Once you create your 3D Views, they will be selectable as view options when publishing your part or assembly to a 3D PDF, eDrawings file, or STEP file using the “Publish to 3D PDF”, “Publish to eDrawings”, or “Publish to STEP 242 File” commands on the SOLIDWORKS MBD CommandManager.Traditionally, the complexities and costs associated with design conceptualization (e.g., 3D scanning) and design realization (e.g., 3D printing) have limited the diversity of individuals capable of participating in the process to individuals/entities with advanced technical backgrounds or substantial financial resources. Additionally, hovering over the 3D Views will show details about the view such as the configuration, display state, and annotation views. Similarly, right clicking the preview allows you to rename or delete the view. You can recapture/edit views by right clicking the preview on the 3D Views tab and selecting “Recapture View”.

Selecting Annotation Views will bring in the DimXpert Annotations and any other notes or dimensions that can be seen in the various listed views (*Front, *Right, *Top, Notes Area). You can even create a section view to be included in the 3D view as seen in the image below. This launches a PropertyManager (shown below) that allows you to rename the view, choose the configuration and display state, and select Annotation Views that you want included in the 3D View. To capture the 3D view, click “Capture 3D View” from the 3D Views tab. This is where you will capture your 3D views and where previews of your captured 3D views will reside once created.īefore capturing a 3D view, rotate the part or assembly until it is in the desired position. The 3D Views tab is in the bottom left of your SOLIDWORKS window.

The product and manufacturing information (PMI) that is saved in the view includes the configuration, display state, annotation views, exploded and model break views, reference dimensions and DimXpert annotations, zoomed position, and section views. These custom captured 3D views can be created on both parts and assemblies and are saved under a unique name, giving you the ability to navigate back to the views.

In this blog, we will discuss how SOLIDWORKS MBD makes it easy to capture your own 3D Views that can be used to create and publish 3D PDFs, eDrawings files, or STEP 242 files. SOLIDWORKS MBD is a useful tool where the 3D models you create contain all necessary manufacturing information, eliminating the need for 2D drawings where there is room for interpretation and possibly error.

Capture gif in solidworks