# How to Make One Part Transparent in a STEP Assembly

Use CADProps to see through a cover while keeping it in context. Learn when to make a part transparent, hide it, or use a section plane.

If a cover blocks your view of a bracket, hide it only when you no longer need its position as a reference. In the [CADProps STEP viewer](https://www.cadprops.com/tools/step-viewer/index.md), you can make the cover transparent and leave the bracket opaque. This lets you see the bracket in relation to the cover and the surrounding parts.

## Make the cover transparent

1. Open the assembly and choose **Structure**. Find the cover and click its row. Check the highlighted occurrence, especially if several components have the same name.
2. Right-click the cover in the model view and choose **Make transparent**. If you have multiple parts selected, clear that selection first so the change applies only to the cover.
3. Rotate the model until the detail is easy to see. To restore the cover, right-click it again and choose **Make opaque**.
4. For an overview of the whole assembly, choose **Display → Model effect → Transparent**. Use **Solid edges** to help distinguish overlapping outlines.

<figure class="workflow-evidence"><img src="/assets/evidence/tools-2026-10-01/display-transparent-1440.webp" alt="CADProps Display panel with the Transparent model effect and Solid edges enabled for a STEP assembly" width="1440" height="1121" loading="lazy"><figcaption>The whole-model Transparent effect on the Twin blocks sample. To change a single cover or component, use that part’s context menu instead.</figcaption></figure>

## Choose the view that answers the question

| What you need to see | Which control to use |
|---|---|
| A bracket and where it sits relative to its cover | Make just the cover transparent. |
| The bracket with nothing else in the way | [Isolate the bracket](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/isolate-part-in-step-assembly/index.md). |
| The inside of a single solid or the path of a bore | [Position a section plane](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/step-section-view-internal-passage/index.md). |

For example, a cable gland might look directly behind a cover hole in the front view. Rotate to a second view before deciding the two line up. A transparent view helps you locate both features. If the decision depends on their spacing, measure the actual features using supported geometry and compare with the drawing. The change in appearance leaves the source assembly and the export geometry intact.

## Related reading

- [How to Make an Exploded STEP Assembly View for Review](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/explode-step-assembly-for-review/index.md)
- [How to Isolate a Part in a STEP Assembly in CADProps](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/isolate-part-in-step-assembly/index.md)
- [Open a Rhino 3DM File Without Rhino](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/open-3dm-without-rhino/index.md)
- [Open a Creo File Without Creo](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/open-creo-without-creo/index.md)
- [Open DWG or DXF Files Without AutoCAD](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/open-dwg-dxf-without-autocad/index.md)
- [STEP File (.step, .stp): What It Is and How to Open It](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/step-file-what-it-is-how-to-open/index.md)
- [How to Inspect an Internal Passage in a STEP Section View](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/step-section-view-internal-passage/index.md)
- [How to Use a Section Box in a STEP Model](https://www.cadprops.com/guides/use-step-section-box/index.md)

Original article: https://www.cadprops.com/guides/make-step-assembly-part-transparent/

HTML page: https://www.cadprops.com/guides/make-step-assembly-part-transparent/