I frequently make lefts and rights of parts. The left is the mirror of the right. These usually have a number of complicated sketches. The sketches need to mirror as well. I know I can mirror a solid using a plane but the creation of the sketches seems to be a pain. I would like to be able to mirror the part and all it's sketches and have the left part and sketches in the left configuration and the right part and sketches show up in the right configuration. Any ideas?
Alan:
That may work. I'll try it naxt time.
mirror part will put sketches in the part model but they are there a reference only and do not control the mirror. the mirror is linked to the original. now why would want to have to change 2 files instead of 1 that control both. you can add unique features to the mirrored part that you can change indepenently from the original.
Eric Snyder wrote:
I frequently make lefts and rights of parts. The left is the mirror of the right. These usually have a number of complicated sketches. The sketches need to mirror as well. I know I can mirror a solid using a plane but the creation of the sketches seems to be a pain. I would like to be able to mirror the part and all it's sketches and have the left part and sketches in the left configuration and the right part and sketches show up in the right configuration. Any ideas?
Eric,
A mirrored part (inversed geometry or Left versioon of a Right part) is a solid body which is associated to the original part and it is controlled and driven by the original part (which is the one having the sketches and features). If you need to have some different features on the left version of the part, you need to define the "right and left" configurations before you generate the "mirror" version of the part. If what you wnat is to produce a "separate" (not related) left version of a right part, that can not be done using the mirror part or component functionality. There is a way to mirror sketches from one part to another by converting entities and mirror sketch entities, the way to do this will vary depending the nature of the part.
I think it may depend on what results you are looking for.
Above is a simple widget profile I did, then I used the Mirror Part (Breaking the link to the original...)
The sketches that drive the part are present, but in the original orientation. I was able to change some numbers and get a different part, mirror, based on the original.
Admittedly, I've only used this infrequently, but for what you do, it may be a labor saving device. If it doesn't work, you're not out much.
Good luck and let us know how it works for you.
regards,
Alan
Eric,
Maybe this will work for you.
Open up a part, and go to
INSERT
MIRROR PART
Hope this helps,
regards,
Alan