Documentation

Explode View

Radially separate every element in the 3D model from the scene centroid — see what's behind walls, document construction sequencing, or review MEP routing without hiding categories one at a time.

Explode View

Explode View radially separates every element in the 3D model from the scene centroid. Elements farther from the centre expand more, keeping spatial relationships readable even when the model is half-exploded. It's the fastest way to see what's behind a wall or inside a chase — pull the model apart, find the element you want, then collapse it back together.

The Explode slider

The Explode slider floats at the bottom centre of the 3D viewer whenever a model is loaded. Drag it right to explode; drag left to collapse.

Key / Control	Action
Drag right	Explode — elements separate radially from the scene centroid
Drag left	Collapse — elements return to their assembled positions
Reset button	Instantly returns to 0% (visible only when explosion is active)

Use cases

Concealed-part inspection — explode to ~40%, then hover over elements in the Elements tab to identify what would normally be hidden behind walls.
Construction-sequencing storyboards — capture screenshots at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% to show how a complex assembly comes together. Useful for trade coordination meetings and contractor onboarding.
MEP routing review — explode the model and the duct/pipe runs reveal themselves clearly without needing to hide categories one at a time.
Visual handoff documentation — an exploded screenshot conveys "here's everything that goes here" faster than a plan + RCP + section set.

Combining Explode with element navigation

Double-clicking an element in the Elements tab while Explode View is active flies the camera to the element at its exploded position — not its original location. So you can explode the model, search for "transformer" or "VAV box", double-click, and the camera centres on the exploded element with full visual context of its surroundings.

Tip: Explode View is purely visual — it doesn't change any coordinates in the source model, doesn't affect cost-impact calculations, and doesn't propagate to ProjectWise check-ins or BCF exports. Camera state captured in a Saved View does remember the explode level, so you can save and recall a specific exploded angle.