Page 325 - Mastering SolidWorks

|
UnderStAnding PAttern tYPeS 297

Figure 9.14
Using the default
two-direction pattern
and the Pattern Seed
only option

original pattern
feature seed only

Instances To Skip This option enables you to select instances (individually or with a box or
lasso) that you would like to leave out of the final pattern. On your monitor, the pink dots are
the instances that remain, and the red dots are the ones that have been removed. Figure 9.15
shows the interface for skipping instances. Pink is used for the instances to be created and
gray for the instances to be skipped.

Figure 9.15
Using the instances to
Skip option

Propagate Visual Properties This option patterns the color, texture, or cosmetic thread
display, along with the feature to which it is attached.
Vary Sketch This option in patterns is often overlooked and not widely used or understood.
Although it may have a niche application, it is a powerful option that can save you lots of
time and open up design possibilities you may not have considered previously.

Vary Sketch allows the sketch of the patterned feature to maintain its parametric relations
in each instance of the pattern. It is analogous to Geometry Pattern. Where Geometry Pattern
disables the parametric end condition for a feature, Vary Sketch enables the parametric sketch
relations for a pattern.
To activate the Vary Sketch option, the Linear Pattern must use a linear dimension for its
Pattern Direction. The dimension must measure in the direction of the pattern, and adding the
spacing for the pattern to the direction dimension must result in a valid feature.
The sketch relations must hold for the entire length of the pattern. Figure 9.16 shows the
sketch relations and the resulting pattern. This feature does not have a preview function.