Inserting a 3D Component into a Design

Once you save one or more components to a library, and create target coordinate systems in the design where you intend to place the component, you can right-click the 3D Component icon in the Project Manager or use the Draw > 3D Component Library commands to browse your folders or libraries, or use the View > Component Libraries to display a Component Libraries window to navigate installed libraries. Alternatively, you can insert an instance of a component by right-clicking the 3D Component icon in the Project Manager and selecting Insert Instance.

From the Component Libraries window, you can navigate the directory of installed components, as well as any in your Personal Library. The hierarchical tree display includes Favorites and Most Recently Used branches.
Component Libraries panel.

You can select any component from the library, and drag and drop to insert it in the design. Double-click any model in the component libraries to insert it into the design. You can also view the Info tab, and select the target coordinate system.

Selecting Browse 3D Components lets you navigate directories via a browser window.

3D Components right-click menu. Browse 3D Component option highlighted.

If you have previously inserted a 3D Component, the Insert Instance command is enabled on the menu. You can use this command to select from 3D Models in the design to easily insert another instance.

3D Components right-click menu. Insert Instance option highlighted.

You can also click Draw> 3D Component Library to access the Browse and Insert Instance menus Fan and Heatsink to select a component to insert into a design.

Note:

The following vendor components are not supported:

  • CAD data-based heatsink components
  • Heatsink components created as an assembly
Draw menu, 3D Component Library option expanded. Browse option highlighted.

A target coordinate system provides a location for a component. For example, a design includes two additional coordinate systems:

Coordinate Systems tree expanded.

Selection of a coordinate system in the History tree displays a potential location for inserting a component.

Coordinate Systems tree expanded. Model viewer displaying the coordinate face.

To Insert a 3D Component from the Menus

  1. Right-click the 3D Component icon in the Project tree to open shortcut menu. You can select Browse to use a browser window navigate the file system to the component.
    2. 3D Component's shortcut menu. Browse option highlighted.

    If you have previously inserted a component into a Project, the shortcut menu for the 3D Component displays that component so that you can easily insert another instance of the same component.

    3D Component shortcut menu. Insert Instance option highlighted.
  2. If you have used Browse, select a component and click Open. If you use the Insert Instance menu, select the component name.

If the component has been encrypted, you may be prompted to enter a password. If you insert another instance of the same component, you do not need to enter the password again for that component.

Authenticate Encrypted 3D Component passwor prompt dialog.

You have three tries to enter the correct password. Upon successfully entering the password, the Insert 3D Component dialog opens with the Encryption tab displayed.

Note: There are some additional considerations with respect to projects using encrypted components. When a project contains encrypted components, the project file and other related files are also encrypted. Encrypted component contents may also be hidden from view in the design where the component is used. For more details, see Create 3D Component Encryption Tab.