Design part codes simplify the selection and connection of suitable design parts for objects. You do not have to remember design part IDs or technical data. Instead you can simply enter a few codes to find and attach a suitable design part. Automatic connection works to allocate or reallocate the latest version of a design part to an object.
Design part codes are grouped by code collections, and these collections are created for a certain supplier. This makes it easy to replace design parts especially when a supplier is changed. Design part codes are particularly valuable for the electrical and instrumentation engineering disciplines.
A Design Part Code Collection, which is a grouping of design codes applicable to a certain design part (e.g., a motor), is created and assigned to a class. The code collection is given a descriptive name and connected to a class, such as:
The design part codes are divided into four groups. Each group describes a vital criteria for that piece of equipment. For example, the four code groups for an induction motor might be:
Each group corresponds to a specific design part code number. For example, you might specify that all design part codes with code number 1 describe the Voltage group, all design part codes with code number 2 describe the Effect, and so on.
Each design part code from a code number group gets a unique code and description. For example, the table below lists the design part codes you might specify for the induction motor.
| Code No. | Code | Description | |
| Voltage | 1 | 230V | 230V, 50 Hz |
| 1 | 400V | 400V, 50 Hz | |
| 1 | 500V | 500V, 50 Hz | |
| 1 | 690V | 690V, 50 Hz | |
| Effect | 2 | Eff30 | Effect 30 kW |
| 2 | Eff37 | Effect 37 kW | |
| 2 | Eff48 | Effect 48 kW | |
| 2 | Eff55 | Effect 55 kW | |
| 2 | Eff73 | Effect 73 kW | |
| 2 | Eff75 | Effect 75 kW | |
| 2 | Eff95 | Effect 95 kW | |
| 2 | Eff110 | Effect 110 kW | |
| 2 | Eff132 | Effect 132 kW | |
| 2 | Eff160 | Effect 160 kW | |
| RPM, Poles | 3 | rpm3000/2 | 3000 rpm, 2 poles |
| 3 | rpm3000/4 | 3000 rpm, 4 poles | |
| 3 | rpm2000/2 | 2000 rpm, 2 poles | |
| 3 | rpm2000/4 | 2000 rpm, 4 poles | |
| 3 | rpm1500/2 | 1500 rpm, 2 poles | |
| 3 | rpm1500/4 | 1500 rpm, 4 poles | |
| 3 | rpm750/2 | 750 rpm, 2 poles | |
| 3 | rpm750/4 | 750 rpm, 4 poles | |
| 3 | rpm750/6 | 750 rpm, 6 poles | |
| 3 | rpm750/8 | 750 rpm, 8 poles | |
| Montage Design | 4 | Foot | Foot base for installation |
| 4 | Flange | Flange base for installation |
A motor induction design part is opened within the Design Part window and the code collection is automatically added to it. This makes available the collection's codes to the particular design part. Codes are registered to the design part in up to four different fields. Codes may be assigned to any or all of the four code fields. For example, codes may be assigned to code fields 1, 2, and 3:
| Code Field 1 | Description | Code Field 2 | Description | Code Field 3 | Description |
| 230V | 230V, 50 Hz | Eff75 | Effect 75 kW | rpm1500/4 | 1500 rpm, 4 poles |
The design part is saved along with its design part codes.
A motor object is opened within a window and codes are registered within the Code fields to help find a design part that suits this motor object. For example, codes may be assigned to Code fields 1 and 2:
| Code Field 1 | Description | Code Field 2 | Description |
| 230V | 230V, 50 Hz | Eff75 | Effect 75 kW |
The motor object is saved along with its design part codes. You can right-click and select Allocate Design Parts to start the process of searching for a suitable design part. The design part is allocated to the object based on a match between the design part codes assigned to the design part and the design part codes assigned to the object.
A code collection is a method to codify a supplier's store of equipment for a certain design part. For example, a code collection could be created for 25 different power switches available from Siemens.
The code collection is created, saved, and connected to a class. A class may have several different code collections. For example, a Power Switch class may have two code collections: one for Siemens and one for GE.
The Code Collection system variable contains a value for the default code collection. This code collection applies then to all design parts and all of their versions. The variable value could be set to 'Siemens' meaning only codes from the Siemens code collection could be used, which in turn would mean that only design parts from Siemens could be allocated to the object.
It is important for the usage of design part codes that this system variable be set to configure a default code collection. This variable determines the default code collection, enables the creation of default design part codes, and enables codes to be registered on both design parts and objects. System variables are configured in IFS/Asset Design basic data.
The Design Part Codes window is accessed from the Class window by selecting a design part class and then clicking Define Design Part Codes.
Each power switch is described with one to four design part codes (rated category, size, capacity, type, etc.). These codes are registered to the design part in any combination. Later, codes are entered for the object to try to find and attach a suitable design part. A design part code may appear in more than one code collection.
A code is defined in the following manner:
You can add new codes to the list, remove existing codes from the list, and edit existing codes. The entire code collection may be emptied and started from scratch, or it may be disconnected from the class.
The Design Part window contains one field for the code collection and four code fields, numbered 1 to 4. The code collection is assigned, via the Code Collection system variable, to each design part and each of its versions. Design part codes are applied to the latest version only, because only the latest versions of design parts are of interest to the object. Design part codes applied to earlier design part versions will be ignored.
A different code collection may be entered either manually or by using the List of Values.
The codes are defined in four different fields: Code 1, Code 2, Code 3, and Code 4. Design part codes are registered to the design part using the List of Values, thus making the design part easier to locate when using the codes from the object side. Codes may be registered to any of the four code fields in any combination (e.g. 1 and 2; 1 and 3; 2, 3, and 4; just code 4). The more codes registered to the design part, the easier it will be to find and attach the design part to the object. At least one design part code must be registered.
Object windows contain four code fields: Code 1, Code 2, Code 3, and Code 4. Using the List of Values, codes can be defined for one or more fields. The codes that are available for definition are those from the code collection configured via a system variable. If no system variable is defined, the code fields are not accessible.
At least one code must be defined and saved to enable allocation. The validation of the code is performed on saving. An invalid code, or a code not listed within the default code collection, returns an error message.
Once codes are saved to the object, you can find and connect a design part to the object using the Allocate Design Part right mouse button option available on object windows and on the target object on a design object tree view in the Business Object Explorer. Multiple objects may be highlighted and allocated simultaneously from the Design Parts window. It is also possible to allocate or reallocate design parts to all design objects in a plant using the the Allocate Design Parts to Plant right mouse button option available for a plant on a design object tree view in the Business Object Explorer.
When allocating design parts a code collection, filtered by the current standard, must be selected. The default code collection is defined as the system variable and will be displayed. The Reallocate check box, if selected, will allocate a new design part to each selected object in addition to replacing the current connected design part.
If a match is made, the design part is allocated or reallocated to the object by connecting it to the object. A design part will not be allocated to the object under the following conditions:
The design part allocated or reallocated is always the latest version of that design part and has a design part status of Available.
On Design Part windows, design part codes may be used to search for design parts. The following conditions apply:
On Object windows, design part codes may be used to search for objects. The following conditions apply: