When this is the right tool
- You received a STEP assembly but do not own the CAD it came from.
- Marketing, documentation or support needs assembly drawings, and the engineers are busy.
- You need the same manual in several languages.
- You want an assembly animation as well as still drawings.
How the exploded view is built
Each part is moved out along the direction it is fitted from: the longest free direction around it, so a screw comes out along its axis and a cover lifts off its face. The parts of one step move together, so an exploded drawing shows exactly what that step adds. The overview page shows the whole product exploded with a numbered pin on the largest parts, matching the parts list.
Steps
- Open the STEP file in the workbench (drag and drop).
- Turn the model and look at the exploded view; the timeline at the bottom plays the assembly.
- Let the AI plan the order, or keep the automatic order (largest parts first).
- Export the exploded overview as part of the PDF, the A4 poster, or the animation.
Compared with doing it in CAD
| AssemblyStep | Exploded view in CAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Needs | a browser and the STEP file | a licence of that CAD and the native files |
| Step order | planned by AI, editable | made by hand, step by step |
| Output | manual PDF, poster, MP4 animation | drawing views; animation with extra work |
| Exact control of every offset | no: directions are automatic | yes |
For a production drawing with exact offsets and balloons tied to a BOM, use your CAD. For a clear manual or animation from a file you only have as STEP, this is much faster.
Questions
Does it work with a STEP file of a single part?
A single solid has nothing to explode. The workbench shows it in a moving section instead. Use an assembly STEP.
Can I export the exploded view as an image?
The A4 poster is one page with the exploded overview and the full parts list; the PDF pages can be saved as images by any PDF viewer.
1 free AI plan a day · your STEP file stays in your browser
Open the workbench