To make an exploded view in Inventor, create a presentation file (File > New > Standard.ipn), pick your assembly, then use Tweak Components to drag parts apart along an axis. Each tweak becomes a step you can play as an animation or place on a drawing.
Lesson 8 of my Autodesk Inventor series. A presentation file takes an assembly and pulls it apart on screen, step by step, so you can show how the parts go together. It’s what you use for exploded views and simple assembly animations. In this lesson we’ll make a tiny two-part assembly, a block and a pin, and then animate the pin coming out of the block:
- Make the parts and the assembly
- Bring the assembly into a presentation
- Move parts with Tweak Components
Make the parts
Model two parts, Part A (the block) and Part B (the pin), and save them in the same folder. If you need help with the modeling, see lesson 1: getting started.
Make the assembly
- In the New File dialog, create a Standard assembly.
- On the Assemble tab, click Place.
- Select both parts, A and B, and click Open.
Both parts show up in the workspace:
Constrain the pin into the block
- Start Constrain: Assemble tab > Relationships panel > Constrain.
- Constrain the center of the hole to the center of the pin.
- The pin goes into the hole. Click OK.
- Click and drag the pin until it’s flush with the front face of the block.
- Save the assembly.
How do I put an assembly in a presentation?
- Click New Presentation on the ribbon.
- Select the assembly you just saved and click Open.
The presentation opens:
How do I use Tweak Components?
- On the Presentation tab, Component panel, click Tweak Components. In the dialog, change Local to World in the drop-down.
- Click the face of Part B. The move axes appear.
- Grab the Z axis arrow and drag Part B out of Part A to the left.
Your screen should look like this:
- Drag Part B along the Y axis…
- …and then along the X axis.
- In the Storyboard at the bottom of the screen, click Rewind, then Play. Inventor plays back each move you made.
How do I put an exploded view on a drawing?
In the drawing, place a Base View and pick the presentation (.ipn) file instead of the assembly. You can then choose the exploded view.
Why isn’t my exploded view updating?
The presentation follows the assembly, but new parts added later aren’t tweaked. Add tweaks for them. If the parts moved in the assembly, check that the presentation still uses the right view.
Next up: Lesson 9: Advanced tools.
