DesignWithAjay’s Guide to Creating Exploded Views for Assembly Manuals

At Ajay Industries, we believe that great design doesn’t end at the CAD model—it extends to how clearly it’s communicated. Whether you’re assembling a twin-shaft shredder, a modular gearbox, or a custom SPM, exploded viewsare essential for creating intuitive, professional-grade assembly manuals.

This guide walks you through our proven workflow for generating exploded views in SolidWorks, ensuring your documentation is visually clear, technically accurate, and ready for production or client delivery.

Why Exploded Views Matter

Exploded views help:

• Visualize part relationships and assembly order
• Reduce errors during manual or automated assembly
• Simplify maintenance and part replacement
• Enhance BOM clarity and technical communication

They’re especially critical for modular systems, where interchangeable components must be easily understood.

DesignWithAjay’s Exploded View Workflow in SolidWorks

1. Prepare the Assembly

• Ensure all mates are properly defined
• Suppress unnecessary components (e.g., fasteners, covers) for clarity
• Rename components with descriptive labels for BOM integration

Ajay Tip: Use configurations to isolate exploded views from working assemblies.

2. Create Explode Steps

• Go to Insert > Exploded View or use the ConfigurationManager
• Select components and drag them along axes using translation handles
• Use Alt + drag to align movement with edges or faces
• Define rotation steps for parts like knobs, gears, or covers

Ajay Tip: Keep movement distances consistent for symmetry and visual balance.

3. Add Explode Line Sketches

• Use Explode Line Sketch to connect parts to their origin points
• Apply sketch relations for clean, straight lines
• Group lines by subassembly or function for clarity

Ajay Tip: Use different line styles or colors to distinguish mechanical vs. electrical components.

4. Annotate and Export

• Add balloons, part numbers, and callouts using drawing annotations
• Link exploded views to BOM tables for automatic updates
• Export as PDF, DWG, or image formats for manuals and presentations

Ajay Tip: Include revision history and torque specs directly in the drawing sheet.

Real-World Example: Shredder Blade Assembly Manual

Assembly: Twin-shaft blade stack with spacers and washers Exploded View:

• 36 blades separated by 10 mm
• Shaft shown with keyway and bearing seat
• Explode lines grouped by left and right shaft Outcome: Reduced technician training time by 50%, zero assembly errors in field deployment

What You Get with Every DesignWithAjay CAD File

• Fully exploded views with step-by-step breakdown
• BOM-linked drawings with part callouts
• Explode line sketches and annotations
• Revision-controlled documentation
• Export-ready formats for manuals and client presentations