Inserting external 3D objects

Inserting external objects Renaming tabs

Inserting an external 3D object into a project

NOTE FOR USING IMPORTED 3D PDF MODELS: When working with folding sequences, apart from the ability to insert external objects, you can insert also imported 3D PDF models. But note that to qualify for insertion as an external object, a 3D PDF model must first be saved as a still scene in the software it was created with. As a result the individual folding sequence of the 3D PDF model will not be playable when the 3D object has been inserted into the hosting 3D model.

NOTE: Steps 1 to 4 of the procedure that follows apply for external 3D objects. Steps 5 to 8 apply for both external parts and objects. This is so because external parts are automatically added to the 3D Objects dialog box (see Step 1).

To insert an external 3D object into a folding sequence

  1. In a 3D drawing, do any of the following:

The 3D Objects dialog box appears.

The dialog box displays the 3D drawings in the current project.

  1. To begin adding an external 3D object to the project, click the Plus Sign .

The External 3D Browse dialog box appears.

  1. In the External 3D Browse dialog box, browse to find the 3D object that you need.
  2. After you have selected the object that you need, click OK.

A new tab appears in the 3D Objects dialog box. Its name is the same as that of the file name of the object.

The 3D object appears inside a transparent frame that outlines its outer points.

NOTE: To delete the tab of an external object, in the 3D Objects dialog box, right-click the object's tab, and then click Remove Object. This operation is allowed only for external objects that have not been inserted into the active 3D drawing. To delete an external object that has already been inserted into the 3D work area, in the 3D work area, remove the object, and then carry out the operation described in this note. The tabs of external parts cannot be deleted.

  1. (Optional) To scale the external object to fit the structure, click Scale Object .
Scaling and Resizing External Objects
Scale In Length, Height and Depth, enter necessary scaling factors by which EngView will scale the object's length, height and depth. NOTE: If you want the object scaled proportionally, select Keep aspect ratio, and then enter a scaling factor in Length.
Size Еnter individual values in Length, Height and Depth. The object will scale according to these values.
Keep aspect ratio When Scale is selected. When the Keep aspect ratio check box is selected, only Length is available. Entering a value there changes the values in Height and Depth in keeping with the aspect ratio. Clear the check box to start entering an individual value for each dimension.
When Size is selected. Changing any value changes the other two values in keeping with the aspect ratio. Clear the check box to start entering an individual value for each dimension.
  1. In the 3D Objects dialog, position the mouse pointer over the object, and begin dragging toward the 3D work area. Notice that the mouse changes into a stylized hand that is dragging the object.

In the window, the colored field around the object and the hand indicate the dragging toward the 3D work area.

  1. In the 3D work area, use the mouse to position the external object where you need it.
  2. (Optional) Once the external object is in the 3D work area, you can close the 3D Objects dialog box (click the cross sign in its upper right corner) to unclutter Package Designer's work area.
  3. In the 3D work area, begin fine-tuning the position of the inserted external object.

Renaming tabs in the 3D Objects dialog box

If you happen on external objects with curious or unmeaningful names, you can rename their tabs in the dialog box and give them names that make sense to you. This renaming comes in especially handy if you choose to extract these tabs' names for the purposes of creating design frames and print drawings.

  1. After you have inserted the external object into the 3D Objects dialog box (see the above procedure), right-click the object's tab, and then click Rename Object.
 

The Rename External Object dialog box appears.

  1. In New Name, type a new name for the tab, and then click OK.

In the 3D Objects dialog box, the tab is now indicated with the new name.