Selectively Show and Hide Model Components

Visualization Filtering

Visualization filtering is a Mechanics Explorer feature that enables you to selectively show and hide solids, bodies, and multibody subsystems. This tutorial shows you how to use this feature to control the visualization of a Simscape™ Multibody™ model, for example, to observe a model component that might otherwise remain obstructed during simulation. For more information, see Selective Model Visualization.

Radial Engine Visualization with Two Cylinders Hidden

Open Example Model

In this tutorial, you filter the visualization of the Simscape Multibody radial engine featured example. To open this model, at the MATLAB^® command prompt, enter sm_radial_engine.

The model contains two top-level subsystems—the housing subsystem, named Housing_and_Cylinders_Assembly, and the piston subsystem, named Piston_Crank_Assembly. The housing subsystem contains five half cylinders. The piston subsystem contains five pistons that travel inside the half cylinders.

Radial Engine Block Diagram

Update Example Model

To open Mechanics Explorer, the Simscape Multibody visualization utility you must first update the example model. In the Modeling tab, click Update Model (Ctrl + D). Note the tree-view pane on the left side of Mechanics Explorer. You access the visualization filtering menu by right-clicking a node on this pane.

Radial Engine Model Visualization

Hide Half-Cylinder Subsystem

In the tree-view pane, expand the Housing_and_Cylinders_Assembly node. Right-click the Half_Cylinder_A node and select Hide This. Mechanics Explorer hides the half-cylinder subsystem and the solids it contains, corresponding to the nodes Fins and Half_Annular_Cylinder. The hidden-node names are grayed out in the tree-view pane. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Radial Engine with Hidden Half-Cylinder Subsystem

Show Solid in Hidden Subsystem

In the tree-view pane, expand the Half_Cylinder_A node. Then, right-click the Half_Annular_Cylinder node and select Show This. The half-cylinder solid is now visible, but the remainder of its parent of its parent subsystem—in this case, just the Fins solid—remains hidden. The newly visible half-cylinder node name is no longer grayed out in the tree-view pane. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Radial Engine with Visible Solid in Hidden Half-Cylinder Subsystem

Show Only Piston Subsystem

In the tree-view pane, collapse the Housing_and_Cylinders_Assembly node. Then, right-click the Piston_Crank_Assembly node and select Show Only This. Mechanics Explorer shows the selected node and hides the remainder of the model. In the tree-view pane, the name of the selected node is the only that is not grayed out. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Radial Engine with Only Piston Subsystem Visible

Show Everything

In the tree-view pane, right-click any node and select Show Everything. All hidden components become visible. The corresponding nodes are no longer grayed out in the tree-view pane. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.