Externalize internal components

[ltomuta]

I have an assembly in which all components are internal. What I need is a version of this assembly in which all components are external. The main benefit for this would be in the CAM work as it would be a lot easier to do the CAM for each individual component.

But I find that there is no one click option to make this externalization in place, so that the external component would retain the internal component's position relative to the others or e.g. joint relationships.

What I can do is export the component (native format) or save a copy, whatever may be the difference between the two methods, and then insert it back in the assembly. But now I have to figure out the proper snap points so I can position it in the original component's position. Tedious to say the least.

Why is there no "externalize" command? Any add-in that can do this?

[TrippyLighting]

---

@ltomuta wrote:

... The main benefit for this would be in the CAM work as it would be a lot easier to do the CAM for each individual component.

---

That is one of the use cases for the Derive feature!

Create->Derive

[ltomuta]

Well, that would work for the CAM part. But then I should continue to edit the design in the all in one assembly while I rather work with external components and edit in place.

[TrippyLighting]

That functionality isn't available at this time, but I've heard it's on the roadmap. Autodesk usually doesn't share timelines. 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I could be wrong but I suspect there would be technical difficulty here. The internal components share the timeline with the entire design. To externalize a component, it means the timeline will have to be chopped off, sever/keep the dependency properly, and rebuild it in a new component. This process sound simple and straight forward but it could be quite challenging. You could try it manually. You will see the amount of work required. For a simple part, it might be doable. If there are nested components, it can break easily.

Many thanks!

[ltomuta]

If I can do it manually, Fusion should have no trouble doing it as well.
We're talking about the same object at the end of the day. Export it, bring
it back. Now you have the original component and the new xref component as
well. I don't believe for a second that Fusion can't place the xref's
initial position in the same sport as the original and then redirect any
references that could get broken before removing the original.

[TrippyLighting]

---

@ltomuta wrote:
If I can do it manually, Fusion should have no trouble doing it as well.
We're talking about the same object at the end of the day.

---

That might be the case for your designs, but a function set cannot only work for one scenario; it has to work for all scenarios, and there are many of them.