the 24V_CB and VDC signals to the appropriate nets.
Add DIN Rail Terminal Blocks
Create Device Group
Place two 6-pin terminal block components — X1 (Phoenix Contact 3273268) and X2 (Phoenix Contact 3273278). Right-click and select Add to Device Group to create the DIN Rail 1 group containing both.
Route Through Terminal Blocks
Route the DC positive and ground conductors through X1 and X2. The terminal blocks act as distribution points — conductors from the power supply side enter on one set of pins and exit toward the output breakers on another.
Add Output Circuit Breakers
Place CB2 and CB3
Place CB2 and CB3, both Phoenix Contact 1464483. These are the output circuit breakers with pins: IN+, IN-, OUT+, SI, RST, OUT+.
Connect to Distribution
Route conductors from the DIN rail terminal blocks into CB2 and CB3. The VDC and GND conductors fan out from the terminal blocks to each output breaker.
Assign Signals to All Nets
Open the Nets panel and assign signals to every net. The VDC signal (red) marks all DC positive paths. GND (black) marks all return paths. AC_L, AC_N, and PE mark the AC input side. Signal colors propagate to all conductors in each net.
Review Completed Plan
Schematic View
The Schematic view expands all components to show pin-level connections. Every conductor is traced individually — DC positive (red) from PS1 through CB1 and the terminal blocks to CB2/CB3, ground (black) on the return path, and AC lines (with PE in green/yellow dashed) on the input side.
Layout View
The Layout view shows the compact physical topology — PS1 and the AC input on the right, DIN Rail 1 device group in the center, output breakers on the left. Bundle count badges show how many conductors share each path.
Generate Assembly
Select and Generate
Select all components and bundles, then click Generate Assembly in the left panel. Name the assembly, confirm the selection, and click Generate. The assembly opens in Harness Builder — auto-arranged and ready for review.
Ferrules and Terminations
In this system, every component uses termination points (push-in terminals, screw terminals). When the assembly is generated, connections between two termination points automatically create ferrule components (F1, F2, F3, …) at each wire end. This models the real-world crimped ferrules applied to wire ends before insertion into terminals.
Auto-Created Ferrules
After generation, ferrules appear automatically on every conductor that connects termination point to termination point. Each ferrule (F1–F20 in this example) is a separate component in the assembly with its own BOM entry.
Change Mating Type
Select a ferrule and open the Properties panel to change its mating type — options include ferrule, bare wire, pin terminal, or other termination styles. This lets you match the assembly to your actual termination method.
Bulk Mate Ferrules
Right-click a connector block and select Bulk Mate to assign ferrules across multiple pins at once. The Bulk Mate dialog shows all pins and lets you set the termination type in a single operation — no need to configure each ferrule individually.
Auto Fit to Contents
Click Auto Fit to Contents to resize connector blocks to match their assigned ferrules and terminations. This removes excess whitespace and ensures blocks are sized to their actual pin count and termination layout.
Auto Align Ferrules
Use Auto Align to evenly space and align ferrule components along their wire runs. This cleans up the schematic layout so ferrules are consistently positioned relative to their parent connector.