Inventor 2019, Help re Rectangular Pattern following a sketched shape

[nickJR7A7]

Hi all,

Im trying to design a lanyard ID holder that will be made of leather and sewn together. Im using Inventor in order to draw out a pattern to follow. Part of that is that I want to mark out the holes where I will be sewing. They are 1mm holes that I want to be inserted 2.5mm in from the edge of the sketch and follow around the whole outside of my sketched pattern.

Ive tried in vain to get the Rectangular pattern tool to do what I want, but all I get is a straight line... Ive checked youtube for answers and seen it is possible to get the pattern to follow a path, and Ive tried projecting the geometry to created a sketch path, but nothing works...

I desperately want to crack this, as it could really help me with any future patterns I design.

Can anyone offer any advice on what Im doing wrong or show me how to sort the problem please? I enclose a picture of where Im at so far... Ive also included the file Im working on....

Thanks in advance for any help

[Cadmanto]

See if the attached links offer anything for you.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/how-to-create-a-sketch-driven-hole-pattern-normal-to-a...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/hole-pattern-on-curve-surface/td-p/5502193

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/is-it-possible-to-pattern-a-part-along-a-path/td-p/682...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3V63MWRV6g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW1taI4NTLY

Windows 10 x64 -16GB Ram
Intel i7-6700 @ 3.41ghz
nVidia GTS 250 - 1 GB
Inventor Pro 2018

[nickJR7A7]

Thanks Ill have a read

[JDMather]

I recommend that you first concentrate on using more Sketch Constraints and fewer Dimensions and use symmetry about the Origin Center Point in you Sketch1.

[nickJR7A7]

Ok, Im a total newb to this, so I will see what I can do with that. Does this help form the path? As I cant seem to get the separate lines to become one which I presume is what is required to make it a path...?

[nickJR7A7]

Hi,

Ive tried the first youtube video and have followed it to the letter. I havent managed to get it to work for me tho. Im thinking that Ive screwed something up with the way the sketch is set up? Any thoughts?

---

@Cadmanto wrote:

See if the attached links offer anything for you.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/how-to-create-a-sketch-driven-hole-pattern-normal-to-a...

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/hole-pattern-on-curve-surface/td-p/5502193

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/is-it-possible-to-pattern-a-part-along-a-path/td-p/682...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3V63MWRV6g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW1taI4NTLY

Windows 10 x64 -16GB Ram
Intel i7-6700 @ 3.41ghz
nVidia GTS 250 - 1 GB
Inventor Pro 2018

---

[JDMather]

The path will be a simple Offset.

I will post solution in a couple of hours.

[nickJR7A7]

Thank you, as Ive no cle what an offset is, I really appreciate your help.

I started trying what you said using the Y axis to mirror one side, half way there, but had to stop due to toddler wrangling duties lol. Hopefully continue after her bed time lol

Thanks

[JDMather]

Here is example file.

Go through this along with the links provided by @Cadmanto and then after review I can create a video if necessary.

[nickJR7A7]

Wow! Thats exactly the sort of thing I was trying to achieve. Thank you!

Looking at the pattern, I note you seem to have placed a path line. How did you do that? I think thats where Im struggling. I understand the rectangular pattern principle, its seems to be the set up of the sketch and path thats causing me the issues. Im clearly not grasping the full concept there. Ive no clue clearly how to set up a path that needs to be followed.

I would be very grateful if you had time if you could show me how you created the whole thing including the sketch part please. It would help me immensely in picturing it in my head, so I can recreate it for myself. No rush, I appreciate you are doing this to help, so no pressure.

Thanks again 

[JDMather]

Offset.

[nickJR7A7]

Ahhhh... Rght, Im going to try that. thanks...

[nickJR7A7]

Ahhhh... Right, Im going to try that. thanks...

[nickJR7A7]

Ok, tried that. Got the offset inserted no problem, but still cant get any feature as yours calls it, or for any sketch to pattern... Im sure im doing something really obviouly wrong. I dont know how to view the history of how you put it together. Is that possible? Or do I need to wait to see a screen cast?

[nickJR7A7]

Uso Ive been at it all day and most of last night and i still cant get this darn sketch to do what i want. 

Ive watched all the suggested  videos and the thing that seems to be the constant factor for me is the correct setup of the sketch. Sadly all the advice videos have the sketch already completed. So i miss what they do to get to the point when the path can be followed. 

Professor, looking at your version of my part. You use things i havent seen before like units called ul. And im not sure how this effects the design. 

Im hoping that a screencast will resolve that. Its that or im going to have to go old school and use a ruler direct to leather

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

@nickJR7A7 

This video breaks the sequences down into basic steps.

Turn on your sound.

[nickJR7A7]

Professor,

You are a true Gentleman! The penny has finally dropped and it makes so much more sense now...

I was definitely screwing up with the sketch. I was trying to get it all done in one rather than putting the hole sketch on top of the extrude. Then my start point was getting messed up too...

Thank you so much. You have made my day!

Can I ask, if I wanted a specific spacing between the holes, as I have hole punches with set widths, is it just a case of changing the selection to spacing then adding multiples of units until it fits the loop? I realise its not necessarily going to fit exactly but the practicality of the leather working would make for simplicity.

Thank you again Sir for you help. I really do appreciate it.

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

---

@nickJR7A7 wrote:

Can I ask, if I wanted a specific spacing between the holes, as I have hole punches with set widths, is it just a case of changing the selection to spacing then adding multiples of units until it fits the loop?

---

Try it and observe the results.