Sketch driven pattern feature not perpendicular to sketch line

[svenEVPTU]

I recently discovered the sketch driven pattern option. I see alot of people use it to pattern holes over a curved line.  I want to use it to pattern a object which is standing perpendicular to the sketch line. But when i use the sketch driven pattern option the orientation of the object remains the same during the pattern. is there a way to make sure every object is perpendiculair to the line it is patterned on?

I added some pictures to shown what I mean.

Thank you in advance,

Sven

[SBix26]

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@svenEVPTU wrote:

I recently discovered the sketch driven pattern option. I see alot of people use it to pattern holes over a curved line.

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A lot of people haven't learned yet that a rectangular pattern can use a wide variety of paths for the pattern direction, such as curved lines/edges.  Sketch-driven patterns are most useful when there is not even spacing between instances.

In the case of your images, I'm having trouble discerning what needs to be perpendicular to what.  Any chance you can post the file(s) here?

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2023.2 | Windows 10 Home 21H2

[svenEVPTU]

In the blue circle is the object I want to pattern over the line, specified by the blue path. This object is sort of perpendicular to the sketch line it is drawn on (if you understand what I mean). In the other picture I added is the result I need. I did this by making a ton of sketches on every point where the object needs to be, but I was wondering if the same result could be achieved by using the pattern option.

[BDCollett]

No real easy way to pattern like that.

It may be easier to author the poles to content center and then use frame generator to place one. Then use Reuse to place the rest where you want them to be and orientate as required. Then they will all be the same part in the correct position.

[torbjorn_heglum1]

In principle this is possible, and I use it exactly as you want to when possible. (Stanchions on platforms / walkways). To have a chance to make it work you need to do as follows:

1. Make sure that the sketch points including a point for the first instance are touching some face on the body you will pattern.
2. Sketch a line between all sketch points.
3. Extrude a surface from the sketched line, make sure that it will be in contact with both sketch point and face on the patterned body.
4. Create the sketch driven pattern, using the same sketch. Select the initial point as the first point, select all faces on the surface as reference surfaces.

This will in principle orient the pattern members as you want, except that in some cases some members flip. For some reason Inventor is not able to keep track on front and back side of the surface, and there are no manual option to flip instances back to correct.

Torbjørn

[torbjorn_heglum1 · Accepted solution]

See enclosed example (IV2020):

The last row flips, but if the angle is changed from 90 to 90.001 degrees it flips back.

Torbjørn

[BDCollett]

That's a neat trick @torbjorn_heglum1 

This can be used to drive an Assembly pattern of these too.

[torbjorn_heglum1]

Definitely, can be used in the assembly to place the members too. Use it a lot, to be able to control the assembly from the master model, and to lighten the assembly with fewer constraints to calculate.

Just place the master model in the assembly, make sure that the BOM type is reference. Then it can be used to place parts and reuse the patterns.

Torbjørn

[BDCollett]

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@torbjorn_heglum1 wrote:

Definitely, can be used in the assembly to place the members too. Use it a lot, to be able to control the assembly from the master model, and to lighten the assembly with fewer constraints to calculate.

Just place the master model in the assembly, make sure that the BOM type is reference. Then it can be used to place parts and reuse the patterns.

Torbjørn

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Yes, this is how I have used it. I was just not a fan of how flakey the sketch driven pattern was in the master. Your trick helps, it would be nice to have more control over these kinds of patterns.