Before You Begin With Generative Drafting

This topic introduces the main concepts that you need to understand before you begin using Generative Drafting.

The following topics are discussed:

What Is Generative Drafting?

Generative Drafting enables you to create drawings containing views which result from specifications in 3D parts, 3D products, and even .model documents. These specifications can correspond either to the whole 3D part/product, or to an element contained in this 3D part/product.

Such views, also known as generative views, are associative to the 3D. You can generate dimensions in views, which are also associative.

View generation supports latest functionality such as:


  • Flexible assemblies (also known as PMR, Positionable Mechanical Reference). The assembly is represented, dimensioned, annotated, etc. taking into account its flexible position. For more information about flexible assemblies, refer to the VPM Physical Editor User's Guide.
  • Volumic filters and perforating filters (PVS). Refer to VPM Navigator User's Guide for more information.

Projected 3D Representations

Generative Drafting enables you to define the type of 3D representation that you want to project in views. It is recommended to do so before you actually start generating views.

You can do this:

  • mainly through the use of product filters. Product filters offer advanced possibilities, enabling you to define criteria (such as attribute values, or volumic criteria) to specify the subset of a product to be represented in the view. When creating a view by selecting a filter, only the products or representations that meet this criteria will be projected. Refer to More About Views with Filters for more information.

  • or through the 3D extracted representations setting. This setting lets you specify whether you want to create views from all design representations, from only the first level of design representations (surrounded in blue in the example below), or from all 3D representations in session.



    You can define this setting, through Tools > Options > Mechanical > Drafting > View tab, View Generation area. Refer to View for more information.

    You can check what type of 3D representation a view was created from, by right-clicking the view, selecting Properties and clicking the Generation tab. The 3D extracted representations property indicates whether the current view was created from all design representations, from only the first level of design representations, or from all 3D representations in session. This property cannot be modified. Refer to Generation Tab for more information.