topic Re: Break or Explode Pattern in Fusion Design, Validate & Document Forum

Break or Explode Pattern

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:16:13 GMT

Not sure if there's already a tool/option for this, or if it's a suggestion worth making.

I'll often create a pattern to populate a scene with geometry roughly where I want it. Then, sometimes, I want to move parts around and create some variation to the pattern. However, this isn't always possible (at least it's not if the pattern was made along a curve). So, I'm wondering the best way to achieve what I'm after. Each body could be made a component I think... not the best approach with >100 bodies. Also, I could try disabling the history, right?

Any thoughts on this?

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

SaeedHamza — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 16:33:22 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Each body could be made a component I think... not the best approach with >100 bodies. Also, I could try disabling the history, right?

No, it's not the best approach with 100 bodies, but these 100 bodies could be one component, which makes things alot easier

Here is a screeencast to make things clearer

Regards

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 17:17:41 GMT

I am not sure if I am understanding the problem properly. It is always better (quicker) to pattern bodies rather than in the sketch. After you have patterned the bodies use the move tool to move any one of the patterned bodies.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

TrippyLighting — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 17:37:20 GMT

It would probably help if you could provide specific example of what you are trying to achieve.

In general components are much easier to move than bodies, because you can drag them around in the viewport to any position you want. To move a body, you'll have to use the move tool.

The question is what is it that you want to do with these components after moving them.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 17:50:33 GMT

I realize I was a bit too abstract/general in my question! Sorry.

Here's the design in question: Ball Chain

Here's an image showing the problem:

The links are misaligned with some of the spheres and I need to manually rotate them to better follow my curve/path. Every time I got to move them, the whole chain moves or I can edit the pattern... I'm looking to essentially move a couple of those spheres/links.

Thanks for any help.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

SaeedHamza — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 17:57:34 GMT

If you set the pattern alon path to path direction, it should go fine

If you already tried that, please attach you're design in .f3d format to your next post, because the link you provided in your last post is not allowing me to download

Regards

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

TrippyLighting — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 18:02:23 GMT

Make sure that the origin of the origin of the seed sphere s perfectly centered in the center of the sphere and that it aligns perfectly with the path it's being patterned on. That is very often the reason folks have reported seeing a deviation from the path being followed.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 18:31:22 GMT

Thanks, this is a section analysis of the object I wish to pattern along the path.

In this case, I need the origin of the spline I'm patterning along to be coincident with the center point of these two bodies? If this solves my alignment issue, that's great. But my original question about how to override the sketch and rotate bodies afterword, has not been answered.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

TrippyLighting — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 18:44:25 GMT

That cross section explains everything!

The difficulty is that you have not just one object but two of them that need to align. Patterning Components or Bodies in Fusion creates instances of these that can be moved independently with the move tool. In that case I am not sure it matters whether you are patterning components or bodies, as you will have to use the move tool to restate them.

I'd venture a guess that this is much easier to do with the tools in Blender.

Re: Break or Explode Pattern

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 19:14:49 GMT

I'll manually rotate them. Each individual link is its own component. Previously when I tried, I wasn't able to because I wasn't activating each of them which explains why I wasn't able to rotate each piece.

Thanks for looking into this. Also, yes, Blender has some great tools for this. I started using a simulation to 'drop' the chain onto a shelf and it was moving so slow (and I'm pretty new to Blender), I abandoned that approach and did it in Fusion.