Alibre Atom 3D. Another question.

I have the trial version of Alibre Atom 3D and I have been using assembly to design a small engine. It's only practice so the design is rubbish. But when I create a new part within the assembly, not import a part, I can't seem to rename it. The Alibre forum seems to be divided on whether this is a problem or not. I get the impression that there is a workaround. Is there?

Try this

Create your new part and then click save. You will get a box come up with two items listed - the assembly and below that "new part" if you right click where it says "newpart" you can then change it's name

Edited By JasonB on 15/05/2023 17:06:26

Thanks Jason.

I fired up my cad computer as soon as I saw your reply, altered the names of the 3 parts, and the the name of the assembly file. Works perfect!

I just had a look at that, made a part etc.

But it wouldn't move, seemed to be permanently anchored

Sooo?

Delete it in assembly. Then pull the saved item in via insert design and its fine

Edited By Ady1 on 15/05/2023 17:59:04

The new parts move about and can be constrained just like any other for me.

Whichever way, as long as it works

It may be helpful to enable 'Prompt for new file names' in System Options -> All workspaces -> General ; that way you'll get a dialogue allowing you to set name each time you start a new design.

Thaks David, I will set that later. Some of my engine designs can have thirty odd parts, it's much easier to keep track if they have a name!

Lee it is also worth thinking about building things up with sub assemblies which keeps things easier to handle. For example you could assemble a piston, wrist pin, conrod, big end cap and big end bearings as a separate assembly and then insert that into your main engine assembly as many times as you have cylinders for it.

This can also save having to try and assemble parts when they are in the deepest depths of an assembly.

Slow down a bit Jason! I'm only on day three. Thanks for the suggestion though, that's a good idea. I will learn my mistakes on the first several designs then try to produce something workable.

Ady,

When you make a new part 'in context' of the assembly, the part workspace shares reference geometry with the assembly. Will only be able to move the new part when you return to editing the assembly, and depending upon exactly how you modelled the part - movement can be restricted if you used geometry from other parts to define it.

David.

I thought it was me, just couldn't see which button to press

lee.

When I did LBSCs BAT I made the steamchest and cylinder in a separate assembly then "insert design" -ed it into the main assembly and glued it on, very handy for bigger jobs