Coming, as I do, from a background of many years of Pro/E use, I naturally try to pattern everything I possibly can.

However, I find that, when I insert a fastener into one of my hole features in an assembly and click 'Pattern Driven Component Pattern', strange things tend to happen.

Generally speaking, it all works well at first. Mechanical Engineering being what it is, of course, I soon find I need to change hole spacings, diameters, etc. When I do so, the patterns tend to come unravelled. Often, they simply fall over and turn the model tree red. If not, they will claim to work, but show the fasteners in weird positions.

If I look at the pattern in the top level assembly, it looks screwy.

If I open the sub-assembly containing the pattern everything is hunky-dory.

Close the sub-assembly and return to the top level assembly: No, still screwy.

CTRL-Q, traffic lights, try what I like, nothing makes a difference.

Close Solidworks and open the top level assembly again: still looks screwy.

Open the sub-assembly: all OK.

I have attached a couple of images showing the problem. I have also attached the sub-assembly, just in case anyone is bored enough to have a look at it.

I am prepared to accept that some of this is likely due to my own incompetence. After all, I have only been using the software daily for 2.5 years, so I can't be expected to know how to do the basics yet.

However, I do think that behaviour like this looks more like a bug. What is deplorable is that there seems to be no means of correcting the error, even once I have happened to notice that it is wrong.

Am I the only one seeing this sort of behaviour?

Is there a work-around?

What should I be doing differently?

SW2016, SP5

Windows 10 Pro

Nvidia K2200 with latest recommended driver

Cheers,

John