Follow the listed steps to capture scaled, timeindependent views of your truss in Simulink/Simscape Multibody and export them as PDF or DXF:
1. Use Simscape Multibody + Simscape 3D Animation
Import or build your solids + rigid transforms into a Simscape Multibody model. Then use the Mechanics Explorer or 3D Animation scope to view your structure from any angle.
- These viewers render static visuals (no timeline), so no timestep is needed—perfect for static frames.
2. Export 2D views as vector formats
Here is the practical workflow to export DXF/PDF via CAD:
- Export the geometry (e.g., as STEP or STL) from Simscape or CAD.
- Open in a CAD tool (like FreeCAD, SolidWorks).
- Set the exact view, then export to DXF or save as PDF ensuring scale and dimensions are preserved. It is documented here:
The discussion given below explores various ways to export PDF files from Simulink. Refer them for more info:
Things to note:
- Ensure your Simscape solids have correct physical units, so exported geometry matches.
- For exact scale, confirm your CAD export/import uses the same unit system.
With this pipeline, you’ll get precise, scale-accurate PDFs or DXFs of your truss from multiple static viewpoints—no simulation timeline required!
Hope this helps!
