I could have titled this blog, “What’s New in Model States” because that is the only chapter that has noticeable changes in our 2027 release of Advanced Part Modeling.
Model states are covered in Chapter 9 of ASCENT’s learning guide, focusing solely on part-level model states. If you’re familiar with our content, the following is a summary of what changed to include the software enhancements for 2027.
If you haven’t used our courseware and are interested, please reach out to us at courseware@ascented.com and we’ll get you more information on how you can use our material in your next course.
Summary of Changes
Model State Table Workflow
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When explaining how to create model states in a model, we now discuss all three methods: (1) using the Model browser, (2) using the new Model State Table dialog box, and (3) edit via Spreadsheet.
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The table method is similar to iPart tables and is a convenient way to create model states by defining configurations directly in a table using rows (model states) and columns (attributes), instead of relying mainly on the Model browser or spreadsheets. The new version adds detailed guidance on using the table to:
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Add parameters, properties, and features as columns.
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Control suppression and computation using defined inputs (e.g., Suppress/Compute).
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Enter values to define the model state configuration in table cells.
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Blue Dot Indicator
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A new Blue Dot Indicator provides clear identification of which features are being used in a model state.
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Blue dot icons identify features and parameters used in model states.
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Tooltips show how each feature participates across configurations.
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Comparing Model States
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With the introduction of Model State tables, you can now also compare model states against one another. This is briefly discussed in the learning materials. The compare tool enables you to select a base model state to compare to and then select additional rows in the table. For example, in the following table, row 3 is the base model state and row 4 is being compared to it.
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Once compared, you can visually identify differences between model states using color coding:
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Orange and dark blue: Identifies the row that is being used as the base row.
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White: Identifies cell values that are the same as the base row's cell.
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Light blue: Identifies cell values that are different from the base row's cell.
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Dark grey: Identifies rows not included in the comparison.
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Generate Model States on Save
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When working with model states, inactive model states can become out of date with changes to the file, and there is no way to update them without activating each one individually. Now, you can right-click on the model state name and enable the Generate This Model State on Save option. Once enabled, the model state is regenerated whenever the model is explicitly saved.
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Alternatively, to generate all model states when the model is saved, right-click on the top Model State node and enable Generate All Model States on Save.
Model State Status
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Conveniently, you can now also verify a model state’s status by hovering over its name and reviewing the message that appears with a thumbnail image of the model state, as shown below. Messages indicate if the model state is out of date and if the option is enabled and a save is pending.
Updated Practice
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The practice at the end of the chapter is also updated. Students are still instructed to create the initial model states using the Model browser; however, all editing is completed in the Model State Table. Prior to this release, editing was done in a spreadsheet; however, with the addition of Model State Table, it is a more convenient method to visualize the model states and add new parameters.
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All of the instructor presentation materials for this chapter have also been updated to reflect the changes.
I hope that this summary helps you prepare for your classes. Don’t forget to send in your feedback for our next release! Feedback@ASCENTed.com
Looking to purchase this guide? It's available on Amazon or the ASCENT eStore.
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