SOLIDWORKS 3DEXPERIENCE Works xApps Project Part 11: Wrap up using a 3DStory

Our 3DEXPERIENCE Works saw project is coming to a close, but we want to end it with a flourish to demonstrate the success we have experienced. We are using the 3DStory app to share those wins even when the recipient is not on the platform!

When we think of product design, whether it’s creating something new or updating a previous version, we typically think of the CAD component. Just as important as creating the CAD components is having the ability to communicate our work effectively. This can be difficult to achieve in various CAD platforms because some programs allow you to only place text and pictures. The 3DStory app can help us put our work in the spotlight it deserves.

Watch the video below for exactly how we built the 3DStory for our saw project:

Selecting a Template

Like a lot of other 3DEXPERIENCE xApps, 3DStory prioritizes ease of use and a quick learning curve to get started. Opening the app allows us to select a template closest to what we want our results to look like. Of course, these will be editable once placed into our project, so nothing is set in stone just yet.

3DStory Template

These templates will include font, picture layout, theme, transitions, and page ratio. These can be changed at any time after the project is started. Once the template is selected, the community where we want to publish this to must be selected. If you’ve been following along with this project, you may have seen the updates and renders made for our new edition. This is what we’ll want to display in our 3DStory project.

Personalizing Workflow

Besides the story pages themselves, the workflow in this app will be focused on the left side of the screen. The tabs on the left allow us to access images, GIFs, and videos that were created during our project. We can also add audio tracks (typically this is music from your local drive) and even 3D CAD models to our story!

Working on the first page, we will be using one of the templates while adding in our own picture, adjusting the text, and applying the theme that matches our team’s colors. Also note, when clicking on a cell on this page, you have an option to split the cell in half vertically or horizontally. In this case, we split the bottom cell in half to add our logo.

3DStory Splitting a Cell

Creating Pages

This is looking like a great opening page. We can move on now to create more pages to show what changes have been made to our project. The great thing about 3DStory, and the way it’s connected to the rest of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, is how images that are saved in different xApps will show up here. So will videos and GIFs that are created in those apps.

The first thing we’ll do is select the cell alignment by selecting the layout tab to the left. We’ll be splitting this next page vertically in half. The images we import may not be automatically cropped the way we want. With the cursor over the cell, we can now click the Edit button (pencil icon) and use the moving and scaling tool to adjust the image.

3DStory Adjusting Images

Publishing to the Community

Creating these 3DStory projects couldn’t be simpler. Adjust the font and cells, add images and text, and select the transitions! This project becomes a playable file, not like a typical PowerPoint presentation, that can be shared with our team whether they’re on the platform or not a3DEXPERIENCE user! Being able to pull these images from our projects is a fantastic time and energy-saving feature.

3DStory Storyboard Example

Once your project is done, it’s time to publish. Save it to your local drive as a PowerPoint file, or publish it to your Community for your team to view.

Publishing to Community

Summary

As you can see from this, and our previous series, 3DEXPERIENCE Works allows users to take advantage of a robust and collaborative platform with built-in data and product lifecycle management, intuitive conceptual design, industrial and sub-D modeling, photo rendering, linear static simulation capabilities, and so much more. We are excited that we have been able to demonstrate some of the highlights of this environment and hope you will take a look at how it can help you ramp up your design game!

Interested in 3DEXPERIENCE Works?

Visit our website to learn how 3DEXPERIENCE Works provides an online SOLIDWORKS product development environment.