Insert Components/Begin Assembly PropertyManager

You can add components to new or existing assemblies. The name of the PropertyManager depends on whether you are creating a new assembly or working in an existing assembly.

• Begin Assembly. Appears when you create a new assembly. You can insert components or create a layout sketch.

• Insert Components. Appears when you insert components into an existing assembly.

To insert components into an assembly:

1. Do one of the following:

   • Create a new assembly document by clicking New (Standard toolbar) or File, New.

- or -

Previously saved documents that are currently open appear under Part/Assembly to Insert.

Click to pin the PropertyManager if you want to insert multiple components without having to re-open the PropertyManager.

2. Select a part or assembly from the list, or click Browse to open an existing document.

3. Click in the graphics area to place the component, or click to place the component origin coincident with the assembly origin.

If the PropertyManager is not pinned, it closes.

If the PropertyManager is pinned, click again in the graphics area to add another instance of the selected component, or repeat steps 2 and 3 to add a different component.

To create a layout:

When creating a new assembly, click Create Layout in the PropertyManager.

- or -

In an existing assembly, click Create Layout (Layout Tools toolbar).

Thumbnail Preview

Displays previews of components you select under Part/Assembly to Insert.

Options

• Start command when creating new assembly. Select to open the Begin Assembly PropertyManager when you create a new assembly. Clear if your first assembly task is commonly something other than inserting components or creating a layout.

• Graphics preview. Select to see a preview of the selected document in the graphics area under your pointer.

• Make Virtual. Makes the component you are inserting virtual . Making a component virtual breaks the link to the external component file and stores the component definition inside the assembly file. Exception: If the external file is a derived part, the virtual component retains references to the parent of that part. You can manually break these external references in the virtual part.