Dynamic connection routing in virtual product configurations

A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer processor, result in:

• imposing a 3D matrix of cells into a 3D virtual space in a machine memory, the 3D matrix corresponding to a first physical object and able to selectively receive one or more physical object representations corresponding to one or more second physical objects at the cells;
• receiving the one or more physical object representations of the one or more second physical objects at the cells of the 3D matrix, each of the one or more physical object representations comprising a 2D panel with connection ports;
• determining connections between the first physical object and the one or more second physical objects by:
• filtering the connection ports between a machine display representation of the first physical object and a machine display representation of the one or more second physical objects to determine corresponding connection ports on the first physical object and the one or more second physical objects that accept a same connector type;
• determining a route for the corresponding connection ports having the same connector type, the route enabling operability of the first physical object and the one or more second physical objects;
• and
• determining a length of the route;
• operating one or more distinct physical connection controls on a machine display to apply the connections between the corresponding connection ports, each of the one or more connection controls representing a physical connector;
• and
• generating on the machine display an assembly comprising a representation of the connections, the first physical object, and the one or more second physical objects.