Rectangular pattern and join

[andrewjodonohue]

I've been trying to make a part that has teeth arranged in a flat spike pattern. I've created parameters so that I can decide how big to make the plate, and how many teeth in each direction, but if I make it have more teeth, I have to add the new bodies to the combine operation. Is there a way to join/combine the bodies of a rectangular pattern when you make the pattern, so that adjusting the pattern parametrically won't need to be re-joined/combined. (If I need to I can share the file)

[laughingcreek]

If you pattern bodies, then no, you will have to edit the combine command if you add more.  If you are patterning features or faces that are already joined to the main body, then it will work.  You don't have to do a combine afterward.

[Anonymous]

I'm having the same issue while patterning features. When I complete the pattern, it creates new bodies, regardless of whether I select bodies, features, or faces. Is there a way to combine the new bodies while maintaining parametric control?

[laughingcreek]

Are you patterning faces or features that are already joined before you do the pattern?  If you pattern something that isn't already combined to begin with , then it won't be after the pattern either.

Can you post a screen shot or attach your file?

[Anonymous]

Aha I think I understand why this isn't working for me. I'm trying to pattern every feature of the body; rather than join the pattern, it will always create a new body in this case. Would be helpful if there was the ability to select "New Body", "Join", "Cut", etc. in the pattern dialog box.

For context: I'm creating a lattice and defining a "unit" and then trying to pattern that while maintaining parametric control.

In the simplest case:

                     

[laughingcreek]

For your "simplest case" example, that looks like you would end up with a basic extrude shape.  In which case you can use a formula in an extrude function so you can control base unit length, and number of units parametrically.

But I suspect you have something more complicated in mind.  I think you can still do what you want with the pattern tool.  can you post an example shape?

[Anonymous]

You are correct—I was just trying to show that if you pattern the entirety of a body, it will create new bodies. Below is the geometry I am actually working with:

[laughingcreek]

The trick here is to get the basic shape you want to create joined to a larger solid body.  Then you can do the patterning you want.  There are a lot of ways you might go about doing this.

In the attached screen cast, I took a similar base shape, and created the negative tool using boundary fill.  Then use "combine" to cut the negative from a base stock.  There are lots of other fun ways to get to this point, but once you have this basic shape, then you can pattern either the faces or the combine feature.  try it with small numbers of units first.  one type of pattern will probably be faster than the other.  It seems to be a matter of trial and error to figure which one is faster. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for the help! Really appreciate it. 

[rodrigo.alvarez]

Thanks for this work around.

Feature request: Fusion team, could you add a feature to 'join' the output of a rectangular or circular array when the source is a body? 

[s21Q9J8A]

And 8 years later we still don't have the options to join/cut/intersect with a pattern.  But hey we do have extra pay features that are a lot less useful, so there's that.