Sketch Based Feature Pattern

[BromanSillito]

Sometimes it is easiest to create a pattern of holes in inventor using a sketch of points. The pattern may not be perfectly rectangular or circular. It would be useful in the assembly level to be able to fill these holes using the feature command and filling these holes based on the sketch. The command would create a pattern by filling each each of the sketch points with the part that is being patterned.

[david.gate]

you can kind of do that.

if the holes have all been put in with a single feature then you can auto populate them with bolts from the conent center using the auto drop feature.

got to > Place from content center.

Pick the family you want but not the exact size.

select one hole edge and then on the dialog that then appears make sure the multiplacement option is ticked. Although these bolts all move with their respective holes, any holes removed or added won't have an effect.

the bolted connection tool will also follow the holes if they are in the same feature.

The benifit of using the bolted connection is that if the original holes are added to or removed you can update the bolted connection to drop bolts or add them.

[saainsworth]

This is exactly what is needed.  Its wonderful that content center and bolted connection can fill all these holes in. However, I am frequently placing parts that do not come from content center.  Then I'm stuck placing each part and constraining individually.  Pattern from sketch or pattern from hole sketch should be an option in the assembly pattern command.

[DRoam]

@BromanSillito and @saainsworth, this is now possible thanks to the Sketch-driven Pattern tool (implemented here). In your Part, rather than creating all holes as a single feature, create just one of them, then use the Sketch-driven Pattern tool to pattern it to each of the other Sketch points.

Now, at the Assembly level, you can associate your bolt pattern to the Sketch-driven pattern, and it will auto-populate to each hole and even update if the hole pattern changes.

Hope that helps!

@Discussion_Admin / @dan_szymanski, this Idea could be moved to the general Inventor forum so it can help other people wanting to do the same thing.

[saainsworth]

I like the new sketch pattern feature. I will work and is better than nothing.  Unfortunately it forces me to use two features to create a pattern that can be used in an assembly (create a hole/feature then create the pattern).  It would be less work if the holes placed at sketch points could just be treated as a pattern in an assembly.

The sketch pattern seems also to be limited to points.  You cannot use end points of lines or center points of circles or arcs.  If I use geometry to determine the locations then I have to go back and place points at those places.  Why not just allow selection of those like is done with the holes places at sketch points.  It seems like they started from scratch with this instead of building on what they had.

Overall it is an improvement.

[DRoam]

@saainsworth, I see what you mean. It would make sense to be able to use a single Hole feature with multiple holes and have the Assembly link to that rather than having to create an extra Pattern feature.

And if this idea were implemented: Hole Feature should (optionally) autodetect Circles, then you could do just as you said--create your Hole feature with multiple holes, placed on all Centerpoints and/or Hole centers. Then the Assembly pattern could link directly to the Hole feature, as proposed here.

I think that makes sense and would be handy.

Here's how I suggested implementing hole-center selection in a comment on the other idea:

Building on what you said, maybe we could even have more options:

The "endpoints" option would be useful because sometimes I draw a rectangle or other shape where the corners represent hole points. It would be handy to not have to put Centerpoints there.

Anyway, good points. I agree with you. Vote given.