Circular Pattern (DriveWorks Documentation)

Circular Pattern

This document describes the types of rules that can be applied to models that have advanced feature parameters captured.

Driving advanced feature dimensions increases model generation time. Where possible capture feature dimensions (distances, numbers and angles) as dimensions rather than an advanced feature parameter.

During model generation captured dimensions are driven before captured advanced feature parameters. If the advanced feature parameter has also been captured as a dimension the value being driven into the advanced feature parameter will override the captured dimension.

Circular Pattern Parameters

Parameter	Input Type and Example	Description
Equal Spacing	Boolean True False	Set to equally distribute the items over the given spacing angle.
Reverse Direction	Boolean True False	Set the direction of the pattern . True - will propagate in the default direction. False - will propagate in the opposite direction.
Skipped Items	String "3\|8\|26"	A pipe delimited list of items to skip. Setting this to 0 will clear the selection and no items will be skipped. 3\|8\|28 will skip items 3, 8 and 26 in the pattern. See Skipped Items (Feature Patterns) below for more information.
Spacing	Integer 30	Sets the angle between items to 30 in direction 1. If Equal Spacing is enabled the number of items will be evenly distributed over this angle.
Pattern Qty	Integer 8	Sets the number of pattern items to 8 in direction 1.
Geometry Pattern	Boolean True False	Creates the pattern by using only the geometry (faces and edges) of the features, rather than patterning and solving each instance of the feature. Geometry pattern speeds up the creation and rebuilding of the pattern. You cannot create geometry patterns of features that have faces merged with the rest of the part.
PropagateVisualProperty	Boolean True False	Propagates SOLIDWORKS colors, textures, and cosmetic thread data to all pattern instances.
Direction 2	Boolean True False	Set the direction of the pattern . True - will propagate in the default direction. False - will propagate in the opposite direction.
Symmetric	Boolean True False	Set to create a symmetrical pattern from the seed feature.
Equal Spacing 2	Boolean True False	Set to equally distribute the items over the given spacing angle in direction 2.
Spacing 2	Integer 30	Sets the angle between items to 30 in direction 2. If Equal Spacing is enabled the number of items will be evenly distributed over this angle.
Pattern Quantity 2	Integer 8	Sets the number of pattern items to 8 in direction 2.

Skipped Items (Feature Patterns)

The Skipped Items property requires the item number of the patterned item.

SOLIDWORKS displays Instances to Skip as a reference position, DriveWorks requires this as an item number as the example below:

SOLIDWORKS Instances to skip	DriveWorks Skipped Items
(2, 1) (4, 1)	"1\|3"

SOLIDWORKS Instances to skip

DriveWorks Skipped Items

(2, 1)

(4, 1)

"1|3"

This usually follows a logical order where the seed is 0 (zero) and subsequent instances increase along one direction.

For a grid pattern the item number continues for subsequent columns or rows.

More complex patterns will require understanding how SOLIDWORKS applies the instance numbering.

DriveWorks Pro 22 Circular Pattern