Controlling how Bodies are Organised in the 3D-CAD Tree

By default, bodies in 3D-CAD are organised in a tree structure—that is, bodies are nested under other bodies using body groups. You can choose to display all bodies in a flat structure.

To switch to a flat list view of all the bodies:
  1. Right-click the Body Groups manager node and select List View.
    All bodies are organised in a flat structure.

    The names of the bodies are lost as a result of this layout.

  2. To switch back to the default tree view, right-click the Body Groups manager node and select Tree View.
    All bodies are organised in body groups according to the original hierarchy for imported parts or the hierarchy that you created in 3D-CAD.

  3. To remove child body groups while preserving the bodies contained in them:
    1. Right-click a body group that has child body groups and select Flatten.
    2. In the Flatten dialog, within Body Group to Flatten, you can include multiple body groups and also design filters that select body groups.
    3. In the Flatten dialog, optionally activate Delete Body Group. This option moves any bodies within the chosen body group and its child body groups to the parent body group, and then deletes the chosen body group and its child body groups.
    4. Click OK.
    All bodies within the chosen body group and its child body groups are moved within the chosen body group, and all child body groups are removed. If Delete Body Group is activated, the bodies are moved one level higher and the chosen body group is removed. The following image shows a tree before and after applying the Flatten feature.

    The following image shows the result of the same operation if Delete Body Group is activated:

  4. To create a new body group that stores the results from the flattening operation:
    1. In the Flatten dialog, optionally activate Add Results to New Body Group. This option moves the chosen body group and all bodies within it to a new parent body group, and then deletes the child body groups that exist within the chosen body group.
    2. Specify a name for the new body group in the New Body Group Name box.
    3. Click OK.
      The following image shows a tree before and after applying the Flatten feature with the Add Results to New Body Group option activated.

  5. To view the FlattenBodyGroup feature, right-click on the Features node in the simulation tree and select Toggle Visibility of Attribute Features.
  6. To select the hierarchy of a body group from the graphics window:
    1. In the Selection toolbar, click (Selection Filter) and activate Body Groups.
    2. Select a body group in the 3D-CAD View scene.
    3. Right-click on the body group and select Select In Hierarchy.
      The body group at the top of the hierarchy is selected in the 3D-CAD simulation tree.