Exploded View (EVD) From AutoCAD

[Drafter1981]

To All,

I’m just wondering if there is a way to create an “Exploded View” in AutoCAD without having to use external software, or a "Trial Version of Inventor" to recreate the wheel here, or to export this out to another developer?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Please read on if you care.

Here is the background story: My customer has been looking for an “Industrial Engineer” to help with some simple CAD files/drawings because their consultant couldn’t understand the “Hand Sketches” that were pretty much clear as the day to me.

1st issue: Is there doesn’t seem to be a lot of “Industrial Engineering Companies” or individuals that would be willing to take on a small project.

My solution is to just simply help even though 90% of the work I’ve been doing is in the construction field.

2nd issue: It seems my customer has another “Tech-Consultant” that insist the drawing be done in some format other than “AutoCAD” ☹ Mind you, he also insisted the files couldn’t be converted.

My Solution: I provided “Full” AutoCAD’s, Assembly Drawing, (a full assembled item) along with individual parts and pieces, with dimensions. I went as far as printing full sized drawings, (on PDF/Paper) and matched them up to the customers prototype & yes, they were exactly the right size (except in paper).

3rd issue: “Files Cannot be converted”?

My Solution: I provided converted files to “STL” format just so the customer & their manufacturer had something to view since they did not have or use AutoCAD. 3D STL files can be viewed in “MS-3D Paint” without the use of conversion software & if they wanted to create a small prototype in a 3D printer, they have the ability to do that. In Addition, I also used AutoCAD “Mechanical” simply just to “Convert DWG’s to STP” format (STEP Files) which the consultant can use if he is going to send the work offshore.

As far as the “Exploded View”, I used the STL files, imported them into 3D-Paint and created an “Exploded View” along with a parts-list showing the items, (please see example below or attachment). Obviously, the manufacturer should now be able to take the AutoCAD’s or the STP files and go hog wild with creating or making the parts.

Again, any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Milt (a.k.a Drafter1981)

[pendean]

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@Drafter1981 wrote:

To All,

I’m just wondering if there is a way to create an “Exploded View” in AutoCAD without having to use external software, or a "Trial Version of Inventor" to recreate the wheel here, or to export this out to another developer?

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. Please read on if you care.

---

For old AutoCAD, your choices are few but are well documented on the web, I'll get your search started here 

https://www.google.com/search?q=exploded+view+in+autocad 

[milton_fitzgerald]

Hi Dean,

Long time no speak sort of. Anyway, thanks for your input and sorry for not responding to your reply any sooner. To make a long story short, I was able to just go ahead and create a new "exploded - view" drawing for my customer. 

This was a good learning experience for both of us because,

"The Consultant" (that my customer was using) really didn't know what they were doing ☹️.

I felt bad for them because they paid a lot for there advice and the person(s) that we farmed the work out to really only needed "PDF's", (yea, go figure). This means not only did they pay a high consultant fee, the people they needed to farm the work out to could have just used their sketches to create the manufactured items.

BTW, "NONE" of the manufactures (at least here in the United States), use real CAD files to work with & if they do, they literally want a million dollars just to make simple items.

As always, Thanks again for your help & tips.

Milt, (a.k.a "Drafter1981")

@pendean @Drafter1981 

[pendean]

Thanks for the follow up Milt!