In this, part seven of our Alibre Atom 3D series, we will look at how assemblies can be shown. There are two methods for making assemblies in this program. The first is called ‘bottom up’, whereby the separate parts that come together to make an assembled product are already designed. The second is, not surprisingly, called ‘top down’. This allows parts to be designed as the assembly is created, and parts can be configured to suit the other component parts as they are fitted together. This does not mean that parts cannot be altered when the bottom-up method is used. In fact, it’s not difficult at all to change each part when you find a problem – such as parts not actually fitting together. However, it does mean that you have to open the Individual Part file to make the changes and then update the assembly. We will use bottom-up assembly for the purposes of simplicity.
A handy tool
The example for this exercise is a tool for improving the strength of a lightened sheet-metal panel. Sheet-metal panels are often drilled to reduce weight – typically in aircraft and racing cars. To restore the lost strength and actually increase the
