2D pattern Problem

[altar]

Hi everybody,

I have a problem at the attached part. I draw a zigzag profile and rectangular pattern it in 2D sketch environment. When I try to extrude the profile, inventor doesn't recognize it as a close profile. Everything seems logical, its fully constrained.

I can hear you saying, go ahead and do it at 3D model environment, i know it, but i need to do that in 2D environment for a specific reason. I draw the profile in AutoCAD and insert the AutoCAD file into 2D sketch environment, that's one workaround. The thing is its tedious that Inventor doesn't auto give coincident constraint when you give the objects length to pattern length.

Any suggestions for the situation? Is there any other workaround or add-in?

[JDMather]

Run Sketch Doctor and it fixes the sketch, but

....I would probably pattern a simplified feature rather than sketch.

[altar]

Thanks a lot for your quick reply. Guess there is no other way doing it without sketch doctor or another workaround. I don't understand why Inventor doesn't give coincident constraint to end points. Everything I do is seem logicol to me, am I missing something? Also I heard from my customer that this issue doesn't happen in Solidworks, is it correct?

[mpatchus]

(Can't open 2013 files, or I'd be able to answer these.)

Is your sketch fully constrained?

Is your pattern dimension accurate? (If it is off even by .00000001 you will not end up with a closed loop.)

I have had some success using sketch patterns, but typically you can expect much better results using feature patterns as JD has stated.

Create one zig-zag element, then pattern the element acros the face of the part.

[altar]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the reply. I double checked but my sketch is fully constrained. I verify it both from the bottom right corner and from the sketch symbol at browser tree. To avoid errors I click the sketch dimension to enter the pattern length. But no luck out there, it still doesn't recognized as a close profile.

As you say I always prefer to do it in 3d model environment but my customer having a problem while importing to stl file(he needs specifically the stl file format) and make some fluid analysis. He tolds me he needs to do the pattern specifically in 2d environment otherwise the file size increases dramatically for fluid analysis.(let's say he has around 5000 pattern objects.) As a result he couldn't make the fluid analysis because of the oversized file.

Another thing is, he tolds me this can be done in 2d sketch environment at Solidworks. From my experiences I'm pretty sure Inventor is far better but i don't understand why it can't be done here.

[mpatchus · Accepted solution]

One thing that I have had success with that you can do is to make the initial element a closed loop in the sketch, then pattern that closed loop within the sketch.  When you extrude, simply select all of the closed loops.

[altar]

Cool 🙂

Thanks a lot for your solution.