SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part III: Working with Assemblies

You may have noticed that each explode step creates a dashed line to show where the explode

came from. Unfortunately, these dashed lines cannot be turned into usable explode lines on docu-

mentation. You must create explode lines manually, using 3D sketches. Although 3D sketches can

be very tricky to use, for this purpose, you can limit their function to simple straight lines. As long

as you try for simple results, the Explode Lines feature should work well.

Collapse Items in the RMB menu refers to expanded ConfigurationManager lists, while Collapse

refers to un-exploding the Exploded View.

To initiate the Explode Line Sketch function, you can choose Insert ➪ Explode Line Sketch. This

displays the Explode Sketch toolbar and the Route Line PropertyManager interface. Creating nice

explode lines takes a little practice, but it is easiest with circular parts, or circular features on parts

with other shapes. Selecting circular edges makes the line start from the center of the circle.

If after you have selected two circular edges, the explode line goes the wrong way, you can click

the arrow at the start of the line. Notice in Figure 14.18 that the line seems to take an unnecessar-

ily circuitous route. This is because the explode directions were not square to the assembly Origin.

To work around this problem to some extent, you can deselect the Along XYZ option in the Route

Line PropertyManager. You can move the jogs by bringing the cursor close to the line and selecting

the arrows that pop up.

FIGURE 14.18

Redirecting explode lines