PartDesign LinearPattern

From FreeCAD Documentation
Revision as of 12:40, 9 June 2022 by Roy 043 (talk | contribs)

PartDesign LinearPattern

Menu location
Part Design → Apply a pattern → LinearPattern
Workbenches
PartDesign
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
-
See also
None

Description

The PartDesign LinearPattern tool creates a linear pattern of one or more features.

An L-shaped pad (B) made on top of a base pad (A, also referred to as support) is used for a linear pattern. The result (C) is shown on the right.

Usage

  1. Optionally activate the correct Body.
  2. Optionally select one or more features.
  3. There are several ways to invoke the tool:
    • Press the LinearPattern button.
    • Select the Part Design → Apply a pattern → LinearPattern option from the menu.
  4. If there is no active Body, and there are two or more Bodies in the document, the Active Body Required dialog will open and prompt you to activate one. If there is a single Body it will be activated automatically.
  5. If no features were selected the Select feature task panel opens: select one or more (hold down the Ctrl key) from the list and press the OK button.
  6. The LinearPattern parameters task panel opens. See Options for more information.
  7. Press the OK button to finish.

Options

  • To add features:
    1. Press the Add feature button.
    2. Select a feature in the Tree view or the 3D view.
    3. Repeat to add more features.
  • To remove features:
    1. Press the Remove feature button.
    2. Do one of the following:
      • Select a feature in the Tree view or the 3D view.
      • Select a feature in the list and press the Del key.
      • Right-click a feature in the list and select Remove from the context menu.
    3. Repeat to remove more features.
  • If there are several features in the pattern, their order can be important. See PartDesign PolarPattern.
  • Specify the Direction of the pattern:
    • Normal sketch axis: The Z axis of the sketch (only available for sketch-based features).
    • Vertical sketch axis: The Y axis of the sketch (idem).
    • Horizontal sketch axis: The X axis of the sketch (idem).
    • Construction line #: A separate entry for each construction line in the sketch (idem).
    • Base X axis: The X axis of the Body.
    • Base Y axis: The Y axis of the Body.
    • Base Z axis: The Z axis of the Body.
    • Select reference...: Select a Datum Line in the Tree view or a Datum Line or edge or in the 3D view.
  • Check the Reverse direction checkbox to reverse the pattern.
  • Specify the Length to be covered by the pattern.
  • Specify the number of Occurrences (including the original feature).
  • If the Update view checkbox is checked the view will update in real time.

Limitations

  • Any pattern shapes that do not overlap the original's support will be excluded. This ensures that a PartDesign feature always consists of a single, connected solid.
  • The PartDesign patterns are not yet as optimized as their Draft counterparts. So for a bigger number of instances you should consider using Draft array instead, combined with a Part boolean operation. This may include major changes to your model as you are leaving PartDesign, which means that you cannot simply continue with further PartDesign features in the same body. An example is shown in this Forum topic.
  • A LinearPattern cannot be applied directly to another pattern, be it polar, linear or a mirror. For this you need a PartDesign MultiTransform.