How to - Pattern along path sketch object - stitching lines

[QuinnCampbell]

How can I get a pattern along a path for a sketch object? I am creating patterns for leather work that involve none rectilinear edges that need to be followed by slits as stitching holes that will be laser cut. 

Step 1. Have my main object body.

step 2. Create a path that is my stitching line in a sketch on top of my design body

step 3. create a surface at my first stitch

step 4. create a pattern along path with the surface body

step 5. project all of those bodies created with pattern along path to a new sketch that will my stitch lines.

The problem is that is very clunky, ends up with tons of bodies

any better way to do this?

[g-andresen]

Hi,

1. thicken surface

2. combine / cut  > panel and body

3. create pattern on path > feature: COMBINE/CUT

Screencast

günther

[campbellqn]

So I don't want a rectangular cut out, I essentially want a dashed line that I can output to a DXF, but I need that dashed time to follow my non linear path. Your method would work if I wanted a shape cutout, I simply want a laser width slit cut. 

[campbellqn]

I replied from the wrong account but what I said up there^

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Simply set the rectangle to minimum width.

günther

[davebYYPCU]

Your workflow is correct, after the exported sketch, Remove the surface bodies.

Then put the Remove icons in a Timeline Group.

Might help....

[HughesTooling]

How about extrude cut the first slot then pattern the slot? Then project face into a sketch to export. See attached file.

[QuinnCampbell]

minimum width meaning 0? 

[QuinnCampbell]

The problem is I dont want rectangle, I just want a line thats patterned on the path, a rectangle doesnt work as nicely for stitching, more likely to burn out the material and takes much longer.

[wmhazzard]

Here is a crazy way, edit your spline sketch and use text on path with a stick font and a hyphen. You would have to play with the fonts, character size and spacing to get the line length that you need, then delete the spline and save as DXF. It would not be editable that way though so I don't know if it would be worth it or not. Also I would recommend turning off Auto project geometry to active sketch in your preferences, makes for cleaner sketches. 

[QuinnCampbell]

awww now thats an interesting solution. I like that....

So my normal work flow and the reason I have auto projection turned on intentionally (also the reason I was trying to cut a surface with a plane but it wont let me) is that I used to have what ever stitch hole I wanted cut through the model body then I would do a single clean dxf on that surface that had nothing but the outline, cut holes and stitching holes, and I had to clean up nothing on the exported file.