Translations:Assembly3 Workbench/61/en

Tips & Tricks

 * Using hierarchical assemblies helps in avoiding solver issues and keeping you model fluid. You can freeze a subassembly with one click and save CPU resources easily (use the context menu in the tree). When loading an assembly Assembly3 does not need to open external files for frozen subassemblies which keeps the tree compact.
 * Is very helpful to make it a habit to name the elements and constraints. Use the key to do this quickly in the tree. You will find the tree sorting tools in the main toolbar very useful. An assembly with fully named constraints and elements is very easy to understand for other people or for oneself when looking at an older file.
 * Examples for constraint names for a table could be "Align_FrontLegs", "Align_FrameBottom-LegTops" and element names could be "Leg1_Top" or "TableTop_Front", "TableTop_Left".
 * Please note that once external files are opened by an assembly its not possible easy to close them again without closing the assembly. Since the assembly keeps open those files in the backgound, the tab may disappear but the file remains visible in the tree. If you have several layers of subassemblies it becomes close to impossible to close single files. This behaviour may change, but until then a possible approach could be to regulary use the commands File/Save All and File/Close All to clean up the tree before working on another sub-assembly.
 * ''Example: consider you have a large CNC machine with a main assembly and a subassembly for each module. Once you have the main assembly open it may open literally hundreds of files down to a single ball bearing. Before working on the subassembly of the electronics cabinet of the machine it is a good idea to save and close all files to get an empty tree. Then open just the subassembly for the electronics cabinet. This will open all file it needs but ony those.
 * Using external files makes it easier to re-use a parts or do part versioning with systems like git or subversion. The workflow in FreeCAD with Assembly feels quite the same as with files that have all parts in the same file. For exchanging files often with other parties, single files might be more convenient.
 * Multiply linked parts. If you added a link into the assembly, it will have a property value named "Element Count", default 0. If you set this to 3 you get 3 instances of that part. They will be added into a subfolder and can be used like fully separte parts. Use this feature to keep the data footprint of your file low, because the part is saved only once. Each instance only contain the differences.
 * Insert multiple parts, e.g. Screws, with one click. Check out the Assembly3 Wiki on the Github site. This is not only a stunning function (even a bit magic), but really really useful.