Option for mirrored components to actually remain mirrored

[DRoam]

I was sure I'd find this idea already suggested in IdeaStation but couldn't find one quite saying the same thing.

In a sketch if I mirror geometry using the Mirror tool, if I change the geometry on one side of the mirror line, the geometry on the other slide reflects the change. This makes sense... because I mirrored the geometry. So both sides should... mirror each other.

But in an assembly once I mirror components, not only do they lose their relationships with each other, they also have no parent/child (or twin would be a better word) relationship with the components they were mirrored from. This means that when I make changes to one side, I have to make all those changes to the other side all over again. This completely defeats the purpose of mirroring parts.

As I see it, the mirror tool has two purposes, and one of them is useless:

1. To create a mirrored copy of a part. Works very well.

2. To mirror components across a plane. This is useless in that the components do not retain their mirrored state. They're essentially just placed in the assembly again as if from scratch using the Place command.

This might be useful in some situations, to have the flexibility to make each side different. But that should be an option, not a restriction. Users should have the option to actually keep the mirrored relationship between components if they wish, as in a sketch.

[rptandy]

Yes, I would also find it more helpful if mirror components would copy the constraints from the originals over to the mirrored set of components. One of my company's product lines is drying systems for conveyor lines, and I would love to be able to mirror components across the conveyor for system drawings.

[mbardzel]

I would strongly suggest adding a "keep parent properties on off button" for this mirroring command (and pattern or copy command as well). There are times when you do want to keep every property of the parent feature or sketch which is the goal you are stressing but there are just as many times when you only want to save some time by mirroring the parent feature or sketch only as a starting point for a new sketch or feature with the intention of modifying the mirrored sketch or feature to create this new item without having to start from scratch. A good example is a door with a pattern on it. Example a door with 6 panels on it. A set of two columns each with 3 panels each but the top panel of each column is spaced a greater distance vertically from the bottom two panels. One would like to draw one panel from scratch. Then mirror it horizontally. Then mirror the now two bottom panels vertically (copy or pattern would also accomplish this). Then mirror the top new panels vertically but at a new distance to create the final top two panels of each column. Parenting would limit the flexibility and Inventor tends to grab the entire set of panels affected during the process rather than just the individual panel or panels you want to use. A button would be great. 

[inv.ideareview]

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