How to evenly distribute a feature along a part 1

[cobra46]

Hi,

I tried to do a search but couldn't find the answer to my question. BTW-Is the regular search function ever going to work again?

I am trying to place some holes on a bar such that the holes are evenly spaced and are a specific distance from each end of the bar. The number of holes may change.

So far, I drew a series of colinear contruction lines connected at their end points and then placed an equal constraint on all the lines. Then I put a point at the end of each line and used the sketch to pattern a hole. This technique worked but was not easy to change the number of holes.

Thanks in advance,

Kevin

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

thread559-195741
thread559-189361

 

[JMirisola]

What version of SolidWorks do you have? If you're running '07, you can get DriveWorksXpress (it's a little known fact that '07 users on subscription can download it for free) and use that to drive the linear pattern utilizing modified excel formulas. The cool thing is that DriveWorksXpress will create new parts/assemblies/drawings.

If you're going to use a design table to drive the pattern, you'll need a few equations to get it to work. Make sure, at the very least, you capture the length of the bar, the spacing of the pattern and the distance of the pattern. In the design table, use the following equations:

Legend:
A= Length of bar
B= Distance of seed hole from edge
C= Number of instances


For the number of instances: =ROUNDUP((A-2*B)/16,0)
For the spacing: =(A-2*B)/C

Bear in mind that the alpha designations will actually be cells from the design table. The 2*B portions allow you to adjust the distance of the seed hole (and its mirror) and keep everything equidistant in between.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

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