Step model "skinning" export in 17.4?

No sure about export but you can enable this for the 3d canvas view: "You can now use skinning along with some of the already existing options in getting large designs into 3D Canvas. Skinning is the loading of only the external components and layers in 3D Canvas. Set 3D_canvas_skinning under Setup – User Preferences – Display – 3D to turn on skinning."

Oh, it's outside the 3D canvas window.  O_o 

Thanks!   

Seeking a method that converts a hierarchical step assembly into a single blob part.  When the ME's import it and save their solidworks models, they get a *lot* of Solidworks part files.

More later.

Goal: create a single SW part from an Allegro Step assembly that won't get broken down into a couple hundred individual *.SLDPRT files having filenames the Mechanical engineers aren't familiar with.

Import the Step model into Solidworks.  File> Save As>  set the filter to Part (*.prt, *.sldpart), click the radio button "Exterior Faces".

Interesting is it keeps the color detail of the part step models but it is now a single object that should be faster for the mechanical engineers to use, so they won't complain as much.   O_o