Curve Driven Pattern..

[gahiggins]

Hello,

I am trying to pattern two features (a hex nut countersink and a thru hole) in a curved pattern on the top surface of a base curved extrusion. Number of instances should be 6 with equal spacing. Any help would be great.

Thanks

[Tom_Sturtevant]

Hi gahiggins

I’ve attached a solution for this (Inventor 2022 version – hope you can open it!).

The basic approach is:

Create a sketch on the face with the hex hole

Project in one string of edges

Select the projected curves and create an offset to the center of the face

Constrain the offset curves to the projected center point of the through hole

Make the segment at the “far end” of the chain a construction curve

Sketch another line on top of that construction curve with its endpoint where you want your pattern to end

Exit sketch

Start the Rectangular Pattern command

Select the features you want patterned, select the sketch curve, set count = 6, use the “Curve Length” option for spacing, expand the dialog and pick the Direction 1 “Start” selector and select the projected center point of the through hole

Let me know if you have any trouble!

T.0.M.

[gahiggins]

Hi Tom,

Would it be possible for you to post a short video showing this process..? I got as far as projecting and off-setting the contour of the curve. 

I got lost when it came to constrain the offset curves to the projected center point of the through hole

Make the segment at the “far end” of the chain a construction curve.

Sketch another line on top of that construction curve with its endpoint where you want your pattern to end.

Thanks

George Higgins

[SharkDesign]

Hopefully this makes sense to you

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/0a894fae-550d-4880-9622-9a84bf3b32e8

[SharkDesign · Accepted solution]

Sorry I couldn't open your file because I'm on an older version. 

Here's a demo that is closer to what you are doing. 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/eb306e60-a6af-45a3-b9a0-fb2210e1fdc1

[gahiggins · Accepted solution]

Hello James,

Thank you for your video, this helped a great deal. I had to offset and dimension the contour of the curve, rendering the sketch fully defined, also the end points of the sketch were coincident with the center points of the thru hole and hex-counter also by dimension (which were separate features). From there, I was able to translate the seed geometry along the curve direction without rotation of the instances by choosing Compute > identical. Orientation > direction 1.

Thank you 

George