ZW3D QUARTERLY TECHNICAL REPORT-2021 Q1

ZW3D technical report for 2021 Q1 has arrived in time! Check the CAD/CAM questions commonly asked by your peers, which may also be your confusions.

Sneak peek at the technical report for 2021 Q1

 8 hottest questions:

1)      How to upgrade Keyshot to a new version?

2)      Is there any backup mechanism in ZW3D?

3)      Why some entities are not displayed in ZW3D 2021 after importing the file generated in 2020?

4)      Why I cannot open the PDF files exported from ZW3D?

5)      Is there any better way to avoid frequent switches between constraints and dimensions in sketch?

6)      How to separate Z3 file into single object files with all the links correctly updated?

7)      Does ZW3D support updating parts according to the dimension changes in 2D drawings?

8)      Can ZW3D realize the synchronization between part attributes and BOM data?

The latest product news: Product Release: ZW3D 2022

1.    TOP QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS

1.1.      General

Question 1：

I just upgraded my ZW3D to 2021 version, may I know how to upgrade the Keyshot?

Solution:

Keyshot is an application working on ZW3D. If you already have the Keyshot 8 that runs on ZW3D 2020, it can work on ZW3D 2021. If you want to upgrade Keyshot, you can install Keyshot 9 and upgrade your Keyshot license by contacting ZWSOFT. If you just buy the licenses from Keyshot providers, then you cannot start the Keyshot in ZW3D. As for the Keyshot 10, it will be available in our upcoming versions.

Question 2：

Is there any backup mechanism in ZW3D? How does it work?

Solution:

Yes, there are several backup mechanisms in ZW3D. But the most suggested way is to keep the option “Auto backup per file per day after save” on (it is on by default).

Figure 1. keep the option “Auto backup per file per day after save” on (it is on by default)

This option means that for every file, it will be backup automatically at the first save every day. If any unexpected issue happens, at least you can roll back to the results of yesterday’s work. The file is always located in the same directory with the original file and is hidden. If you want to use it, you need to show the hidden file, and remove the file extension “.z3bak”. After that, open it in ZW3D.

Question 3:

Why some entities are not displayed in ZW3D 2021 when importing the file generated in 2020?

Solution:

That’s because since 2021 version, ZW3D can recognize the hidden or suppressed status in the imported file. So if the entity is hidden or suppressed in the original file, it can continue to be hidden and suppressed after being imported in ZW3D.

Figure 2. File import

Question 4:

When I open the PDF that exported from ZW3D in Adobe Acrobat DC, an error will occur. Why and how to solve?

Solution:

This happens not just in ZW3D, but also other 3D CAD software. To troubleshoot this issue, you just need to delete the cache file folder for Adobe, as the below figure shows, then you can open the PDF file normally.

Figure 3. Solve PDF error

1.2.      CAD

Question 5:

I just switched to ZW3D, and find it very interesting and easy to learn. However, when I create a sketch, it takes me a lot of time to switch between the Ribbon tabs of constraints and dimensions again and again. Why don’t you just put them in one single tab?

Solution:

We’ve already got this feedback from our users. It can be annoying to switch again and again. So in the latest ZW3D 2021, these two Ribbon tabs have been combined into one to prevent switching frequently, which is much more user-friendly.

Figure 4. two Ribbon tabs have been combined into one to prevent switching

Question 6:

I am an old user of ZW3D and use Z3 as my daily file format, but sometimes it is troublesome for me to separate the Z3 file into single object files. How can I do it more easily with all the links correctly updated?

Solution:

In the latest ZW3D 2022, we have provided a File Separate tool for you to separate the Z3 file into single object files easily. The Single Root Object Mode is also more user-friendly to create and manage object files, and you can also integrate them into the PLM system.

Figure 5. File Separate tool

Question 7:

Hi, I want to know if I change the dimensions in a ZW3D drawing, the 3D model can be updated automatically or not?

Solution:

Yes. You just need to choose the “Show dimensions from part” option in the View Attributes dialog box, then right click the dimension and choose the “Modify Part Dimension” option. Then the 3D model will be updated once the dimension is modified in the 2D drawing.

Figure 6. the “Show dimensions from part” option

Question 8:

Can ZW3D realize the synchronization between part attributes and BOM data?

Solution:

Yes. If you edit the BOM data directly, you can update the corresponding part attributes just by clicking the option “Sync BOM Table with Part Attributes” in the right-click menu. On the other hand, if you modify the part attributes, you can just click “Regen All Tables” (you can find it easily by Command Search) to update the BOM data automatically.

You can also set a shortcut key for this operation. For example, I set “R” key for that, and every time I edit the 2D drawing, I can simply press R to update all the BOM data.

Figure 7. the option “Sync BOM Table with Part Attributes”

2.    THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT ZW3D

Product Release: ZW3D 2022 has been officially released with many long-awaited new features and improvements like G3 continuous curves, Smart Measure, upgraded Full Machine Simulation, etc. Know more and try for free.

I hope the above content will do some help to your work. You can also join the ZW3D User Group to further discuss with your peers, and I’m also waiting for you there! 

By Ivy Zhang, ZWSOFT Application Engineer, who has over 10 years of experience on CAx software support.

Previous posts for this series:

ZW3D Quarterly Technical Report – Q1

ZW3D Quarterly Technical Report – Q2

ZW3D Quarterly Technical Report – Q3