Product Detailing Tools

Product Detailing Tools

Product Detailing Tools

Toolbox contains some legacy tools for product detailing. The Product Detailing tools are very different from the dynamic images. These tools allow you to explode products, add part labels, add product labels, add parts lists, and make WMF image files. These tools work with individual products, just like Dynamic Product Images. The difference is that these tools work with the product where it exists in the drawing. Because of this, these tools are often used to create quick views for manufacturing and fabrication and are typically not saved.

To access the Product Detailing tools, in Toolbox, browse to Modify > Product Detailing.

It is helpful to isolate a single product to begin detailing products. This can be quickly accomplished by setting PICKSTYLE to 1 (CTRL +H) and using the AutoCAD ISOLATE OBJECTS (ISO) command. Once the product has been isolated, you can navigate the model space to get the desired view (UN, US, UE, UW, SW, SE, NE, NW). You can also switch between the different visual styles to provide more clarity. You will want to reset the PICKSTYLE back to 0 (CTRL +H).

You can continue to clear up the drawing by hiding the item number and any 2D objects by using the HIDE OBJECTs (HIDEO) command.

Using the Explode Products command will move the parts out in the X, Y, and Z axes. This command requires an explode factor; the default value (0.5) works well. The images below show an exploded view in the southwest isometric view with the Wireframe and X-Ray visual styles.

 

The Add Part Labels command will create a parts list with leaders pointing to the corresponding part.
If the product was not placed at 0,0,0, the parts list would require you to use the STRETCH command to move the list within view of the product.


The Add Product Label command will create a label consisting of the product item number, product name, and the width, height, and depth of the product.

The Parts List command will create a list of the parts at a selected point and will include the part quantity and dimensions.


The Make Windows Metafile command will create a WMF image of the product (requires you to select the product parts in the drawing – text and other objects cannot be selected). This command will prompt you if you want to use a hidden view for the image file. The image is then linked to the product and is used in specific reports once a work order has been created.

The drawing is now ready to be plotted.

As mentioned earlier, this is typically not a process that gets saved back to the drawing since all the text and leader objects are being drawn over the top of the hidden products/objects. The text and leader objects can be erased once the view has been plotted.

To bring the product back to its original form, redraw the product (Modify > Modify Products > Redraw Selected Products).

To reset the drawing (after the text and leaders have been erased), use the UNISOLATE OBJECTS (UNISO) command.


    • Related Articles

    • Drawing Tools

      Drawing Tools To access the Drawing Tools, click on the Draw tab, and then select the Drawing Tools tab. The Drawing Tools interface has three tabs on the right side: Common Commands, Common Text, Common Blocks.   Common Commands Tab The Common ...
    • Product Prompts Drafting Tab

      Product Prompts Drafting Tab Many of the drawing instructions for products can be modified through the Product Prompts. To modify, click on the Product Prompts icon and select a product. Click to access the Drafting tab. Item Number Controls – Allows ...
    • Dynamic Product Images

      Dynamic Product Images Dynamic Product Images are a compilation of Toolbox’s internal FLATSHOT (or metafile) tokens. These tokens allow you to create multiple views of a product quickly. Most of the library products, by default, contain two “sheet ...
    • How to Modify a Product through the Prompts Interface

      Modifying a Product Through the Prompts Interface Once a product has been placed in a drawing, the Product Prompts interface will display.   Specification Group Name – Allows you to assign a specification group to a product. Prompt Tabs – Switch ...
    • How to Modify Multiple Products using Edit Multiple Product Prompts

      Multiple products can be modified using the Edit Multiple Product Prompts function. You can access the prompts for a product by right-clicking in the Draw Products window, or by selecting the Modify tab in Toolbox and selecting the Edit Multiple ...
    • Recent Articles

    • Microvellum Foundation Library Release Notes | Build 24.1025

      The following release notes apply to Microvellum Foundation Library build 24.1025. Additions Added new global variable “Remove Stop Dado On Bottom Edge” for wood drawer boxes. Check this option to run the dado through at the bottom of the sub front ...
    • Toolbox Release Notes | Build 24.1.1030.641

      The following release notes apply to Toolbox build 24.1.1030.641 Routing and Profile Fixes Several issues were found with routing and polyline paths: Fig. 1: Horizontal routes off of a part disappearing (left) and appearing correctly (right). When ...
    • Toolbox Release Notes | Build 24.1.1010.641

      The following release notes apply to Toolbox build 24.1.1010.641 Biesse Winstore Fix Several issues with the Biesse Winstore plugin have been resolved: There was an issue that would sometimes occur wherein materials that were intended to stack wound ...
    • Toolbox Release Notes | Build 24.1.1001.641

      The following release notes apply to Toolbox build 24.1.1001.641 HBore Toolfile Fix Fig. 1: The location in the Toolfile UI where the error would occur. There was an issue reported with the functionality of the Horizontal Boring Machine setting in ...
    • Microvellum Foundation Library Release Notes | Build 24.0919

      The following release notes apply to Microvellum Foundation Library build 24.0919 Additions Added 5 new special Wine Rack products and 9 new Wine Rack Insert subassemblies. Products: Master Vertical Wine Rack Corner Frame Master Vertical Wine Rack ...