Save a Multi-Body Part as an Assembly

Have you ever found yourself needing to make an assembly file from a multi-body part file? If so, then the Save Bodies Feature can do just that.

I have some steps below that will allow you to take bodies within the part and save them as separate part files while also creating an assembly at the same time.

1. Open up a part file with multiple bodies in it. The example below has 4 bodies.
   
   
   
   
2. Go to Insert>Features>Save Bodies.
   
   
   
   
3. This will bring up the Save Bodies Property Manager showing all the available bodies and some options for the feature.
   
   
   
   
4. Check the box near each body in the list to enable it and have the name auto-assigned. The "Auto-assign Titles" button can also be used to have this done for all listed bodies. If you want to use a custom name, you can double-click the body in the list under Title or the flag in the graphics area.
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Under Template Settings, use the default templates set in Tool>Options>System Options>Default Templates or override this selection to be able to choose which ones you would like to use by selecting the 3 dots next to each one.
   
                                                           
   
   
6. Select "Consume cut bodies" which removes the body from being listed in the FeatureManager design tree under Solid Bodies. There is an option for "Propagate visual properties" to transfer the visual properties. You can also choose a different origin location for the feature.
   
                                                            
   
   
7. If you need to create an assembly as well, select "Browse" under the Create Assembly section to choose a name and location for the assembly. There is also an option "Derive resulting parts from similar bodies or cut list" to eliminate duplicates.
   
   
   
                                                
   
   
8. Accept the feature by clicking the green check mark and a new feature at the bottom of the tree for this command will appear. If any new bodies are added or changes are made, they will need to be added before this feature is selected for the save bodies command to work.
   
   
   
   
9. You can now open the separate part files and the assembly. The part files will have a feature referencing the Save Bodies command. 
   
   
   
   In the assembly, all parts will be fixed and have an external reference back to the original part file.