Hello Solid Works user community,
I am writing with a question as to the best way to create a linear pattern of bodies that has a regularly changing dimension between instances. I.e. 5,6,7,8,9mm, etc..
Thank you for your advice
Alfonso
Hello Solid Works user community,
I am writing with a question as to the best way to create a linear pattern of bodies that has a regularly changing dimension between instances. I.e. 5,6,7,8,9mm, etc..
Thank you for your advice
Alfonso
Thank you for your reply Keith,
the question was for the pattern within the same part ( or assembly). in other words, I have a part that needs to be repeated 300 times in a linear pattern, but each instance needs to move 1 mm further away.
I saw posts for using the "variable pattern" function and table driven pattern. I have not been able to use the variable pattern tool successfully, the features that I identify as "reference geometry" are not pick-able. if I use a table driven pattern, I need to change X and Y coordinates each time the drawing changes.
Thanks
Alfonso
Alfonso,
A table driven pattern that references the x/y coordinate of each instance should work. It can be done within a part creating separate bodies for each instance. Search google for videos ... "Solidworks table driven pattern". You will have to create a text file containing the x/y coordinate of each instance.
What if you created a sort-of layout sketch that had all the points referenced in the design table? These points can easily be manipulated in the design table with formulas. The bodies or parts in the assembly could then be mated to these points.
Hello Rachel,
Thanks for posting a reply to my question. What you suggest is what I am currently doing. I create a table in excel (with formulas), save it as a text file, and then use the table driven pattern method. It works, but can be tedious if the part changes and my distances between instances needs to change accordingly, the direction of propagation changes or the coordinate system changes. I love the linear propagation feature of solid works since it defines the pattern based on direction and displacement only, and uses the part as a reference point. I wish it had an option to change the location of individual instances (unless I manually choose not to use certain instances, which too manual).
I will keep using the table driven pattern method and explore the pattern driven pattern feature as well, which I am not as familiar with.
Okay, so I am not as familiar with the table-driven pattern. I looked it up and it is quite the nifty tool! I was thinking that you could simply use the design table to change the layout sketch so that it works straight out of excel into solidworks instead of excel to text to solidworks. You would have to look to see what the name of the dimension you wanted to change was called in solidworks, but you could edit individual dimensions that way.
I would use a sketch as said previously, and use that sketch to create the pattern (sketch driven pattern). Or if you are following a specific feature throughout the assembly then you can use the pattern driven by pattern. etc..
Hello Anton,
thank you for your reply. I will explore the pattern driven pattern features. I am not as familiar with it.
You can use a separate configuration for each and change the distance manually or with a design table.