Exploding with Assembly4

Discussion about the development of the Assembly workbench.
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project4
Posts: 237
Joined: Fri Jul 12, 2013 12:53 pm

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by project4 »

Sorry, had no progress with that.
Had to set that project aside due to the corona...
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Zolko
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Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:02 am

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by Zolko »

iyd2019 wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:27 pm Any update on this?
there is no automated exploding function, but there are configurations that pretty much do the same, but manually: create 2 configurations, 1 beeing the "default", and the other "exploded". Then, choose the "exploded" configuration, and adjust the AttachmentOffset properties for all parts that you want to explode. For example, set Z to 20mm if you want to offset the exploded part by 20mm. Bear in mind that the attachments still work, therefore all parts attached to that exploded part will follow it's offset, which is the expected behaviour.

The configuration stores the AttachmentOffset and the view/hide properties of objects. You can thus make assembly manuals by creating a configuration for each step, showing only the elements of that step. Lego mounting instruction were the goal for this configuration engine.

When done, switch back to the "default" configuration and do the design as usual. This is quite an effective way to use exploded views. If you encounter difficulties and/or bugs, please report here
try the Assembly4 workbench for FreCAD — tutorials here and here
iyd2019
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:19 am

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by iyd2019 »

hi
Zolko wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:18 pm create 2 configurations
what do you mean with "configuration", two different freecad files?
I just started with ASM4 (but long time/advanced FreeCAD user) and don't recall any feature called "configuration"...
... and adjust the AttachmentOffset properties for all parts that you want to explode. For example, set Z to 20mm if you want to offset the exploded part by 20mm. Bear in mind that the attachments still work, therefore all parts attached to that exploded part will follow it's offset, which is the expected behaviour.

The configuration stores the AttachmentOffset and the view/hide properties of objects. You can thus make assembly manuals by creating a configuration for each step, showing only the elements of that step. Lego mounting instruction were the goal for this configuration engine.

When done, switch back to the "default" configuration and do the design as usual. This is quite an effective way to use exploded views. If you encounter difficulties and/or bugs, please report here
this seems a lot like what I want to achieve... Any tutorial explaining this? (I haven't found any)

my experience so far with ASM4 is being nice... happy to report back in this particular use case :)

regards!
iyd2019
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:19 am

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by iyd2019 »

project4 wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 2:04 pm Sorry, had no progress with that.
Had to set that project aside due to the corona...
no problem.

oddly enough, the project for which I'm looking for this started due to Covid-19 :D

take care!
zisoft
Posts: 48
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2021 6:23 pm
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Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by zisoft »

Zolko wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:18 pm there is no automated exploding function, but there are configurations that pretty much do the same, but manually: create 2 configurations, 1 beeing the "default", and the other "exploded". Then, choose the "exploded" configuration, and adjust the AttachmentOffset properties for all parts that you want to explode.
Just played around with that and it looks very promising.

The only way to "switch" the configurations is to right click the model and choose "Assembly->Restore model", right?
The dropdown configuration property of the model always shows only "default". Would be very convenient to switch it there.
DreiD21
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:08 am

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by DreiD21 »

Zolko wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:18 pm
iyd2019 wrote: Tue Jun 29, 2021 1:27 pm Any update on this?
there is no automated exploding function, but there are configurations that pretty much do the same, but manually: create 2 configurations, 1 beeing the "default", and the other "exploded". Then, choose the "exploded" configuration, and adjust the AttachmentOffset properties for all parts that you want to explode. For example, set Z to 20mm if you want to offset the exploded part by 20mm. Bear in mind that the attachments still work, therefore all parts attached to that exploded part will follow it's offset, which is the expected behaviour.

The configuration stores the AttachmentOffset and the view/hide properties of objects. You can thus make assembly manuals by creating a configuration for each step, showing only the elements of that step. Lego mounting instruction were the goal for this configuration engine.

When done, switch back to the "default" configuration and do the design as usual. This is quite an effective way to use exploded views. If you encounter difficulties and/or bugs, please report here
This approach is actually similar to Solidwork's implementation of assemblies, having separate configurations for exploded and non-exploded views.

But what I like about the Exploded Assembly WB is that it adds trace lines automatically, so when you make the exploded isometric views in TechDraw WB, those lines are already there, and don't need to be added in later.

If the programmers of Assembly 4 were to take this approach of setting a default, non-exploded configuration and an exploded configuration, can you please add the trace line functionality? I'm not a programmer myself (I actually started in Computer Sciences in college, but the Maths required were killing me, so I ended up in Industrial Design).
madslethdanielsen
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed May 06, 2020 6:03 pm

Re: Exploding with Assembly4

Post by madslethdanielsen »

just export your assambly 4 project to a step file.
then import step file to New Document and Now you can do it :D
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