Patterns

Description: 5 minutes; Lab exercise: 20 min

Work more efficiently with Patterns. Preview your graphics, modify hole radii, modify pattern features, and work with files created in any language. All of this, whether you are working in Machining, 3D Library, Sheet Metal, Mold Base, or Mold Design Advisor modules.

Improvements include

Graphical preview

Pattern creation and modification have been improved for ease-of-use with new graphical feedback that shows you changes before you complete the operation. The graphical feedback shows the positions where new features will be created, as shown here:

As you can see, the semi-transparent preview allows you to clearly see changes before you complete the operation. The preview changes to reflect any adjustments you make to the options.

The preview is visible when you create or modify all custom process features and patterns.

Modify hole circle radius 

Hole circles, like the one shown on the right, are common design elements.

You can easily create them as radial patterns, but they were difficult to modify in the past. Now you can change the radius in a single step.

The 3D CoPilot provides an on-screen guide arrow to drag your radius to the desired diameter.

Modify pattern features 

Now you can modify all the features of a pattern in a single operation.

For example, here we changed the sink diameter of a counterbored hole (shown in the model on the lower left), and the change was applied to all the holes in the pattern (shown in the model on the lower right).

Compatibility improvements 

Prior to this release, features created in one language environment were not recognized in another language because the feature categories were localized. Categories now use a general schema that is not language-specific, so you can select features on a model created on a system with different language settings. This version also recognizes previously localized categories, so features in models created with another language in OneSpace Designer 2003 and 2004 are no longer a problem.

 

Lab exercise

These exercises provides hands-on experience using the new pattern features in OneSpace Designer Modeling 2005.

Prerequisites

Create a part and a pattern 

Begin by creating a simple part with a pattern of holes. You will see the new graphical feedback while you create the hole and the pattern.

Watch a video of this step

  1. Start OneSpace Designer Modeling and the Machining module.

  2. Create a square that is about 100 mm wide, and extrude it to a depth of 20 mm.

  3. Add a machined hole of any type. A Countersunk Through Hole was used in the example.

  4. Use your machined hole to create a radial pattern with 5 holes. To access the pattern creation dialog,

    1. Click Process Info  or Machining .

    2. Click Create in the Pattern section.

    3. Create a Radial pattern with 5 machined holes, as shown here:

Create a pattern using construction lines

Construction lines can cause the Axis 3D CoPilot to behave different than you expect. When this happens, you must use the CoPilot's dynamic menu to define your axis.

Without construction lines, the Axis 3D CoPilot looks like this:

 

However, construction lines can interfere, like this:

 

You can't just click to define the center of the pattern radius, so you must use the Axis 3D menu. Create a radial pattern. When you define the axis,

Watch a video of this step

  1. Right-click in the viewport.

  2. Select Point and Dir from the menu.

  3. Click the point where you want the axis, like this:

  4. Click a directional element, such as a face, like this:



    You'll see a preview of the axis in a transparent shadow at the first point you clicked.

Change the hole circle radius 

In the past, you had to recreate a radial pattern to change its radius. Now you can do it in one operation:

Watch a video of this step

  1. Click Process Info  or Machining .

  2. Click Pattern Rad. in the Pattern section.

  3. Select a feature in the pattern you want to change.

  4. The 3D CoPilot will display a guide arrow, as shown here:


  5. Click the guide arrow once and move the arrow to a new radius. The graphical feedback will show the new locations of your features, as shown here:



  6. Click again to set the radius to a new diameter.

  7. You can also change the radius by typing a value in the New Radius field of the dialog. The graphical feedback will show you a preview of the new radius when you press Enter.

  8. Click  to complete the operation.

Modify a feature 

You can now modify a single feature and apply the change to all of the features in the pattern. You can also choose to modify only one feature, and a change to the pattern will not change the other features, as it did in the past.

Watch a video of this step

  1. Click Process Info  or Machining .

  2. Select Custom Process from the view list. (See the sidebar on page 4 for more information about task panels and views.)

  3. Click Modify in the Feature section.

  4. Select a feature to modify.

  5. Select the name of the feature in the Specified Items dialog, as shown here:

  6. Click Apply.

  7. Change an attribute of the feature, such as its drill diameter (DrillDia).

  8. Select the OwnPat option near the bottom of the dialog to apply this change to all the features in your pattern.

  9. Click  to complete the operation.

Your change will be applied to all of the features in the pattern.

Now repeat the previous steps, but do not select OwnPat. Only the selected feature will be changed.