Creating Rectangular Patterns

You can create a rectangular pattern of the instances. Patterns allow you to create several identical features from an existing one and simultaneously position them on a 3D shape.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin:

To perform these tasks, create a pocket on a pad.

Related Topics
About the Rectangular Pattern Definition Dialog Box
About Patterns
Creating Circular Patterns
Creating Complex Patterns
Patterning User Defined Features (UDFs)
Creating User Patterns
Exploding Patterns
More about Optimizing Part Design Performance

Duplicate a Pocket

You can create rectangular pattern by maintaining equal spacing between the instances.

  1. Select the feature you want to copy. For the purpose of our scenario, select the pocket.

    Important: You cannot pattern wireframe, surface, and volume elements.


  2. Click Rectangular Pattern in the Transformation Features toolbar (Patterns sub-toolbar).

    The Rectangular Pattern Definition dialog box that appears displays the name of the geometry to pattern. Each tab is dedicated to a direction you will use to define the location of the duplicated feature.



    Important:
    • If you click Rectangular Pattern before selecting any geometry, by default, the object to be patterned is the current solid. For more information, see Patterning Current Solids.
    • If you change your mind and decide to pattern the current solid, click the Object box and use the Get current solid contextual command.

  3. In this task, you will first set your specifications for the first direction. In the Reference element box, select the edge as shown below to specify the first direction of creation.

    An arrow is displayed on the pad. If needed, click the Reverse button or click the arrow to modify the direction.



  4. In the Parameters list, keep Instance(s) & Spacing as the parameters you want to specify.

  5. In the Instance(s) box, type 3 as the number of instances you want to obtain in the first direction.

  6. In the Spacing box, type 14 mm to define the spacing along the grid.



  7. Select the Second Direction tab to define other parameters.

    Note: Defining a second direction is not compulsory. Creating a rectangular defining only one direction is possible.

  8. In the Reference element box, select the edge to the left to define the second direction. If necessary, click Reverse to make the arrow point in the opposite direction.

  9. Keep Instance(s) & Spacing and enter 3 and 10 mm in the appropriate box.



  10. Click Preview to make sure the pattern meets your needs.

    Additional pockets will be aligned along this second direction.

  11. Click OK to repeat the pocket's geometry nine times.

    This is the resulting pattern. The RectPattern.1 feature is displayed in the specification tree.

  12. Let's now edit the pattern to make it more complex: double-click the pattern to display the dialog box.

  13. Click More >> to display the whole dialog box.

    The options available let you position the pattern.



  14. In the Rotation angle box, type 5deg as the rotation angle value to modify the position of the pockets.

  15. Click Preview.

    You can notice that all the pockets have moved slightly:



  16. In the Row in direction 1 box, type 2 to modify the location of the initial pocket.

    The application previews how the pattern will be moved. It will be moved along the direction as indicated:



  17. In the Row in Direction 2 box, type 2.

    The application previews how the pattern will be moved. It will be moved along these two directions defined in steps 17 and 18:



  18. Click OK.

    The application has changed the location of all pockets. Only four of them remain on the pad.



Specify Specific Spacing Values between Each Instance

You can assign specific spacing values between each instance.

  1. Select the pocket as the object to pattern, and first set the Instance(s) & Length parameter using the length values as shown here:



  2. Set the Instance(s) & Unequal Spacing parameter for the first direction.

    Spacing values are displayed between each instance.

  3. To edit the values between each instance, you need to edit values individually. First, select the spacing of interest if not already done.



  4. Choose one of the methods described hereafter: For example, if you want to change 10mm for 17mm for the selected spacing, you can:


    • Double-click the length value in the geometry area. This displays the Parameter Definition dialog box in which you can enter the new value.
    • Directly enter the new value in the Spacing box of the Rectangular Pattern Definition dialog box.


  5. Repeat the operation for the other spacing values.

  6. Click OK when done.

    Tip: It is possible to create cartesian patterns with variable steps. To do so, you need to define formulas. For more information, see Knowledge Advisor User's Guide.

Create a Staggered Pattern

You can create the specific staggered pattern configurations by offsetting the alternate rows of the pattern by certain distance.

Create a rectangular pattern as shown below:



Note: The reference row is marked in the red color.

  1. Double-click RectPattern.x in the specification tree.

    The Rectangular Pattern Definition dialog box appears.

  2. Click More>> for more information.

    The options available let you stagger the pattern.

  3. Select the Staggered check box in the Staggered Pattern Definition area.



    By default, the option is selected to keep the number of instances in the reference row more than its adjacent row.

    Note: You can click to keep the number of instances in the reference row less than its adjacent row.

  4. In the Stagger Step box, type the value to specify the offset between the alternate rows of the pattern.

  5. Click OK.

    The staggered pattern is created.