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what's the best way to make an exploded assembly view?

Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 7:22 pm
by rusteberg
never had to make one before........ :roll:

i have a model of something that and i want to show how it all fits together..... open to all suggestions..... other than those that require a parallel bar....

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:01 pm
by lebbeus
well, I did one with Autocad and a "SW isometric" view…solid modeling in ACAD, SW isometric view plotted to .eps (you can also plot to PDF) and opened .eps file in Illustrator for coloring and line work tweaking.

I don't have an image of it on my work machine, I'll post it tonight if I remember

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:07 pm
by rusteberg
Thanks lebbeus!

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 5:16 pm
by lebbeus
I found this on my hard drive, not the image that I was talking about in the above post, but I used the same technique.

it's a PDF: http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=ab33 ... b9a8902bda

These are diagrams I made for my students so that they understood some of the aspects of a zoning code I wrote for my thesis and used in their studio…

hope this helps!

Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 7:42 pm
by mtripoli
What software are you using to generate the model?

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 1:46 am
by rusteberg
generating the model in max. have access to rhino 4, but really only use it for creating drawings from model...... also have adt 2006.... but really only use that for reviewing and cleaning up clients drawings.....

what i was really wondering is, if there is a way to set up assembly in some program that then handles a majority of the "pain" in making an exploded assembly view....

i work with a subconsultant who does have solidworks in his studio if i needed to use that as well....


what i started doing (realizing this after i posted) was taking apart the model within max (sliding parts away from each other) and was then going to use either rhino or adt create dimensions annotations, etc.... but i'm open to any suggestions you may have!

Thanks!

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:26 am
by Bubbaloo
I would do it in ADT. That's what cad programs are made for. You could do all the modelling in Max, then export to cad to dimension/annotate.

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:36 am
by rusteberg
thanks brian! i'll see if i can oil up the autocad gears!!!

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:10 pm
by mtripoli
If you have access to Solidworks this is a butt simple thing to do. Output your files in any one of formats (Step, IGS, etc.). Bring them into Solidworks as an assembly. From there you can do an exploded view with the "wizard" or by hand. Nice thing about this is you can then save it as an eDrawing. The eDrawing viewer is free and allows the viewer to look at the assembly in both the assembled view as well as exploding it. It took more time to write this than it would to do it! :)

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 6:08 pm
by rusteberg
Thanks MIKE!!!! i'll definitely check it out!!! :D :D :D

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 7:37 pm
by mtripoli
Here's a quick example from Solidworks:
Image
Image
Image
Image

Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:09 pm
by rusteberg
:shock: exactly what i'm looking for! Thanks again, i'll give it a shot once things quite down a little in the studio......