Constraints

[cbrowndde]

I get lots of assemblies sent to me as step files etc. Most have lots of parts. Is there a quick way to "freeze" the assembly without constraining the parts one by one? Pieces often get displaced if I try to drag the assembly around.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

From the <RMB> menu select "Anchor Part" to "fix it" in space.

 

[cbrowndde]

From the <RMB> menu select "Anchor Part" to "fix it" in space.

Thanks Lew,
Can you anchor each part in an assembly with say 100 parts?
AutoCAD 2D has a "group" feature for this and my colleagues use Pro-E which has a "Freeze" function, but this information gets lost when they export stp files.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Thanks Lew,
Can you anchor each part in an assembly with say 100 parts?
AutoCAD 2D has a "group" feature for this and my colleagues use Pro-E which has a "Freeze" function, but this information gets lost when they export stp files.

Yes, you have to "anchor" each one of the "100 Parts" to do so.

 

[DavidJ]

Just select all, then anchor. Can do it in a few seconds.

 

[Ralf]

New Assembly -> Insert your existing assembly as subassembly

Design Explorer -> Right mouse click on the subassembly -> Anchor Part

 

[cbrowndde]

Yes, you have to "anchor" each one of the "100 Parts" to do so.

Lew & DavidJ; OK, I had to ctl-click on each part in the DE, then anchor the whole lot. That will save me a bunch of trouble. Thanks!
Charlie

 

[DavidJ]

Ctrl + A = Select All, also available from Edit in the menu bar.

Shift + Select will select all items from the previous click to the current one in the Design Explorer.

 

[cbrowndde]

Ctrl + A = Select All, also available from Edit in the menu bar.

Shift + Select will select all items from the previous click to the current one in the Design Explorer.

 

[cbrowndde]

Thanks David, those are very handy shortcuts! Such things are hard to find in the Alibre help file.
Charlie

 

[Paul W]

Noticed that if you have sub-assemblies, Ctrl+A will not appear to select them in the tree. Nevertheless, when you do the anchor process, they will also end up anchored as well.

 

[cbrowndde]

Noticed that if you have sub-assemblies, Ctrl+A will not appear to select them in the tree. Nevertheless, when you do the anchor process, they will also end up anchored as well.

Good to know, I have some screws that are entered as sub-assemblies. That brings up another thought, can you release one part or subassembly from an anchored set?

 

[DavidJ]

You need to study 'Make Flexible' if you want to move one part of a sub-assembly - it allows the parts in the sub-assembly to move within the restrictions of any constraints within the sub-assembly (instead of treating the sub assembly as a single lump).

I haven't studied how this interacts with Anchor - so I'd be guessing as to the exact behaviour of using them in combination.

 

[Paul W]

To elaborate: If you expand the sub-assembly the parts are actually selected.

Good to know, I have some screws that are entered as sub-assemblies. That brings up another thought, can you release one part or subassembly from an anchored set?

Select the parts you want to release & right-click anchor. If sub-assembly, select it directly.

 

[cbrowndde]

David, Paul, Thanks for those nice pointers!
Charlie

 

[ajayre]

Thanks David, those are very handy shortcuts! Such things are hard to find in the Alibre help file.
Charlie

Note that those are standard Windows shortcuts that work in almost all applications when you need to select more than one thing.

Andy

 

[cbrowndde]

I learned to use computers way before there was Windows!