Precondition:

You have opened a project. You have opened a layout space. The layout space contains 3D part placements or objects that have been loaded via the commands File > Import > Command group Project data > Layout space > STEP or JT.

1. Select the following commands: Tab Master data > Command group Macros > Create.
2. Draw a border around the objects that should belong to the macro.
3. In the Save as dialog, enter an identifying name and optionally a description text for the 3D macro.
   
   In the Representation type field, the entry "3D mounting layout" is displayed, which cannot be modified.
4. From the Variant field select the required variant for the macro.
   
   "Variant A" is the default setting. You can generate further variants by rotating the macro geometry, or by changing the handle and saving the 3D macro under the same name, but as a different variant.
5. Select the Define handle menu item below the [Extras] button.
   
   The cursor will be surrounded by a square, that you can set to 3D snap points on the geometry, to define the handle. Once the handle is placed, the Save as dialog reappears. The defined handle is always projected onto the placement area.
6. Click [OK].
   
   The 3D macro is saved to the set directory. It can then be called up for placement.

3D graphic files can be imported in STEP or JT format. You can generate files of this type with a 3D CAD system, or obtain them from the storage mediums of various manufacturers. After being imported, the original position of the graphic can be influenced by defining and rotating a placement area so that the desired areas are always rotated to the placement position when the macro or device is placed.

Precondition:

You have opened a project. You have opened a layout space.

1. Select the following commands: File > Import > Command group Project data > Layout space > STEP or JT.
2. In the Open dialog, select a directory and in this, select a file containing the 3D graphic in the STEP or JT format to be imported, and click [Open].
   
   The 3D graphic from the STEP or JT file is loaded in the layout space and displayed as a 3D object.
3. Depending on the quality of the source data, the 3D graphic may have to be edited, before it can be saved as a 3D macro. In order to achieve uniform behavior when placing a macro that contains a rotated graphic, select the commands Define and Rotate for the placement areas (both under: Tab Insert > Command group Placement area).
4. Irrespective of the placement position you can use the command Unite (Tab Edit > Command group Graphic > Unite) to combine all the items of the layout space so that a 3D macro is handled like one item when used.

Note:

The uniting of 3D solids is not suited to reduce the amount of data in the macro to be generated. If the imported STEP or JT file contains several identical and very detailed components, this may lead to a significant increase in the amount of data after uniting. This directly influences the size of the macro files since macros cannot be compressed due to the system's way of operation.

To reach an acceptable size of the macro file you should thus refrain from uniting imported identical components and generate the macro with the imported single components.

5. Save the 3D macro by using the following commands: Tab Master data > Command group Macros > Create.

For mechanical assembly parts that you create in the parts management, you can generate assembly macros from imported graphical data and assign them to the mechanical assembly parts via the Graphical macro property. Unlike when combining 3D solids into 3D macros, the assembly macro is not treated as an item, but the individual items of the assembly remain under an assembly node. The assembly node and the items are linked via DT IDs with the assembly created in the parts management. In the process, the assembly node is linked with the assembly part and the items with the subparts (assembly items).

Precondition:

You have opened a macro project.

1. Select the following commands: File > Import > Command group Project data > Layout space > STEP or JT.
2. In the Open dialog select a STEP or JT file that contains the graphic data to be imported and click [Open].
   
   The 3D graphic from the STEP or JT file is loaded into a new layout space and displayed as a 3D object. All contained 3D solids are arranged in the layout space navigator below the layout space node.
3. Use the property dialog to assign a function definition from the mechanical engineering trade as well as a matching item to each 3D solid.
4. Select all the 3D solids that you want to combine into an assembly and create an assembly by using the Create assembly command (Tab Master data > Command group Macro > Create assembly).
   In the layout space navigator, an assembly node is created under which the items are arranged.
5. Define the hierarchy of the items within the assembly by dragging & dropping the function definitions at the desired position in the layout space navigator.

Note:

Not all function definitions can be arranged arbitrarily. For example, it is possible to assign other function definitions to the "Enclosure" or "Body" function definition, but the "Enclosure" and "Body" function definitions cannot be moved. Routing accessories, such as "Cable / tubing tie" or "Cable / tubing protection" are excluded completely from drag & drop actions.

6. Define a placement area for the assembly by using the Placement area command (Tab Master data > Command group Macro > Create assembly > Placement area).
7. Define a handle for the assembly by using the Handle command (Tab Master data > Command group Macro > Create assembly > Handle).
8. Use the respective property dialog to store a DT ID at each item of the assembly.

Note:

If you want to add further items to the assembly, you first have to break up the assembly by using the Break up command (command path: Tab Master data > Command group Macro > Create assembly > Break up). When you break up the assembly, the assembly node is deleted, but the items are retained. You can then recreate and edit the assembly with all its components.

9. Save the 3D assembly macro by using the following commands: Tab Master data > Command group Macros > Create.
10. Create the assembly part including its subparts (assembly items) in the parts management.
    For more information, see the Creating Assemblies section.

Note:

Ensure that you assign the DT IDs of the corresponding items of the assembly macro to the assembly positions so that all the part numbers are also available at the part placement.

11. Assign the assembly macro to the assembly part via the Graphical macro property in the Properties tab.
    You can now place the assembly as a device in the layout space.

For further information on 3D assembly macros, please refer to the 3D assembly macros.

This command works in the same way as Generating Macros from DXF / DWG Files.

1. Select the command Macros from 3D files. (To this purpose you first have to Customize the ribbon and then assign the desired command to a user-defined command group.)
   
   3D macros (*.ema) are generated directly from single or multiple STEP or JT files, without these being loaded into a layout space and edited before saving.

In the same way as 2D macros, 3D macros can be generated automatically from macro projects.

1. Select the following commands: Tab Master data > Command group Macros > Generate automatically.
   
   All 3D macros or each individually selected one are saved from the macro project layout spaces as *.ema or *.ems files.