Patterns and spacing

[infoYYJRS]

I want to distribute my rectangles evenly.

I have calculated that I can have 18 rectangles placed in 9mm height with a width of 0.25 and a distance of 0.2647058824. 

When i apply the pattern tool and chose spacing it just does not add up.

Can anyone tell me what i am doing wrong?

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@infoYYJRS wrote:

When i apply the pattern tool and chose spacing it just does not add up.

Can anyone tell me what i am doing wrong?

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Show your work - how did you arrive at that number.  What was your formula?

I do not see a pattern in the file that you Attached?

The general practice is to pattern Features or Bodies, not sketch elements.

What is your Design Intent - what are you trying to create?

Edit:  Exactly how many rectangles MUST you have? 18?  Or is that a guess?

(9-(.25*18))/19=0.23684210526315789473684210526316

18 rectangles

19 gaps between rectangles

[g-andresen]

Hi,

try it this way and check attached file

günther

[infoYYJRS]

I tried...

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

You have missed something is the calculation of your Rectangular Pattern Distance.

Width of area to fill: 9 mm

Width of each bar to pattern: .25 mm

Total number of bars: 18

Total number of spaces: 19 (17 between bars plus one on each side)

.25 * 18 = 4.5 mm

9 - 4.5 = 4.5 mm left to divide

4.5/19 = .23684211

.23684211 +.25 = .48684211 the value you should use in your Rectangular Pattern for spacing

You also had an error in the sketch for the first bar.  It should be the same value used in the Rectangular Pattern dialog.  Corrected model is attached.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Did you really look at the attached file  # 3 (especially the parameter list)?

günther

[infoYYJRS]

Hi Gunther i did look at the parameter list but i find it even more hard to understand than using the pattern function...

So one thing  at a time... 

[g-andresen]

Hi,

The parameters form the basis for the "Pattern" tool, but do not replace it. They make it easier for you to define the dimensions in the "Pattern" tool.
In addition, they allow you to change the parameters easily.

günther

[infoYYJRS]

I see, so the "error" i had was actually anaesthetic choice i wanted to achieve which was to give space in top and bottom of 0.25 that makes the calculation look like this:

Width of area to fill: 8.5 mm

Width of each bar to pattern: .25 mm

Total number of bars: 18

Total number of spaces: 19 (17 between bars plus one on each side)

.25 * 18 = 4.5 mm

8.5 - 4.5 = 4 mm left to divide

4/19 = .21052632

.21052632 +.25 = .46052632 would be the correct number in case i want to keep my aesthetic choice.

My next question is how would you bend the design so i keeps the length but i give it an oval / Circular bend?

On youtube i saw some different tutorials where they enter sheet metal, draw a line in the shap the want the obejct to be bent around. Would that be a way to go about it?

Kind regards É

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@infoYYJRS wrote:

My next question is how would you bend the design ...

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I would model in finished form rather than flat and try to bend.

If you need the Flat Pattern - Fusion will do that for you from the finished form.

[infoYYJRS]

How Will it do that?

[infoYYJRS]

Or where would you start?

[jhackney1972]

Using your new attached model, I go through the process of adding a bend to your model.  I first use a 100mm radius and then edit it to an 80mm radius.  This process will work for circular bending only, you cannot make a serpentine bend this way.  Model is attached.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@infoYYJRS wrote:

Or where would you start?

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Sheet Metal

Flange of arc or partial ellipse or whatever.

Extrude - Thin feature cut.

Pattern

Flat Pattern (if needed).

[infoYYJRS]

This calculation was somewhat wrong, can't figure out why, I ended with a distance of 0.4854 between the lines tot make it match. But in my calculations it said 0.4605...

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Once again, I remind you that I have included a file in post #3 that will clear you of any doubts about spacing.

günther

[infoYYJRS]

okay ill check, the parametric approach scares me a bit but i guess i should give a go!

[infoYYJRS]

Hey @g-andresen,

i want to learn to do it your way. 
Can you tell me step by step and i will try?
Lets start super basic, maybe with the first sketch and making that parametric from the start.

[infoYYJRS]

Here is my first steps with the parameters...