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(continued...) In many cases the practicalities of the design process do not allow the optimum assembly structure to be established before modelling commences.
What ensues is often a flat structure with most components placed at the root level.
A number of restructuring tools are now available to subsequently create new subassemblies or move parts between them without losing positional relationships.
In complex assemblies it can be frustrating to locate individual components so the new Scroll to Part function available form a pop-up menu when right clicking on a component in the graphics area is a welcome addition.
Although in-place activation of parts for editing within an assembly is a powerful method of working it can take some time to switch between the assembly and part environments.
Peer Variables allow direct access to part variables within an assembly without full activation.
Since variables for multiple parts can be accessed in this way, links can easily be created between them within the assembly.
Visibility in parts and assemblies is enhanced with the ability to manipulate part colours.
The colour can be specified for parts, individual faces and features with the ability to override these part attributes in the assembly if required.
Threads can be graphically represented in colour to maintain identification whilst avoiding the need to build the geometry.