Page 332 - Mastering SolidWorks

|
304 CHAPTER 9 PAtterning And Mirroring

Figure 9.25
Using the Fill
Pattern feature

The Pattern Layout panel enables you to control spacing and other geometrical aspects of the
selected pattern layout, as well as the minimum gap from the fill boundary. This is most useful
for patterns of regularly spaced features with an irregular boundary.

Using a Variable Pattern
The Variable Pattern command combines techniques from the table-driven pattern with design
tables. You control all the parameters of multiple instances of a table-patterned feature. The name
might be misleading, because there is no actual pattern. The command just places a parametric
copy of features wherever you want them.
One of the biggest distinguishing characteristics of the Variable Pattern command is that it
records failed instances. The alternative is for the entire feature to fail rather than just a single
instance, as will happen with other pattern features.