Creating Assemblies Instantly with Auto-Assemble

Create a Prototype of the Assembly

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First, create a prototype of the assembly along the red axis of your model. When using Auto-Assemble, the red axis is used to represent the path of the assembly for when it is built.

The prototype should be made up of only components and Profile Member groups. The Profile Members must be drawn parallel and in the direction of the red axis.

If you want to create an 'infill' component part that repeats along the path, be sure to create at least 3 copies of the component at an equal spacing within your prototype. If you do not have 3 copies at equal spacing, the component part will be placed only at the start or end of the assembly when it is generated.

Select all of the Parts in your Assembly Prototype and Auto-Assemble

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Do not group the parts together before selecting. Make sure each part can be selected individually.

1. Use the SketchUp selection tool to select all parts in the prototype.
2. Click the Auto-Assemble button in the Assembly Dialog.

The selected parts will be automatically combined into an assembly with the offsets and setbacks calculated automatically!

Make Final Adjustments to the Assembly

After creating an auto-assembly, it is recommended to give meaningful names to the assembly and all parts. For component parts, you may want to change the spacing parameter to 'Max' or adjust the 'Stay Vertical' checkbox.