anyway to export asm in a exploded view?

[Drutort]

I wanted to export an asm that I have an exploded view, but I can't find away to get the exploded view to stay in regular mode, and export it to a file like stp or any other format but in the exploded state.

I know I can save the exploded view and use it in 2d drawings... but that's about it.

 

[depasquale]

Only thing I can think of is to manually explode and then lock the components in position, then try exporting, I even tried publishing to pdf but it still does not stay exploded.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

When you go to the drawing editor you can select "use exploded view" in your view placement options. I do it so often that I cannot think the process without stopping and pulling up a drawing (which I do not have time to do right now) to place an exploded view. The process is described in the (V2012) User's Guide reasonably well.

 

[Drutort]

When you go to the drawing editor you can select "use exploded view" in your view placement options. I do it so often that I cannot think the process without stopping and pulling up a drawing (which I do not have time to do right now) to place an exploded view. The process is described in the (V2012) User's Guide reasonably well.

Yes I am aware of the 2D option, but I was hoping there was a way to have the exploded view stay in 3D to be able to export it to different format in that exploded state

There are way too many constraints and it would take far too long then I care to do, to manually offset each thing or get rid of the constraints, but there is no easy way to make sure things are also aligned when manually moving items.

it just seems like this would be a very nice feature to have, and should be easy to implement, im only asking for the exploded to have option to stay in the normal 3D editing and viewing area.

I too tried to stay in the exploded view and go to export but the model exports without, I guess it must leave the "exploded view" mode before exporting.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Depending on which system you have, you can either create a configuration or a separate model wherein the constraints are reset to create an exploded version of your model that can be treated as a separate version of your design.

 

[craneaero]

I suggest you that you investigate the capabilities of 3D pdf export.
It seems that it will do exactly what you require.
You can even explode and unexplode the assembly from within the 3D pdf.

I have tried it a couple of times and it seems to work OK.
It pays to read the manual first though.

I use GD Expert, which I believe has enhanced 3D pdf export. I hope it works in your version.

Regards

 

[Drutort]

I suggest you that you investigate the capabilities of 3D pdf export.
It seems that it will do exactly what you require.
You can even explode and unexplode the assembly from within the 3D pdf.

I have tried it a couple of times and it seems to work OK.
It pays to read the manual first though.

I use GD Expert, which I believe has enhanced 3D pdf export. I hope it works in your version.

Regards

Thank you for that tip, this is great news, I did not look at the 3D PDF in depth because I thought it was just a bit silly, something like a screen capture, so it seemed. Guess I was wrong, its possible because im using 3rd party PDF programs and not adobe? cause I dislike its overall bloatedness and third part apps are far lighter and faster, esp freeware that gives a number of nice features that adobe does not. But 3D seems something new.

yes I have the expert which is now called just Design...

 

[Drutort]

Depending on which system you have, you can either create a configuration or a separate model wherein the constraints are reset to create an exploded version of your model that can be treated as a separate version of your design.

I had issues with the configurations, mostly the things that I wanted done, that it does not do, modified sketches? I couldnt even have the config hide or suppress stuff. I am also having quite the bugs in 2D drawings, now my snap on points are not activating when I am using basic 2d shapes, they only activate when I do dim, then I can cancel that and use the 2d tools, or require me to through a random dimension so I can get the snap point were the dimension was placed then delete the dimension. But thats a seperate issue :roll:

 

[depasquale]

Are you aware that you can also move the individual parts of an assembly in Keyshot so you can render your assy model then move the components individually to create a "rendered exploded view" which works very well for presentations.

 

[Drutort]

Does anyone know if using Sim-Lab's 3d PDF version allows me to export the 3D PDF file into some other format? can I edit 3D PDF's? and extract the model? for example at least stl?

reason for asking is I can export 3D PDF any view in GM including exploded views so if I can edit or export with sim-labs PDF program to different format from the 3D PDF that would be awesome.

 

[Ralf]

With SimLab Composer V2014:

Alibre-Geomagic Design v2014 -> Export -> STEP (AP 203 / AP 214)

SimLab Composer V2014 Import -> Save

Select your Assembly -> Tools -> Explode Geometry
.

 

[Ralf]

1.Explosion first direction / axis
.

 

[Ralf]

2.Explosion second direction / axis
.

 

[Ralf]

3.Explosion third direction / axis
.

 

[Ralf]

SimLab Composer V2014 "Explosion" Export (file formats) :
.

 

[Drutort]

Thanks Ralf,

I noticed you did not use the plugin? Is there issue with using plugin in GM to SimLab?

WOW I am very impressed for $100 that SimLab took the 3d PDF by GM, the exploded view, and I exported it into STL file in exploded view! now I can use MeshLab and simplify the exploded view model! save it and I can view it on my Android device, since 3D PDF is not developed on android, I know I can export to proprietary Simlab mobile format, but there are a lot of STL apps for android.

Only thing left to try other formats that some of the readers/viewers work with in android.

The plugin, I was just trying and it did not seem to go too well, ate up all my cores to 100% and stayed that way for a bit. So I will be doing it how you (Ralf) have shown.

Thank you!

 

[Ralf]

I noticed you did not use the plugin? Is there issue with using plugin in GM to SimLab?

Please take a look:
Win 7 / 64 bit - 16 GB RAM
Alibre-Geomagic Design V2014 / 64 bit
SimLab Composer V2014 / 64 bit
.

 

[Drutort]

I noticed you did not use the plugin? Is there issue with using plugin in GM to SimLab?

Please take a look:
Win 7 / 64 bit - 16 GB RAM
Alibre-Geomagic Design V2014 / 64 bit
SimLab Composer V2014 / 64 bit
.

I am using the trial of sim lab, but:

I could easily use the plugin for single part. Now I am doing an asm, of far fewer parts then the example that you have, and with my system the importing geometry bar keeps on going and repeating, for a few min 10+.

my system is different, GM is 32bit (CAM software is 32bit and plugin does not work in 64bit), windows is 64bit SimLab is 64bit. SimLab did not want to install in 32bit, and I tried to put 64bit plugin it did not install, because GM is 32bit install.

 

[Ralf]

I suspect the problem could be, with 32 bit you have a limit of available ~ 3 GB
and to be honest I use SSD`s therefore the "import time" may vary...

 

[MikeHenry]

Alibre-Geomagic Design V2014 / 64 bit

8)