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Table Of Contents
Mechanical Desktop Environments | 15
Mechanical Desktop Environments
Mechanical Desktop has two working environments: Assembly Modeling
and Part Modeling.
Assembly Modeling Environment
This is the environment Mechanical Desktop uses when you start the
program or create a new file by using File New. Any number of parts and
subassemblies can coexist in the same drawing.
The advantages of the Assembly Modeling environment are
More than one part can be created in the same drawing.
Individual part files, and other assemblies or subassemblies, can be exter-
nally referenced or localized and used to build a complex assembly.
Different versions of a part can be displayed in the same file.
Scenes containing explosion factors, tweaks, and trails can be created.
There are three modes in the Assembly Modeling environment: Model,
Scene, and Drawing.
Model Mode
In Model mode, you create as many parts as you need. Parts may be local or
externally referenced. Create subassemblies and save them for use in larger
assemblies. Build assemblies from any number of single part files, subassem-
blies, and assemblies. You can also generate a BOM (Bill of Material) database
so a list of parts can be placed in your final drawing.
Scene Mode
In Scene mode, you set explosion factors for your assembled parts and create
tweaks and trails. These settings govern how your drawing views represent
your assemblies.
Drawing Mode
In an assembly file, you can place balloons to reference the parts in your
assembly. You can create a parts list with as much information as you need
to define your parts. To illustrate how parts in an assembly fit together, you
can create base views on exploded scenes.