I have an assembly which has 20 parts. I am writing a report about this design, and I want to present all parts in the assembly by explode them. Is there an option in solidworks to explode the assembly to show all the parts? Many thanks.
Open up the Help file for Solid Works and type in "exploded views" under index.
Creating and Editing Exploded Views
You create exploded views by selecting and dragging parts in the graphics area, creating one or more explode steps. In exploded views you can:
Evenly space exploded stacks of components (hardware, washers, and so on).
Attach a new component to the existing explode steps of another component. This is useful if you add a new part to an assembly that already has an exploded view.
If a sub-assembly has an exploded view, reuse that view in a higher-level assembly.
Add explode lines to indicate component relationships.
While an assembly is exploded, you cannot add mates to the assembly.
To create an exploded view:
Click Exploded View (Assembly toolbar) or Insert, Exploded View.
Select one or more components to include in the first explode step.
In the PropertyManager, the components appear in Component(s) of the explode step . A triad appears in the graphics area.
Drag a triad arm to explode the components.
The explode step appears under Explode Steps.
To move or align the triad:
Drag the center ball to drag the triad freely.
Alt + drag the center ball or an arm and drop it on an edge or face to align the triad with the edge or face.
Right-click the center ball and select Align to, Align with Component Origin, or Align with Assembly Origin.
Under Settings, click Done.
The PropertyManager clears and is ready for the next explode step.
Create more explode steps as needed, then click .
An exploded view is stored with the assembly configuration with which it is created. Each configuration can have one exploded view.
You can copy an exploded view from the active configuration to another configuration by dragging ExplView in the ConfigurationManager. You can access the copy of the exploded view when you activate the second configuration.
To auto-space components:
Select two or more components.
Under Options, select Auto-space components after drag.
Drag a triad arm to explode the components.
When you drop the components, one component remains where you drop it, and the software automatically spaces the remaining components equally along the same axis.
You can use the drag handles to move the components and change their order in the chain.
You can change the autospace distance. In the PropertyManager, under Options, move the Adjust the spacing between chain components slider.
To use a sub-assembly's exploded view in an assembly:
Select a sub-assembly for which you have previously defined an exploded view.
In the PropertyManager, click Reuse Sub-assembly Explode.
The sub-assembly explodes in the graphics area, and the steps of the sub-assembly exploded view appear under Explode Steps.
To edit an explode step:
In the PropertyManager, under Explode Steps, right-click an explode step and select Edit Step.
Make the following changes as needed:
Drag components to reposition them.
Select components to add to the step.
Delete components from the step by right-clicking and selecting Delete.
Change Settings.
Change Options.
Click Apply to preview the changes.
Click to undo unwanted changes.
Click Done to complete.
To delete an explode step:
In the PropertyManager, under Explode Steps, right-click an explode step, and select Delete.
Yes, there is.
Open up the Help file for Solid Works and type in "exploded views" under index.
Creating and Editing Exploded Views
You create exploded views by selecting and dragging parts in the graphics area, creating one or more explode steps. In exploded views you can:
Evenly space exploded stacks of components (hardware, washers, and so on).
Attach a new component to the existing explode steps of another component. This is useful if you add a new part to an assembly that already has an exploded view.
If a sub-assembly has an exploded view, reuse that view in a higher-level assembly.
Add explode lines to indicate component relationships.
While an assembly is exploded, you cannot add mates to the assembly.
To create an exploded view:
Click Exploded View
(Assembly toolbar) or Insert, Exploded View.
Select one or more components to include in the first explode step.
. A triad appears in the graphics area.
In the PropertyManager, the components appear in Component(s) of the explode step
Drag a triad arm to explode the components.
The explode step appears under Explode Steps.
To move or align the triad:
Drag the center ball to drag the triad freely.
Alt + drag the center ball or an arm and drop it on an edge or face to align the triad with the edge or face.
Right-click the center ball and select Align to, Align with Component Origin, or Align with Assembly Origin.
Under Settings, click Done.
The PropertyManager clears and is ready for the next explode step.
Create more explode steps as needed, then click
.
An exploded view is stored with the assembly configuration with which it is created. Each configuration can have one exploded view.
To auto-space components:
Select two or more components.
Under Options, select Auto-space components after drag.
Drag a triad arm to explode the components.
When you drop the components, one component remains where you drop it, and the software automatically spaces the remaining components equally along the same axis.
You can use the drag handles
to move the components and change their order in the chain.
You can change the autospace distance. In the PropertyManager, under Options, move the Adjust the spacing between chain components
slider.
To use a sub-assembly's exploded view in an assembly:
Select a sub-assembly for which you have previously defined an exploded view.
In the PropertyManager, click Reuse Sub-assembly Explode.
The sub-assembly explodes in the graphics area, and the steps of the sub-assembly exploded view appear under Explode Steps.
To edit an explode step:
In the PropertyManager, under Explode Steps, right-click an explode step and select Edit Step.
Make the following changes as needed:
Drag components to reposition them.
Select components to add to the step.
Delete components from the step by right-clicking and selecting Delete.
Change Settings.
Change Options.
Click Apply to preview the changes.
Click Done to complete.
To delete an explode step:
In the PropertyManager, under Explode Steps, right-click an explode step, and select Delete.
Related Topics
Exploding and Collapsing an Exploded View
Explode Line Sketch