Pattern vs mirror related to bodies and components

[Joel.hagle]

I am new to Fusion and having a question related to rectangular patterns vs mirror and how they interact with bodies and containers and the parts list on a drawing.

I have a four legged table, each leg has an angle on one side and mortises on all three of the other sides.  The result is that I need two legs, each having two instances.  Spin the front right around and it works for the back left.

I have not been able to get a rectangular pattern to work without doing a move on three of the legs.

Creating one leg on the top level as a component and using mirror to create a second leg, then mirroring both legs works perfectly with all legs oriented properly and exactly where I want them.  However, mirror works on bodies not components and the parts list shows one leg with a count of one.  Creating a component from the bodies created a component under the original leg and has no effect on the parts list.  I thought I would try to change the parent for these components to the top level but I am unable to do that.

Not sure where to go from here, with a goal of doing this with as few moves as possible and having all instances show in the parts list with the correct count.

[davebYYPCU]

For Bom and Parts List, never Mirror.

Use circular pattern, count 2.

or Paste New.

Might help....

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

"However, mirror works on bodies not components and the parts list shows one leg with a count of one.  "

Not true.  All pattern types (Mirror is just a different type of pattern) allow you choose what to pattern:

If you choose "Components", Mirror will act on components.  However... as @davebYYPCU says, Mirror creates a new component, so only use it if you really need a new component (left hand/right hand versions of the component that are not identical).  If your component (e.g. table leg) is symmetric enough so that you can manufacture 4 identical legs and just rotate them to assemble them, don't use mirror.  Sometimes you can use a circular pattern (which will rotate each instance of the pattern) to achieve your goal (if your table is round, or maybe even square).  The more usual way is to use Joints to place the components.  The Joints will rotate each component into the proper orientation as they are assembled.  Further, the Joint will hold it in place if you do something like change the table size .

[davebYYPCU]

And rectangles....

[Joel.hagle]

Thanks to all for the help, I will dig in to Joints.  I did look art them but didn't see a type that jumped out for what I am doing so I didn't try.

I understand that Mirror is not what I need in this case, but I am still going to look again to see what I missed because I did not see the component option in the dropdown list.

Still a little unclear if you are saying Circular Pattern to create multiple components then Joints to place them;  Or, just create four identical components and use Joint to orient and place them.  I will play with it to see what works.

Thanks

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Because you do need a left and right handed leg, mirror one for the other, 

then circular pattern them, because the orientation is taken care of, and you get 2 and 2, in the list.

Because they are? Components, you have to prevent free moves, with Ground, Rigid Group or Joint.

Might help...

[Joel.hagle]

Thank you, that triggered the missing link in my brain to put it together.  I have been using SU Pro for several years and I am trying to apply what I think I know to Fusion.

Again, thank you @davebYYPCU and @jeff_strater.  Without your help I would have struggled with this for another week, or just done something that worked without understanding why I couldn't do what I wanted to do.