Pattern and Mirror
Overview
Pattern repeats the selected features in an array based on a seed feature.
You can create a linear pattern, a circular pattern, a curve driven pattern,
a fill pattern, or use sketch points or table coordinates to create the
pattern.
Mirror copies the selected features or all features, mirroring them
about the selected plane or face.
To propagate SolidWorks colors,
textures, and cosmetic thread data to all pattern instances and mirrored
features, select the Propagate Visual
Properties option in the PropertyManager.
With multibody parts, you can use the pattern or the mirror feature
to pattern or mirror multiple bodies within the same document.
For a Linear
Pattern, select the features, then specify the direction, the
linear spacing, and the total number of instances.
For a Circular Pattern,
select the features and an edge or axis as the center of rotation, then
specify:
The total number of
instances and the angular spacing between instances.
– or –
The total number of
instances and the total angle in which to create the pattern.
For a Curve Driven
Pattern, select the features and an edge or sketch segment
on which to pattern the feature. Then you can specify the type of curve,
the curve method, and the alignment method.
For a Sketch Pattern,
select where to populate a seed feature by sketching points on model face.
For a Table
Pattern, add or retrieve previously created X-Y
coordinates to populate a seed feature on the face of the model.
For a Fill Pattern, fill
a defined region with a pattern of features or a predefined cut shape.
For a Mirror Feature, select the features
to copy and a plane about which to mirror them. If you select a planar
face on the model, you mirror the entire model about the selected face.
For a Cosmetic
Pattern, fill a defined region with a cosmetic pattern of predefined
cut shapes.
You can also create patterns
of patterns, and mirrored copies of patterns, as well as control
and modify patterns.
The software supports a full preview of pattern and mirror features.
Example of preview of Up to Surface
end condition for patterns and mirrors |
|
|
For information about using a pattern of components
in an assembly, see adding a component
pattern.