Mechanical block Properties

Mechanical blocks and context menus are located in the Mechanical Browser panel.

Right-click a mechanical block opens the context menu. mechanical block properties display automatically when selecting one or more mechanical blocks in the Mechanical Browser panel.

Mechanical blocks can be: Main, Insert, and Sub-mechanical block.

Type of mechanical block Rendered visual style Wireframe visual style Hidden
Mechanical blocks (without sub-mechanical blocks)
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Mechanical blocks assembly (with sub-mechanical blocks)
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Standard part mechanical blocks
Mechanical block external reference
Mechanical block assembly external reference
Mechanical entity

* External mechanical blocks have a green arrow: or .

Context menus
Main mechanical block context menu Right-click the main mechanical block name:
  • Remove material from mechanical block: removes the assigned material for the mechanical block.
  • Update: updates the hierarchy of mechanical blocks for the current drawing in case referenced drawing files of sub-mechanical blocks have been modified.
  • Visual Style: All by Viewport: applies the current Visual Style to all mechanical blocks in the assembly (see the SHADEMODE command).
  • Switch all to local: switches all mechanical blocks to internal mechanical blocks (see the BMLOCALIZE command).
  • Switch all to external: switches all mechanical blocks to external mechanical blocks (see the BMEXTERNALIZE command).
  • Add new parameter: creates a new parameter in the assembly.
  • Custom properties: allows you to define custom properties for the drawing. If there are per-instance property sets, a submenu opens:

    Toggle property sets that should be applied to the main mechanical blocks only, or select Configure to open a dialog to configure custom properties.

    If no per-instance property sets are present, the Mechanical Properties dialog box opens.

  • Select all: select all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Select same: select all mechanical blocks with the same name and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlight all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlight all mechanical blocks with the same name and the same parameter values.
  • Create exploded view: create a block with an exploded representation of the current assembly.
  • Renumerate child nodes: renumerates all child nodes according to their types.
  • Renumerate child nodes continuously: renumerates all child nodes with continuous numeration when applicable.

    For example, top-level mechanical blocks will get continuous numbers, but the numeration of their sub-mechanical blocks will not be changed.

  • Collapse all: collapse the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
  • Expand all: expand the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
Mechanical block context menu

Right-click a mechanical block name.

External mechanical blocks context menu (left), local mechanical blocks context menu (right):

  • Open: opens the referenced drawing (see the BMOPEN command).
  • Open a copy: opens a copy of a mechanical block insert as a new drawing (see the BMOPENCOPY command).
  • Update: reloads all referenced mechanical blocks from external files and update BOM tables (see the BMUPDATE command).
  • Replace: replaces a mechanical block insert (see the BMREPLACE command). Replacing a local insert turns it into an external insert.
  • Replace all inserts: replaces all inserts that refer to the same source (see the BMREPLACE command). Replacing local inserts turns them into external inserts.
  • Switch to local: switches an external mechanical block to an internal mechanical block (see the BMLOCALIZE command).
  • Switch to external: switches an internal mechanical block to an external mechanical block (see the BMEXTERNALIZE command).
  • Set material to mechanical block: assigns a physical material to a local mechanical block.
  • Remove material from mechanical block: removes the physical material definition from a local mechanical block.
  • Mechanical block's BOM status: parameter to control the appearance of the mechanical block in BOM tables.
  • Dissolve: dissolves a mechanical block inserted in the current drawing (see the BMDISSOLVE command).
  • Custom properties: opens a dialog to configure custom properties.
  • Unlink: breaks the connection between a mechanical block insert (for example a Window) and a 3D solid (for example a Wall) retaining the opening.
  • Hide () / Show (): hides or shows the selected mechanical block.
  • Make mechanical block standard: transforms the mechanical block in a standard part.
  • Make mechanical block non-standard: transforms the mechanical block in a non-standard mechanical block.
  • Exclude all inserts from section: sets the Sectionable property of all similar inserts to NO. Defines whether an insert is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Visual Style: displays the Visual Style menu. All Visual Styles that are saved in the current drawing are available.
    • By parent mechanical block: renders the selected mechanical block according to the shademode of the parent mechanical block (see the SHADEMODE command).
    • All by Viewport: renders all mechanical blocks according to the current viewport shademode (see the SHADEMODE command).
  • Zoom to: zooms to the selection set.
  • Select: selects the mechanical block.
  • Select all: selects all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Select same: selects all mechanical blocks with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlights all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlights all mechanical blocks with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Delete: removes the selected mechanical block and its sub-mechanical blocks from the assembly.
  • Renumerate similar nodes: renumerates all nodes of the same type and the same level.
  • Renumerate child nodes: renumerates all child nodes with respect to their type and name.
  • Renumerate child nodes continuously: renumerates all child nodes with continuous numeration, regardless of their names.
  • Collapse all: collapses the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
  • Expand all: expands the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
Sub-mechanical block context menu External sub-mechanical blocks context menu (left), local sub-mechanical blocks context menu (right):
  • Open: opens the referenced drawing (see the BMOPEN command).
  • Open a copy: opens a copy of a mechanical block insert as a new drawing (see the BMOPENCOPY command).
  • Hide () / Show (): hides or shows the selected sub-mechanical block.
  • Exclude all inserts from section: sets the Sectionable property of all similar inserts to NO. Defines whether an insert is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Visual Style: see mechanical block Visual Style.
  • Zoom to: zooms to the selection set.
  • Select all: selects all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Select same: selects all mechanical blocks with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlights all mechanical blocks with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlights all mechanical blocks with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Renumerate similar nodes: renumerates all nodes of the same type and the same level.
  • Renumerate child nodes: renumerates all child nodes with respect to their type and name.
  • Renumerate child nodes continuously: renumerates all child nodes with continuous numeration, regardless of their names.
  • Collapse all: collapses the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
  • Expand all: expands the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
Mechanical block parameter context menu Right-click a parameter:
  • Link to parameter: create a link between one or more mechanical block parameters and assembly parameters.
  • Collapse all: collapse the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
  • Expand all: expand the main mechanical block and all mechanical blocks and sub-mechanical blocks.
Properties
Main mechanical block properties Click the main mechanical block name:
  • Type: displays the entity type.
  • Name: type a name for the main mechanical block. By default, the name of the main mechanical block equals the file name.
  • Description: optional description of the main mechanical block.
  • File: shows the path and name of the drawing.
  • Extension type: allows you to identify the mechanical block as a Face Feature, a BIM Component or a Sheet Metal Feature.
  • Sectionable: defines whether the mechanical block is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard part: defines whether this mechanical block is a standard part or not.
  • BOM status: defines the behavior of this mechanical block in a BOM table.
  • Material: defines material of the main mechanical block.
    The Name, Density, and the optional Description are defined in the Physical Materials dialog box.
    Select the Material node and perform one of the following:

    • Click the Browse button () to open the Physical Materials dialog box and choose a material in the Project or Central database list.

      The Density property of the selected material is used by the BMMASSPROP command.

    • Click the Clear material button ().
      The Material field now reads <Inherit>. When the mechanical block is inserted in an assembly, the Material definition is copied from the main mechanical block of the assembly.
  • Custom properties: custom properties assigned by the user, both for all mechanical blocks and for root mechanical block only. Click the Browse button () to open the dialog to configure custom properties.
  • Preferable direction: defines the preferable disassembly direction for the main mechanical block in automatic exploded view.
Mechanical block insert properties Click the mechanical block name:
  • Type: type of the entity. Shows one of the following types: Mechanical block or Mechanical Entity.
  • Name: type a name for the mechanical block. By default, the name of the mechanical block equals the source file name.
  • Mechanical block name: name of the mechanical block as defined in the source file.
  • Description: description of the mechanical block as defined in the source file.
  • Visible: allows you to show or hide the mechanical block in the assembly.
    Choose between:
    • Click the Visible field, click the down arrow button and choose Yes or No.
  • Sectionable: defines whether the mechanical block is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard part: defines whether the mechanical block is standard part or not.
  • BOM status: defines the behavior of this mechanical block in a BOM table.
  • Visual style: allows you to control the visual style for the mechanical block. By default, the visual style is inherited from the viewport.
    Click the Visual style field, click the down arrow button, and choose a visual style in the list.
  • File: shows the path and name of the referenced drawing.
  • Material: shows the material of the mechanical block. For top-level inserts of mechanical blocks or entities, allows you to set a material for that particular instance, therefore overriding the mechanical block material.
    If set to <Inherit>, the material is copied from the main mechanical block.
    If the material is defined explicitly in the source file, this material is used.
  • Parameters: shows the insert’s parameters.
  • Custom properties: shows the insert’s custom properties. By default, properties are inherited from a corresponding mechanical block. For top-level inserts, any of those properties could be overridden with a desired value.
  • Preferable direction: defines the preferable disassembly direction for the mechanical block insert in automatic exploded view.
Sub-mechanical blocks properties Click the sub-mechanical block name:
  • Type: displays the mechanical block insert type.
  • Name: name of the mechanical block as defined in the source file of the parent mechanical block.
  • Mechanical block name: name of the mechanical block as defined in the source file.
  • Description: description of the mechanical block as defined in the source file.
  • Visible: allows you to show or hide the mechanical block in the assembly. Click the Visible field, click the down arrow button and choose Yes or No.
  • Sectionable: defines whether the mechanical block is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard part: defines whether this mechanical block is standard part or not.
  • BOM status: defines the behavior of this mechanical block in a BOM table.
  • Visual style: allows you to control the visual style for the mechanical block. By default, the visual style is inherited from the viewport.
    Click the Visual style field, click the down arrow button, and choose a visual style in the list.
  • File: show the path and name of the referenced drawing.
  • Material: show the material of the sub-mechanical block.
    If set to <Inherit>, the material is copied from the main mechanical block.
    If the material is defined explicitly in the source file, this material is used.
  • Custom properties: shows the insert’s custom properties. By default, properties are inherited from a corresponding mechanical block. For top-level inserts, any of those properties could be overridden with a desired value.
  • Preferable direction: defines the preferable disassembly direction for the mechanical block insert in automatic exploded view.
Selection methods
Select mechanical block(s) in the model The mechanical block(s) highlights in the Mechanical Browser panel.
Click a mechanical block in the Mechanical Browser panel The mechanical block is selected in the drawing. If the Always synchronize selection option is enabled in the Mechanical browser options setting, the mechanical block will be selected in the drawing automatically.