Instantiating a 2D Component

You can reuse a 2D component (from a detail sheet or a catalog) in a layout, once or several times.

When you instantiate a 2D component, you create a 2D component instance or an instance.

Before you begin: Open a 3D shape representation containing a layout.
See Also
Creating a 2D Component Reference
Editing a 2D Component Instance
Multiple Instantiation From a List of Points
  1. Double-click the view in which you want to instantiate the 2D component.
    This view is now active.
  2. From the Sketch section of the action bar, click Instantiate 2D Component .
    Important: Double-clicking Instantiate 2D Component lets you position several 2D components on the sheet while keeping the scale and angle properties for all components.
  3. In the tree, click the 2D component under the detail sheet.
    A preview of the 2D component is displayed in the view.
  4. Position the component using SmartPick in the layout.

    The Tools Palette appears with the following commands:



    • Link with detail: Instantiates a 2D component. The component instance is linked with its reference in a detail sheet.
    • Explode: Instantiates and explodes a 2D component. The component instance is not linked to its reference, so behaves as independent geometry and annotations.
    • Fixed together: Instantiates and explodes a 2D component, and apply a fixed together constraint to the geometry elements.

      Important: The fix together constraint is not applied to annotations, dimensions, or dress-up elements.

    • Change component origin: Define another origin in the view.
    • Change component position: Define another position in the view.
    • Change component angle: Define the angle in the view.
    • Flip component horizontally: Rotate horizontally the 2D component instance.
    • Flip component vertically: Rotate vertically the 2D component instance.
    • Angle: Define a value for the angle.
    • Scale: Define a value for the scale.

  5. Select Link with detail .
  6. Click the view.

    The 2D component instance is created.

    In the tree, the 2D component instance is added in the Component Instances node.

    Important: When a 2D component instance is created, by default, the Component Instances node is created but it is not displayed by default. You can specify whether to view this node or not, from Me > Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Mechanical Systems > 2D Layout for 3D Design > Display section, under Tree, by selecting 2D component instances check box.
  7. Optional: Select the component and use the displayed handles to modify the component.

Note: You can easily edit the 2D component reference by right-clicking the 2D component instance, and choosing Edit Reference Component.
Important: If you select Disable direct manipulation and Disable direct scaling check boxes from Me > Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Mechanical Systems > Drafting > Annotation and Dress-up, under 2D Component, you cannot move or scale the component.