DISQUS

admin · 1 year ago

There are enhancement requests at the SolidWorks website. Although many of us feel it is throwing suggestions down a hole. I and another guy will have http://DearSolidWorks.com up and going in the next couple of weeks for just this sort of thing

dave spencer · 1 year ago

Good ways to do this. I was just hoping there was some really simple way to do it. Like "pattern object" 15 times to "offset from face". Is there a wish list for SW functionality.

thanks

cserran · 1 year ago

If you're using a linear pattern you can drive the distance with an equation.
or
If there are features on the rack (ie. holes) you can drive those in the rack and then position your objects using a feature based pattern.

admin · 1 year ago

Another work around I have used (This one is kinda kludgy) create a part within a part and use a 'Cruve Driven Pattern'. Here is how it is done. You can put a part within a part, when in a part choose insert-part, the dialog will take you through the insert and you can mate it like it was an assembly. Next choose insert-pattern-curve driven pattern. Choose a line that has the direction on it you want and the distance between the end points you want (i.e. the distance between the first and last components to be patterned, you will likely need to make a sketch for this and use the sketch line) last in the curve driven pattern choose 'equally space'. Here is the caveat for this long winded solution, if you update the patterned component and then open the part with the component in it, the part will not update properly unless BOTH parts are open at the same time....

So all this brings me to ask, SolidWorks why can you not have a curve driven pattern in a assembly?

Ben · 1 year ago

So are you looking to have a set number of parts equally spaced along a line?

RodUding · 1 year ago

I concur with your comment Ben from 10:45 2008/11/23. Why can't I drive a pattern with a curve in an assembly. It would save me a lot of time when I do not have a pattern on a part in the assembly.