Pattern with different size components

[brandonbattle11]

I have a single panel designed. Within this design there are two posts, and a four-sided channel insert with wire mesh in the middle. I also have a full assembly of posts, but they all have different spacing. Therefore I cannot just make one channel insert and insert derive into my full assembly multiple times. I am wondering if there is a way to maintain my single panel design (height needs to stay the same but the widths will vary) and "insert" them between the posts on my full assembly project. The way I planned on doing this is extremely time consuming and tedious (drawing a channel insert in between each post). I am wondering if anybody has a suggestion to make this process more efficient. Is there a way to use "configure" to get this done? TIA

[kacper.suchomski]

Hi

Yes, you can streamline your workflow using configuration functionality:

https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=CFG-OVERVIEW

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

As @kacper.suchomski has mentioned, Configurations is one way to do this, but in this case I would not use configurations.
Please look at the attached file and see if that isn't a much better way to approach this. You'll see that I approached the layout sketch differently. The main purpose is that I have a line that defines the width of each panel.

I will now re-model your panel design as your's breaks if I change the internal width from 48" to 50".
Then I insert it into the main file and break the link!

I can then join it to the center point of one line and for the panel width reference the length of the line in layout sketch.

Then I'll copy and paste-new the panel as needed for the different panels, and so forth.

[brandonbattle11]

Do you mind modeling one panel in the way you are describing so it wont break when I insert it into the full assembly and change the width? I am not sure how to go about that. It doesnt have to be channel I know that is tedious to draw. I just want to understand the concept and then I can draw the channel. 

[TrippyLighting]

Models are attached. Now, when you change any of the length in the layout sketch, the panel width will automatically adapt.

For the corner panels you'll have to think of a slightly different solution, because due to the angels, the posts won't fit into the metal sleeves.

It's a bit of an initial set-up, but it is well worth the effort one you need o make changes.

[brandonbattle11]

This is awesome, thank you very much. I will begin working this method and reply to you if I get hung up. 

[brandonbattle11]

Just to clarify, did you insert the single panel design, break the link, and change the inside dimension to reference the layout lengths? This is a million times more efficient than what I was going to do. Thank you again. 

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

Correct, that is exactly what I am doing.

[brandonbattle11]

That is amazing! Thank you for the help. I appreciate it.