How to Use Sketch Arrays Effectively

[Dwight]

All

I found what for me is a new approach to using sketch arrays and now I find them to be very effective and a time saver. If you are interested, I recorded a demo video - see this YouTube link - https://youtu.be/e17Xli50dFg.

Dwight

[Dwight]

Thanks. I am rolling this out for our engineering group. I'd like to hear about what I missed.

[berg_lauritz]

Dang! I love it. I need to use this!

[DanPihlaja]

All

I found what for me is a new approach to using sketch arrays and now I find them to be very effective and a time saver. If you are interested, I recorded a demo video - see this YouTube link - https://youtu.be/e17Xli50dFg.

Dwight

What is the title of the Youtube video? (for some reason the short link won't work and gets blocked by Barracuda).

[Shaun]

Title is "DEMO SKETCH ARRAYS 17 minutes"

[Dwight]

Dan

I selected to make it available only with a link. Sorry that does not work for you. I tried to change that setting but didn't see a way to do that. Apparently, though, I can invite you specifically to view it, just need your email address, I think. I can give it a shot.

Dwight

[Dwight]

Okay, I figured out how to make the video public, but it still doesn't come up in a search.

[DanPihlaja]

Dan

I selected to make it available only with a link. Sorry that does not work for you. I tried to change that setting but didn't see a way to do that. Apparently, though, I can invite you specifically to view it, just need your email address, I think. I can give it a shot.

Dwight

Hang on....what I didn't think of was to forward it to my personal email and viewing on my phone. LOL

The many varied paths that technology allow you.

I swear that the largest thing that limits us technologically is security....

[Dwight]

All

This "floppy" sketch array method keeps working better and better for me. I use it all the time for sketch arrays, and now I find that a "floppy" sketch circular pattern works great, too. This afternoon I used it to make a copy of some lines turned around 180 degrees. The trick is to not use the complicated relations created by the tool. Instead I filled out as few parameters as I could (just the count and the angle), hit the green check, then deleted all the construction lines that came in with the pattern. That left me with the copied lines at the angle I wanted, and I could drag them anywhere I wanted. I added some relations and got it locked down. Perfect!

The "floppy" sketch circular pattern is shown here. It fixed in place with the colinear relation and the 120 dimension.

I suppose I need to add this to the video.

Dwight

[berg_lauritz]

All

This "floppy" sketch array method keeps working better and better for me. I use it all the time for sketch arrays, and now I find that a "floppy" sketch circular pattern works great, too. This afternoon I used it to make a copy of some lines turned around 180 degrees. The trick is to not use the complicated relations created by the tool. Instead I filled out as few parameters as I could (just the count and the angle), hit the green check, then deleted all the construction lines that came in with the pattern. That left me with the copied lines at the angle I wanted, and I could drag them anywhere I wanted. I added some relations and got it locked down. Perfect!

The "floppy" sketch circular pattern is shown here. It fixed in place with the colinear relation and the 120 dimension.

image.png

I suppose I need to add this to the video.

Dwight

Wow... this looks super clean. I need to try this....

[HDS]

I suppose I need to add this to the video.

Dwight

Better in a second video but defiantly an interesting trick.

I have seen the advice several times to not use Sketch Patterns but you have show how they can be a very useful tool.

I have been frustrated before that I could not pattern features from the center. This is a good work around.

I would like to know how performance compares between a Sketch Pattern like this and a future pattern. For files with huge feature counts in the pattern this can be a real issue.

[jcapriotti]

Better in a second video but defiantly an interesting trick.

I have seen the advice several times to not use Sketch Patterns but you have show how they can be a very useful tool.

I have been frustrated before that I could not pattern features from the center. This is a good work around.

I would like to know how performance compares between a Sketch Pattern like this and a future pattern. For files with huge feature counts in the pattern this can be a real issue.

I've likely given that advice, although there are cases I've used it. Dwight's example is good especially considering the way the hole wizard functions with sketch points and you can build it parametrically and control it. Outside of the Hole Wizard, I tend to prefer feature patterns since you can reference them from an assembly pattern. But it's great to have another tool in the shed as you never know what kind of geometry you'll come across.

[TTevolve]

question.... is there a good reason to use a sketch array vs. using a feature array?

Most of the time I prefer to use the hole wizard for holes anyways since the call outs are better on drawings.

[Dwight]

New link:

[Dwight]

TTevovle

Sketch arrays often work well in a Hole Wizard feature.