what is the best way to create patterns of joints?

[i-make-robots]

I tried to import a fastener, joint it to the hole, and then pattern it around the cylindrical part.  I thought that since there's a rule for the joint and a rule for the pattern the copies would be firmly held in place.  I was wrong!  So wrong.

Thorough models are essential, and this drudgery is the bane of my modelling life atm.

Is there an easy way to add and joint a lot of items fast? 

Example of the patterns I'm doing: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZy3rE7Ad3-/

Thank you!

[i-make-robots]

I should add that my current workflow is to import N copies of the fastener and joint them one at a time.  Totally blows up if I change the number of patterned holes.  Also those holes could not be mirrored to and adjacent body in the same component, the mirrored hole is just... missing.  no warning, no error.

[beresfordromeo]

Hi j-make-robots

May I ask if you are using joints to position the fasteners or because they need joints?

Either way have you considered patterning the fasteners and using a rigid group? This might allow you to link the number of instances of patterned holes to patterned fasteners using a parameter.

I hope I am not completely misunderstanding your modelling.

[subversivespeed]

Very similar to what I am currently doing. 

AFAIK you are going to have to joint each and every one to a particular hole or mounting location. 

Other idea would be to rigid pattern the bolts, then, use the bolts to generate the holes? but, again, you are going to have to do one or the other all by hand, and, its gonna be a while. 

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

You create a rigid group joint  of the patterned components and the one component that has the joint.

[i-make-robots]

I was not aware of rigid groups.  I can joint one item, pattern from there, and then rigid group the set.

I confirm that works!  Kudos!

[TrippyLighting]

There's a Kudos button. I thought I'd point it out  😉

[tamirlance]

@TrippyLighting 

Coming in a few years late to the party.  Rigid groups work great but if I change the number of bolts in the bolt pattern from 4 to 5 then the 5th bolt does not get automagically added to the existing rigid group which only had the 4 original bolts.  You have to go back and edit the rigid group. 

Would be great if there was a default feature to make the pattern rigid after creation since I almost always end up doing that anyway 

[TrippyLighting]

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@tamirlance wrote:

Would be great if there was a default feature to make the pattern rigid after creation since I almost always end up doing that anyway 

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That would indeed be great. I've asked for that many times, but I've given up. 

[tamirlance]

Is there a way to do this via a script or add-in?  I was going to try and write one but hit a roadblock.  I can figure out how to add the components to a rigid group, which isn't terribly interesting/useful.  My problem is that I can't figure out how to retriever the script if a global variable changes the pattern.  Maybe there is a rebuild event that I can use to trigger the script to rerun.

[laughingcreek]

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@mikLamming wrote:

I created a dummy object A with a joint origin on it.  Then I created an object B that exactly duplicated A.  Then I subtracted B from A, and was left with a null object A that I was able to use to pattern the area I needed covering with joints origins.

I'm a novice, so this might be silly. and it may produce mayhem for me later on, but so far so good.

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a couple of thoughts-

1-no geometry is nessesary to place a joint origin.  all those extra steps you went to create a "null" object were completely unnecessary.

2-the concept of a null object doesn't apply in fusion.  a component is required to have an origin, but nothing else.  so a component that is devoid of any geometry etc will still have an origin, and isn't considered a null object.  it's just a plan old component.  all components start off empty.

3-so now you have a circular pattern of a component that contains a joint origin (note I said a component. singular.  there is one unique component, and you have 3 instances of that component).  Now what?   doesn't in anyway address the topic of this thread, which is about jointing patterned components in place.  i'll say that a different way, you patterned a joint ORIGIN.  there are no JOINTS to be seen.

[mikLamming]

Sorry for wasting your time.

[tamirlance]

Not at all - it’s nice that you tried and participated in an online community. I haven’t used fusion for a while and things like this were counterintuitive for me as well

I appreciate the effort and am glad that other more experienced users were able to provide more clarity.