Pattern a component to a part feature

[chrisw01a]

Are we able to pattern a component (bolt) to a part feature (hole) ?

I use the "associative" selection a lot to select a pattern on a part, but what about just an entire feature like a set of holes?

Thanks all!

[SteveMDennis]

If I understand what you are asking you want to know if we can "put a bolt in all the holes in this part?" in a component pattern workflow?

If I have that right we cannot do this. We only support matching the feature pattern in the component pattern as you seem to already use.

Could you search for this idea on the Ideas Forum and either kudo it if it already exists or add the idea if it doesn't exist?

Would you want/expect that to only work if the bolt "matches" the hole size or just blindly find all holes and drop a bolt in it?

[chrisw01a]

Yes you are correct.  It would be so nice to be able to insert 1 bolt and tie it to the feature no matter the placement or number.

I will check ideas.  Thank you.

Chris

[SteveMDennis]

Chris, for further clarification if the number of holes changed in the hole feature you would expect bolts to be deleted in the assembly right?

You're really asking us to treat the hole feature "like" a pattern as you add or remove more holes to that feature right?

I can see your point of view that the way hole feature is done it can be thought of as an irregular pattern of holes to a certain extent.

But bottom line we would need to write some code to treat the hole feature as a pattern like input to the component pattern.

Doable but this is the first time I have heard of this request, I'm the person who originally implemented component pattern back in R4! 🙂

[maulik_patel]

Hi!

This should be doable. You can select 'Pattern' or 'feature' from part in 'Create pattern' dialog(in assembly). 

Thanks

[EvanGu]

If all the holes are created in one pattern feature, then pattern component can work. Looks only way is to use sketch driven pattern since your holes are in different face and orientations. I attached a video, see the result in 2:09.

[maulik_patel]

I think I misunderstood the requirement here. Steve is right, We cannot create such pattern in Inventor currently.

Sorry about confusion.

Thanks  

[SteveMDennis]

@chrisw01a

Evan is right, the only way you can do this today is to modify how you create your hole feature. If you create one hole, then pattern the hole using sketch driven pattern, then you can reuse the sketch driven pattern in the component pattern.

[chrisw01a]

Yes that is correct.  I see where this would take some extra code.

It might need to be limited to certain features or something, but it would sure be a time saver.

Thanks for the reply and thank you for component pattern!

Chris

[chrisw01a]

Steven & Evan, That is a neat trick using the sketch pattern!

That could save me some time.

Anyhow, it would be nice to be able to do it with a regular hole.

Take care

Chris

[chrisw01a]

Nice trick.  Thank you.

[SteveMDennis]

Agreed Chris, if you had a hole feature and you couldn't/didn't want to use sketch points than we have no solution for you currently and I see value in "patterning" to a hole feature no matter how it is created. Please follow up on the Ideas forum so we can get some customer support behind this good idea!

[mcgyvr]

This should have been built into Inventor YEARS ago..

http://www.kwikmcad.com/icode/kwiksert_64/kwiksert_64.html

Kent nailed the perfect functionality a long time ago..

And its been requested to be added to Inventor for YEARS now... 

A while back I wished for it to be built into "Assemble" command.. and people wanted it years before that.. 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/wish-for-2012-kwiksert-functionality-for-assemble-comm...

But I was always told "Autodrop" was Autodesks solution and they wouldn't provided anything else.. But that only works with Content Center parts of course..

I would use this type of functionality more than anything else in Inventor.. I am ALWAYS constraining multiple nuts/bolts/washers,etc... and it takes a LONG time to do so over and over again.. 

[chrisw01a]

Vote me up!

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/create-a-component-pattern-from-a-part-feature/idi-p/7...

Thanks guys

[philthalmann]

Up-voted and commented on!

Great idea. Something I've been desiring for a long time as well.

Cheers