Creating Circular Patterns

You can create a circular pattern of an object. You can create multiple instances of a feature. You can also create staggered patterns.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Create a feature.
See Also
About the Circular Pattern.x Dialog Box
About Patterns
Creating Rectangular Patterns
Creating Complex Patterns
Patterning User Defined Features (UDFs)
Exploding Patterns
About Optimizing Part Design Performance

Create a Circular Pattern

You can create a circular pattern by duplicating a feature and maintaining equal angles between instances. You can also create multiple circles of the pattern.

  1. Select the feature of which you want to create a pattern. For example, select a pad.

    The CircPattern.x dialog box appears. The name of the selected feature appears in the Object to pattern box.

    Tips:
    • You can press Ctrl and select multiple elements from the tree.
    • Ensure that the item you want to duplicate is correctly located with respect to the circular rotation axis.



  2. From the Transform or the Essentials section of the action bar, click Circular Pattern .
    Tips:
    • If you want to create a pattern of the current solid, right-click the Object to pattern box and select Get Current Solid.
    • If you want to create Part Design features during pattern creation, right-click the Object box, select Insert PartDesign Feature and use the required commands.
    • If you want to copy the specifications of object, select the Keep specifications check box. By default, this check box is cleared.
    • If you want to create patterns of multiple elements, press Ctrl, select the required elements from the tree, and then click Circular Pattern .The number of selected elements appears in the Object to pattern box.

      You can also click the object to pattern bag beside the Object box, and then select the required elements from the tree. The selected elements appear in the list and the number of elements appears in the Object box.

      You can add, remove, or replace the objects in the bag. See About Editing a List of Features.
  3. Configure the axial reference parameters.
    1. In the Parameters list, select the required pattern parameter.
      • Select Instance(s) & total angle.
        1. In the Instance(s) box, enter the number of instances.
        2. In the Total angle box, enter the required total angle of the pattern.
      • Select Instance(s) & angular spacing.
        1. In the Instance(s) box, enter the number of instances.
        2. In the Angular spacing box, enter the angular spacing required between instances.
      • Select Angular spacing & total angle.
        1. In the Angular spacing box, enter the angular spacing required between instances.
        2. In the Total angle box, enter the required total angle of the pattern.
      • Select Complete crown.
        • Enter the number of instances required in the complete crown in the Instance(s) box.
      • Select Instance(s) & unequal angular spacing.
        1. In the Instance(s) box, enter the number of instances.
        2. In the work area, select the required angular spacing constraint, and in the Angular spacing box, enter the required angular spacing value.
    2. Click the Reference element box and select the reference element. Alternatively, you can right-click the Reference element box, select Insert Wireframe, and select an appropriate option.

      A preview of the configured pattern appears in the 3D area.

      Notes:
      • You can click to reverse the direction of the pattern.
      • This axis will be normal to the face.



  4. Select the Crown Definition tab and configure crown parameters.
    Important: The Crown Definition tab is only available with Advanced Mechanical Part or MDG license.
    • In the Parameters list, select the required crown parameter.
      • Select Circles(s) & crown thickness.
        1. In the Instance(s) box, enter the number of instances.
        2. In the Length box, enter the required total length of the pattern.
      • Select Circle(s) & circle spacing.
        1. In the Instance(s) box, enter the number of instances.
        2. In the Spacing box, enter the spacing required between instances.
      • Select Circle spacing & crown thickness.
        1. In the Spacing box, enter the spacing required between instances.
        2. In the Length box, enter the required total length of the pattern.

    A preview of the configured pattern appears in the 3D area.

    Note: Defining the crown is optional. You can skip the crown parameters if you want to create a single circular pattern.

  5. Optional: Configure additional parameters:
    • In the Row box under Axial Reference tab, enter the position in which you want the original object to be placed in the angular direction.
    • In the Row box under Crown Definition tab, enter the position in which you want the original object to be placed in the radial direction.
    • In the Rotation angle box, enter the angle by which you want to rotate the circular pattern.

Create a Circular Pattern with Unequal Angular Spacing

You can create a circular pattern with unequal angular spacing between instances. You can assign specific angular spacing values between each instance.

  1. Select the feature of which you want to create a pattern.
  2. Click CircPattern .
    The Circular Pattern.x dialog box appears. The name of the selected feature appears in the Object box.
  3. In the Axial Reference tab, select Instance(s) & unequal angular spacing in the Parameters list.
  4. In the Instance(s) box, enter the required number of instances.
  5. In the Angular spacing box, enter the required angular spacing.
  6. Click the Reference element box and select the reference element. Alternatively, you can right-click the Reference element box, select Insert Wireframe, and select an appropriate option.
    A preview of the configured pattern appears in the 3D area displaying the spacing values between each instance.



  7. Perform any one of the following actions to modify the angular spacing.

    • Click the angular spacing value in the 3D area and modify the value in the Angular spacing box.
    • Modify the angular spacing in the Parameter Definition dialog box.
      1. Double-click the angular spacing value that you want to modify.

        The Parameter Definition dialog box appears.

      2. Enter the required angle in the Value box and click OK.

        The Parameter Definition dialog box closes. A preview of the pattern with the new angular spacing appears in the 3D area.



    Tip: You can define formulas to create polar patterns such as spiral patterns. For more information about formulas, see Engineering Rules Capture User's Guide.

Create a Staggered Pattern

You can create the staggered pattern by rotating the crown by a stagger angle.

Before you begin:

Select a feature to create a circular pattern and configure the axial reference and crown parameters. For more information, see Create a Circular Pattern.

Note: The reference feature is highlighted in blue color.

  1. Under Layout options, click to create a staggered pattern.
  2. Optional: Perform any one of the following actions to define the stagger angle.
    • In the Stagger Angle box, type the angle required between alternate crowns in the pattern.
      Important: The stagger angle must be less than the angular spacing.
    • Click Step half of spacing to set the stagger angle to half of the angle between two occurrences in a crown.
    • the stagger angle value is set to half of the angle between two occurrences.
    • If Step half of spacing is selected, the stagger angle value depends on the angle between two occurrences in a crown. If the angle between two occurrences is changed, the stagger angle value is updated accordingly.
  3. Click OK.

    The staggered pattern is created.



    Note: The position of the instances in the circle that contains the reference feature remains unchanged.