Organize Assemblies, Parts, and Bodies

Use the Part Browser and the right-click menu options to organize your model into a hierarchy of assemblies, parts, and bodies.

A part assembly is a collection of different parts and/or other assemblies.

A part is an engineering representation of a physical part in the model.

Solid bodies and surface bodies reflect the content within each part. Solid bodies contain a solid, and surface bodies contain a group of surfaces.

In the Part Browser, parts and assemblies are represented by , solid bodies by , and surface bodies by .

Create a New Part

Right-click in empty space in the Part Browser and select Create > Part.
An empty part is added to the model structure.

Rename Parts and Assemblies

  1. Right-click on a part or assembly in the Part Browser and select Rename.
  2. Type a new name then press Enter.

Replace Parts and Assemblies

  1. Right-click on a part or assembly in the Part Browser and select Replace.
  2. Browse for and select the replacement file.
  3. If you are replacing an FE model with a CAD file, define mesh option used in the conversion.
  4. Click Replace.

Change the Color of Parts and Assemblies

  1. Click the color swatch in the column of the Part Browser.
    A color palette displays.
  2. Optional: Change the color scheme using the drop-down menu.
  3. Choose a new color to represent the selected parts or assemblies.
Tip:
  • Click to assign and save custom colors.
  • If multiple parts/assemblies are selected, click to automatically assign unique colors to them.

Move Bodies Between Parts

Do one of the following:

  • Right-click on a solid body or a surface body in the Part Browser and select Move to new part.
    A new part containing the select bodies is created.
  • Drag-and-drop bodies into existing parts in the Part Browser.

Convert Solid Bodies to Surface Bodies

This option is useful if you're required to use surfaces from different solids in order to form a new solid.

Do one of the following:

  • Right-click on an assembly, part, or a solid body in the Part Browser and select Destroy solid topology.
    Right-clicking on a part destroys the solid topology of all its associated bodies; an assembly destroys the solid topology of all its parts.
  • Navigate to the Geometry ribbon. Select a solid in the modeling window then right-click and select Edit > Destroy solid topology.
The solids are split into a collection of surfaces.

Convert Surface Bodies to Solid Bodies

Do one of the following:

  • Right-click on an assembly, part, or a surface body in the Part Browser and select Fix surface bodies.
    Right-clicking on a part fixes the surfaces of all its associated bodies; an assembly fixes the surfaces of all its parts.
  • Navigate to the Geometry ribbon. Select a surface or group of surfaces belonging to a surface body in the modeling window then right-click and select Edit > Fix Surface Body.
Surfaces within the selected surface bodies are fixed by stitching free edges and patching free edge holes. The solid bodies are then constructed out of closed shells.
Note: When you are ready to validate the model, all bodies should be solid bodies.

Split Parts By Bodies

Do one of the following:

  • Right-click on a part in the Part Browser and select Split > By bodies.
  • Navigate to the Geometry ribbon. Select a part then right-click and select Edit > Split by Bodies
A new part is created for each body.

Split Surface Bodies by Connectivity

Split a selected surface body into multiple surface bodies based on the connectivity of surfaces.

Right-click on a surface body in the Part Browser and select Split > By Connectivity.
Surface bodies are created out of connected surface patches.

Split Surface Bodies by Face

Split a selected surface body into multiple surface bodies based on a feature angle.

Go to File > Preferences > Geometry to adjust the feature angle.
Right-click on a surface body in the Part Browser and select Split > By Face.
Surface bodies are created out of surface face patches.

Merge Parts

  1. Navigate to the Geometry ribbon.
  2. While in idle mode, select the parts to merge.
  3. Right-click in the modeling window and select Edit > Merge Parts.

Delete Empty Parts

Right-click in empty space in the Part Browser and select Delete empty parts.
Parts that don't contain a body are removed from the model.

Delete Empty Assemblies

Right-click in empty space in the Part Browser and select Delete empty assemblies.
Assemblies that don't contain parts are removed from the model.

Fix the Database

Right-click on the top-level Model folder in the Part Browser and select Fix Database.
Visibility is reset, the validate flag is reset, inconsistent solid bodies and surface body organization is fixed, and FE geometry is added to floating elements.