Selectively Show and Hide Model Components

Visualization filtering is a Multibody 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.

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:

openExample("sm/TranslationalInterfaceExample")

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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.

Update Example Model

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

Hide Half-Cylinder Subsystem

In the Model Tree pane, expand the Housing and Cylinders Assembly node. Right-click the Half Cylinder A node and select Hide This. Multibody 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 Model Tree pane. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Show Solid in Hidden Subsystem

In the Model Tree 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 Model Tree pane. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Show Only Piston Subsystem

In the Model Tree pane, collapse the Housing and Cylinders Assembly node. Then, right-click the Piston Crank Assembly node and select Show Only This. Multibody Explorer shows the selected node and hides the remainder of the model. In the Model Tree pane, the name of the selected node is the only that is not grayed out. The figure shows the resulting model visualization.

Show Everything

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