Chapter 7.  Compare products

In the comparison [Compare], you can compare product parameters in tabular form and also examine products in detail in 3D.

Access to the You can compare at any time via the button the bottom right (tooltip "Compare several parts [Compare multiple parts]"), which shows the number of of the loaded products.

The following example explains the details:

  1. Load product families or individual products into the comparison.

    1. Product Family [Product family]: For each product family, there is a button that leads to the product details. Click in the dialog on the icon part for comparison Add [Add part to compare] ( part of the comparison remove [Remove part from compare] ).

    2. Product: Once a single product is loaded in the preview, the icon or part for comparison Add [Add part to compare]. (Will the icon be in blue color displayed, you can remove the product from the comparison remove.)

    As soon as products have been loaded into the comparison button, the button the bottom right (tooltip "Compare multiple parts") indicates the number of loaded products.

    Click on the button to open the comparison bar. (It can be closed again by clicking on X).

    Display of the loaded comparison parts

    Display of the loaded comparison parts

  2. Click on the Compare button.

    → The displayed parts are loaded in the comparison dialog.

    Delete all parts: All parts are removed from the comparison.

    Add search part: The button is only displayed if a 3D search was previously carried out.

    Upload file: Upload any file in neutral format (stl, stp, step, sat, x_t, x_b, lwo, lws, ase, 3ds, fbx, dae, ply, obj, jt).

    Activate geometric features [Enable geometric features]: This option activates/deactivates the checkboxes in the Geometric features table section. When deactivated, the associated features in the 3D view are no longer highlighted in color on mouseover.

  3. Export products on demand using Export to CAD Button directly from here.

Comparison functions

The comparison functions enable various overlay methods, manual alignment and Boolean comparison operations.

Overlay methods

The different overlay methods may not show any differences.

  • components Overlay [Overlay parts] / components The [Show opposed] components are either superimposed or contrasted in two different colors.

  • Automatic Align: [Automatic alignment] Rotation and position automatically align with each other align

  • Original Rotation and Component center position [Original rotation and centered position]: Best fit

  • Original Rotation and Position [Original rotation and position]: Zero Points Overlaid

Manual alignment

  1. Click the command rotation and position Align with each other manually [Align parts position and rotation manually].

  2. Please select one feature each as a basis [Please choose as base a feature of each part]

    -> Possible rotational movements and movement axes are displayed.

  3. Click on an axis or a rotation circle. You can then make the desired change to the orientation in space.

Boolean comparison operations

Example parts:

  • Difference 1-2: Difference: Component 1 minus component 2

  • difference 2-1 [Difference 2-1]: Difference: Component 2 minus component 1

  • Symmetrical Difference [Symmetric difference]:

    Sum of the differences between component 1 and component 2

    Unification quantity-Intersection quantity

    Shows the component areas in which the parts differ.

  • intersection [Intersection]: Displays the part areas where the parts are identical.

Click on the superimposed parts to display displacement axes and rotation circles. You can now view the results of the Boolean comparison functions in real time in movement mode.

Other practical additional functions in combination with the comparison functions

  • full screen [Fullscreen]: 3D display in full screen without table ( virtual reality [Virtual reality] > full screen [Fullscreen] )

  • measurement grid [Measuring grid]:

    Full screen and measuring grid switched on

    Full screen and measuring grid switched on