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Get Started
New to Inspire Extrude? Learn the basics here.
Get Started with Inspire Extrude
Learn the basics of the Inspire Extrude user interface.
Browse and Organize
Browse and organize all of the entities in your model.
Parts and Assemblies
Organize parts into assemblies and view part alternatives.
Assemblies
Create an assembly and add parts to it in the Model Browser.

Welcome
What's New
Discover new features and enhancements.
Get Started
New to Inspire Extrude? Learn the basics here.
- Get Started with Inspire Extrude
  Learn the basics of the Inspire Extrude user interface.
  - Licensing Features
    Some ribbon tabs are associated with license features. Depending upon the tab you have invoked, additional units may be drawn. These features will be checked out for the duration of the session.
  - Workspace
    The Inspire Extrude workspace includes the ribbon, modeling window, legend, and status bar.
  - File Import and Export
    Learn how to import geometry and export results.
  - Select and Edit
    Review techniques for selecting and editing objects.
  - Adjust the View
    Change the view in the modeling window using the mouse or view controls.
  - Move and Snap
    Translate, rotate, and align parts and other objects using the Move tool and snaps.
  - Screen Capture
    Record a video or take a snapshot of the screen.
  - Units and Measurement
    Change the default unit system, create custom units, and measure geometry features.
  - Browse and Organize
    Browse and organize all of the entities in your model.
    - Find
      Find entities in the model that contain the search string you enter. The search results are not filtered.
    - Search and Filter
      Search entities and automatically filter the results to only display the entities that contain the search string. You can also filter by entity type.
    - Show or Hide
      Show or hide an entity by clicking its icon in the Model Browser or using the context menu.
    - Parts and Assemblies
      Organize parts into assemblies and view part alternatives.
      - Parts
        A part is a geometric object made up of any combination of solids, surfaces, and curves. It can also be a mesh.
      - Assemblies
        Create an assembly and add parts to it in the Model Browser.
    - Customize the Model Browser
      Show or hide the Mass column in the Model Browser.
    - Show Model, Assembly, or Part Information
      Quickly find out how many items are in an entire model, an assembly, or a part. For example, if you select the entire model, you will see the number of forces, supports, assemblies, parts, loads, etc. If you select a part, you will see the mass, volume, bounding box, center of gravity, features, etc.
  - Help and User Assistance
    Learn about the forms of help and user assistance available from the product.
  - Preferences
    Modify the workspace display, default keyboard shortcuts, and other settings.
  - System Requirements
    A list of supported operating systems and minimum requirements for hardware and memory.
  - Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
    Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.
- Glossary
  View a list of glossary terms and definitions.
- Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
  Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.
Training
Explore Altair's resources for training and support.
Inspire Extrude Metal
Get started with Inspire Extrude Metal.
Inspire Extrude Polymer
Get started with Inspire Extrude Polymer.
Inspire Friction Stir Welding
Get started with Inspire Friction Stir Welding.
Inspire Resin Transfer Molding
Get started with Inspire Resin Transfer Molding.
Parametric Modeling
Create 2D sketches, surfaces, and solids.

Assemblies

Create an assembly and add parts to it in the Model Browser.

An assembly is a list of parts denoted with a folder

icon. Assemblies can contain subassemblies, allowing you to organize your model hierarchically.

Press F2 to open the Model Browser.
Right-click a part or assembly in the Model Browser, and then click New Assembly on the context menu.
Type the name of the new assembly and press Enter.
Drag parts or assemblies onto the target assembly.

Tip:

To copy a part into an assembly rather than moving it, hold down Ctrl while releasing the left mouse button.
When you create a new assembly or move parts between assemblies, this creates a new construction feature in the history. New Assembly and Restructure construction features cannot be suppressed or deleted.
Parts and subassemblies within an assembly are positioned in space relative to the parent assembly. If you translate or rotate a parent assembly in the modeling window, its parts and subassemblies move with it.
Assemblies do not have their own color, visibility, or material properties. Changing any of these properties for an assembly actually applies the change to the individual parts within the assembly down to the lowest level in the hierarchy.