To evaluate the mass properties for an assembly, we can click on Mass Properties under the Evaluate commands category, as shown in the following screenshot:

This will show us the same information we received when we evaluated mass properties for parts. Refer to Chapter 7, Material and Mass Properties, for more information. The only difference is that the mass properties here will be a reflection on the whole assembly rather than on individual parts. 

Note that the center of mass is calculated based on the position of the different parts that make up the assembly. If the assembly is under defined and we move the parts, the center of mass will change. This is in addition to all the other properties that are calculated based on the coordinate system's position, such as the moment of inertia. When moving the assembly, we may need to click on Recalculate in order to recalculate the mass properties, as shown in the following screenshot:

Within assemblies, we can also calculate the mass properties of a specific part in relation to the assembly's coordinate system. To do this, we can select that part in the Mass Properties selection window, as highlighted in the following screenshot. This allows us to override the mass properties of a specific part within the assemblies environment:

In this section, we have learned about mass properties in the context of assemblies. We have learned about setting new coordinate systems, adjusting the material assignments for our parts, and evaluating the mass properties for our assemblies.