Available in: Assembly

Create a new Part Studio in the context of an existing assembly; positioning the assembly specifically for use when modeling the part. The assembly appears in the Part Studio as context graphics to be used for reference.

Modeling a part in the context of surrounding parts is a powerful way to design top-down. Onshape provides a few methods of designing parts top-down. Each method has its own strengths, so you might want to use different methods for different designing scenarios:

  • If you have an Assembly and wish to create a new part in a new Part Studio in context, use the Create Part Studio in context tool (explained in this topic).
  • When you have one or more a pre-existing parts and Part Studios, use in-context modeling. This is used when relationships between parts that were created in separate Part Studios, or even in different (linked) documents are needed.

    This is also a good option when geometric relationships are dependent on assembly position. This often occurs when your Assembly already exists and you need to make some in-context edits to one of the parts. This approach also scales well to large assemblies, when it's not feasible to have one parametric history drive all the parts.

  • Use Onshape multi-part Part Studios when you have a strong understanding of your design intent at the start of your design process, and you want to use the power of a single parametric history to drive several inter-related parts.

To learn more about in-context design, you can follow the self-paced course here: Managed In-Context Design (Onshape account required).

  1. Click Create Part Studio in context icon.
  2. Select a Mate connector (implicit or explicit) or the Assembly origin as the origin of the new Part Studio sketch planes.
  3. Click Accept checkmark icon.
  4. A new Part Studio is created and opened.

    Notice the references planes appear and align with the point of origin or Mate connector (implicit or explicit) you selected. A message is included at the top of the graphics area with a dropdown (Insert and go to assembly/Go to assembly).

  5. Begin modeling in the context of the assembly by creating a sketch or selecting another modeling tool. Notice the assembly is shown visually dimmed.
  6. Select an in-context reference entity as the basis of your action and notice the entity is highlighted in purple/pink.

    A Context object is created in the Assembly Contexts list at the top of the Part Studio’s Feature list.

    The new feature in the Feature list has a context arrow Context arrow icon indicating the feature was created using a reference from a context of an Assembly.

  7. When the part is created, select either:
    1. Insert and go to assembly - Insert the part back into the Assembly and open that Assembly:
      1. Select the part (or parts, if more than one was created) to insert back into the Assembly.
      2. Click Accept checkmark icon.
      3. Notice the part in the Assembly Instances list has a context arrow Context arrow icon indicating it was created within a specific context of the Assembly and is the primary instance of the part in context.
    2. Go to assembly - Open the Assembly without inserting the new part.

      If you later insert the part through the Insert part tool in the Assembly, the Context of the part is not associated with the primary instance of the part for positioning the assembly, and is represented by a dashed arrow Context of the part is not associated with the primary instance dashed arrow icon, instead of the solid arrow representing the primary instance.

To learn more about in-context modeling, including editing in context, updating a Context, and exiting a Context, see Modeling in Context.

Steps

  1. In an Assembly, open the context menu (three vertical dots) for the Assembly origin (in the Instances list).
  2. Tap the Create Part Studio in context icon ().

    iOS Assembly toolbar: Display states and Create Part Studio in context tools

  3. Select the Assembly origin to act as the new Part Studio origin: either the Assembly origin or a Mate connector in the Assembly.
  4. Tap the checkmark.
  5. A new Part Studio opens.

    A message is included at the top of the graphics area with a dropdown menu (containing Go to assembly/Insert and go to assembly commands).

  6. Begin modeling in the context of the assembly by creating a sketch or selecting another modeling tool. Notice the assembly is shown visually dimmed.
  7. Select an in-context reference entity as the basis of your action and notice the entity is highlighted. You can use the geometry of the referenced assembly to create new geometry (through the Use tool).

    A Context object is created in the Assembly Contexts list at the top of the Part Studio's Feature list.

    The new feature in the Feature list has a context arrow icon indicating the feature was created using a reference from a context of an Assembly.

  8. When the part is created, select either:
    1. Insert and go to assembly - Insert the part back into the Assembly and open that Assembly:
      1. Select the part (or parts, if more than one was created) to insert back into the Assembly.
      2. Tap the checkmark.
      3. Notice the part in the Assembly Instances list has a context arrow icon indicating it was created within a specific Context of the Assembly and is the primary instance of the part in context.
    2. Go to assembly - Open the Assembly without inserting the new part.

      If you later insert the part through the Insert part tool in the Assembly, the Context of the part is not associated with the primary instance of the part for positioning the assembly, and is represented by a dashed arrow icon, instead of the solid arrow representing the primary instance.

To learn more about in-context modeling, including editing in context, updating a Context, and exiting a Context, see Modeling in Context.

Create a new Part Studio in the context of an existing assembly, positioning the Assembly specifically for use when modeling the part. The assembly appears in the Part Studio as context graphics to be used for reference.

Steps

  1. In an Assembly, open the context menu (three vertical dots) for the Assembly origin (in the Instances list).
  2. Tap Create Part Studio in context icon.
  3. Select the Assembly origin to act as the new Part Studio origin: either the Assembly origin or a Mate connector in the Assembly.
  4. Tap the checkmark.
  5. A new Part Studio opens.

    A message is included at the top of the graphics area with a dropdown menu (containing Go to assembly/Insert and go to assembly commands).

  6. Begin modeling in the context of the assembly by creating a sketch or selecting another modeling tool. Notice the assembly is shown visually dimmed.
  7. Select an in-context reference entity as the basis of your action and notice the entity is highlighted. You can use the geometry of the referenced assembly to create new geometry (through the Use tool).

    A Context object is created in the Assembly Contexts list at the top of the Part Studio's Feature list.

    The new feature in the Feature list has a context arrow icon indicating the feature was created using a reference from a context of an Assembly.

  8. When the part is created, select either:
    1. Insert and go to assembly - Insert the part back into the Assembly and open that Assembly:
      1. Select the part (or parts, if more than one was created) to insert back into the Assembly.
      2. Tap the checkmark.
      3. Notice the part in the Assembly Instances list has a context arrow icon indicating it was created within a specific Context of the Assembly and is the primary instance of the part in context.
    2. Go to assembly - Open the Assembly without inserting the new part.

      If you later insert the part through the Insert part tool in the Assembly, the Context of the part is not associated with the primary instance of the part for positioning the assembly, and is represented by a dashed arrow icon, instead of the solid arrow representing the primary instance.

To learn more about in-context modeling, including editing in context, updating a Context, and exiting a Context, see Modeling in Context.