Curve Driven Pattern PropertyManager

The Curve Drive Pattern PropertyManager appears when you create a new curve driven pattern feature, or when you edit an existing curve driven pattern feature.

The PropertyManager controls the following properties:

Direction 1

• Pattern Direction. Select a curve, edge, sketch entity, or select a sketch from the FeatureManager to use as the path for the pattern. If necessary, click Reverse Direction to change the direction of the pattern. The example below uses the upper edge of the model as the Pattern Direction for Direction 1.

• Number of Instances . Set a value for the number of instances of the seed feature in the pattern.

• Equal spacing. Sets equal spacing between each pattern instance. The separation between instances depends on the curve selected for Pattern Direction and on the Curve method.

• Spacing (Available if you do not select Equal spacing). Set a value for the distance between pattern instances along the curve. The distance between the curve and the Features to Pattern is measured normal to the curve.

• Curve method. Defines the direction of the pattern by transforming how you use the curve selected for Pattern Direction. Select one of the following:

• • Transform curve. The delta X and delta Y distances from the origin of the selected curve to the seed feature are maintained for each instance.

  • Offset curve. The normal distance from the origin of the selected curve to the seed feature is maintained for each instance.

• Alignment method. Select one of the following:

• • Tangent to curve. Aligns each instance tangent to the curve selected for Pattern Direction.

  • Align to seed. Aligns each instance to match the original alignment of the seed feature.

of Curve method and Alignment method selections.

• Face normal (For 3D curves only). Select the face on which the 3D curve lies to create the curve driven pattern.
  

Direction 2

Select to create the pattern in a second direction.

If you select the Direction 2 check box without selecting a sketch element or edge for Pattern Direction in Direction 2, an implicit pattern is created, based on what you selected for Pattern Direction for Direction 1.

• Pattern Direction. Select a curve, edge, sketch entity, or select a sketch from the FeatureManager to use as the path for the second direction of the pattern. If necessary, click Reverse Direction to change the direction of the pattern. The example below uses the side edge of the model as the Pattern Direction for Direction 2.

• Number of Instances . Set a value for the number of instances of the seed feature in the pattern.

• Equal spacing. Sets equal spacing between each pattern instance. The separation between instances depends on the curve selected for Pattern Direction and on the Curve method in Direction 1.

• Spacing (Available if you do not select Equal spacing). Set a value for the distance between pattern instances.

• Pattern seed only. Replicates only the seed pattern, which creates a curve pattern under Direction 2, without replicating the curve pattern created under Direction 1.

Features to Pattern

• Features to Pattern . Select the seed feature to pattern in the graphics area.

If the feature to pattern includes fillets or other additions, use the flyout FeatureManager design tree to select these features.

Faces to Pattern

• Faces to Pattern . Select all the faces that make up the feature in the graphics area to create the pattern. This is useful with models that import only the faces that make up the feature, and not the feature itself.

When using Faces to Pattern, the pattern must remain within the same face or boundary. It cannot cross boundaries . For example, a cut across the entire face or different levels (such as a raised edge) would create a boundary and separate faces, and prevent the pattern from propagating.

Bodies to Pattern

• Solid/Surface Bodies to Pattern . In multibody parts, select the bodies to pattern in the graphics area.

Instances to Skip

• Instances to Skip . Select each pattern instance to skip in the graphics area. Selected instances are removed from the pattern.

The pointer changes to when you hover over each pattern instance. Click to select a pattern instance. The coordinates of the pattern instance appear. To restore a pattern instance, click the instance again, or delete the pattern instance from the Instances to Skip box.

You cannot skip instances when you pattern bodies.

Feature Scope

Apply features to one or more multibody parts by selecting Geometry pattern under Options, and using Feature Scope to choose which bodies should include the features.

You must create the model to which you want to add the features for multibody parts prior to adding those features.

• All bodies. Applies the features to all bodies every time the features regenerate. If you add new bodies to the model that are intersected by the features, these new bodies are also regenerated to include the features.

• Selected bodies. Applies the features to the bodies you select. If you add new bodies to the model that are intersected by the features, you need to use Edit Feature to edit the pattern features, select those bodies, and add them to the list of selected bodies. If you do not add the new bodies to the list of selected bodies, they remain intact.

• Auto-select. (Available if you click Selected bodies). When you first create a model with multibody parts, the features automatically process all the relevant intersecting parts. Auto-select is faster than All bodies because it processes only the bodies on the initial list and does not regenerate the entire model. If you click Selected bodies and clear Auto-select, you must select the bodies in the graphics area you want to include.

• Bodies to Affect (Available if you clear Auto-select). Select the bodies to affect in the graphics area.

Options

• Vary sketch. Allows the pattern to change its dimensions as it is repeated.

• Geometry pattern. Creates the pattern using an exact copy of the seed feature. Individual instances of the seed feature are not solved; end conditions and calculations are ignored. The Geometry Pattern option speeds up the creation and rebuilding of a pattern.

You cannot create geometry patterns of features that have faces merged with the rest of the part.

• Propagate Visual Properties. Propagates SolidWorks colors, textures, and cosmetic thread data to all pattern instances.