Link values to patterns

[DesignerGuy16]

Anyone have a good way to use equations or otherwise to link a dimension to drive a pattern, and likewise drive that pattern through an assembly?

Creating an Equation variable works until you close the assembly, then you have to go back to the part level to get the pattern information to update properly (usually opens as "variable" = ??? when viewed first viewed on the assembly level).

I've tried that variable to be driven via a dimension, and also just a fixed number. Both ways it seems to unlock as soon as you reopen the assembly the part is used in.

Everything would be hunky dory if this were used on a standalone part, but I want to drive this information throughout my assembly. I realize this is a real weak spot of SW, but it would be pretty sweet to use. Already took 7-10 day tool designs to 1-2 with parametric models, could drop another couple hours tying up all the loose patterns to be parametric as well.

Thanks,

James Spisich
Design Engineer, CSWP

 

[mjcole]

A good vmethod would be to create a sketch with a bunch of lines in it with different lengths to link between the parts you could then add equal length relations between these sketches in the individual parts.

Another method would be to use a Block Sketch created as a separate part which could be imported into a driving sketch in each part linked to the part with the sketch the Block is saved off from. Then you can change the block file and have all parts update their parameters or lengths angles based on the block sketch entities.

By using this method you would not need to have the assembly part to derive the equations because each part could share a single sketch linked to the block so any changes in the block would update the individual parts.

One thing to watch for is that if you want to drive integer parameters that = 2 or 4 instead of 2in and 4in you could have a unit variable like 1 in and create the integer 4 by deviding (4in)/(1in) or 4deg/1deg to drive integer values for Pattern Instance numbers.

Michael