Exporting 3D Objects out of Flexsim model

Hello flexsim users,

some of my models contain multiple packed pallets. I store those pallets in racks. During the model run the move, zooming or rotation of the view becomes slowly. It is the effect of the amount of objects (flowitems) in the model. One suggestion is to reduce the flowitems through exchanging the shape of the pallet and storing the data in labels or nodes.

Normally I have to create those shapes in 3D programs. That last long in contrast to the fact that the shape already exists in the flexsim model. Does there exist a method to export assembled or packed object's shapes out of flexsim and use those shapes further on in the model? Maybe there is an interface in the driver of the graphic cards to get a 3D model screen shot?

Many thanks for your help.
Jörg

There is not a faster way; just create the shape in a 3D modeling program, such as AC3D. Any 3D modeling program has functionality to import shapes into existing scenes. Just import the pallet, import the tote, import the bottle, and then duplicate them and arrange them in one scene. Then export it as a single 3d shape.

You could also write custom draw code that calls drawshape() multiple times based on the data in labels or nodes. Then you have a single object drawing all of those 3d shapes without the overhead of the draw pass having to loop through each flowitem to draw them individually, which does a lot more than just drawing them (e.g., reading their spatial size, rotation, and location; adjusting the modelview matrix so that their content items' locations are relative to the parent; reading and setting color; etc).