"Copy with Mates" Option? Replicate?

Michael_Coffee

Maybe I'm thinking about this too hard and the answer is staring at me in the face. I don't know, so here I am.

I have a configured panel that is used multiple times along the side of something and they're bolted to each other (think planks of wood side by side to each other for the same visual). I could easily create this with a linear pattern, but the problem is that each instance of the panel could be swapped out with a different panel. Say I have seven panels in a row, and the third panel needs to change because of an altered hole arrangement. With linear pattern, I can't just do that, and I don't see any option to "dissolve" a pattern. In SolidWorks, you can create a pattern, dissolve it, and have the parts remain, but no mates between them. Just floating pieces until you move them. For my situation, I need both the series of panels and the mates between them. Once that's established, I can change configurations all day and it won't move from that arrangement.

I tried using Replicate, but I'm not sure if I'm using it in the manner it was intended to be used. For example, I am not sure if I have to have two separate parts, or maybe I'm choosing the wrong option in it. I have used "Copy With Mates" in SolidWorks more times than I can count and it serves the exact purpose I need, but I'm at a loss of how to get there. If there isn't a straight forward method of doing that, I can simple copy each panel and mate manually, but that's the long way around.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

john_mcclary

You're on the right track, Replicate is Onshape's version of "Copy with mates" but with one exception; It can only copy One mate.

You can grab multiple parts in a stack, but only the base mate will be able to replicate.

For example, make a bracket, mate a flat washer and bolt. Then select all the parts and replicate, Whatever your bracket was mated to is now the replicate-able feature. Basically it will check if a mate is connected to a part "NOT" in your selected set. So it will fail if there is more than one external mate.

This also does not work on slot centers unfortunately.

With practice it is a good tool, but lacks functionality that Solidworks has. But it also works a thousand times faster than SW too...  so there's that

Tip: Don't worry about the rotation or filpped side of the replicated parts until you are finished selecting your faces/edges. Once you are done replicating, press "J" (show all mates) and right click-edit each of the flipped/rotated mates, then hit  "A" (Flip) and "Q" (Rotate) to reorient each mate followed by "Enter". then press "J" to hide all the mates when you're  done.

john_mcclary

You're on the right track, Replicate is Onshape's version of "Copy with mates" but with one exception; It can only copy One mate.

You can grab multiple parts in a stack, but only the base mate will be able to replicate.

For example, make a bracket, mate a flat washer and bolt. Then select all the parts and replicate, Whatever your bracket was mated to is now the replicate-able feature. Basically it will check if a mate is connected to a part "NOT" in your selected set. So it will fail if there is more than one external mate.

This also does not work on slot centers unfortunately.

With practice it is a good tool, but lacks functionality that Solidworks has. But it also works a thousand times faster than SW too...  so there's that

Tip: Don't worry about the rotation or filpped side of the replicated parts until you are finished selecting your faces/edges. Once you are done replicating, press "J" (show all mates) and right click-edit each of the flipped/rotated mates, then hit  "A" (Flip) and "Q" (Rotate) to reorient each mate followed by "Enter". then press "J" to hide all the mates when you're  done.

Michael_Coffee

@john_mcclary

I think it's probably just bad timing then that I'm dealing with almost exclusively slots =P When I tried replicate, it was always to a slot. I went to a different assembly, with hardware mated to circles, and it worked just as I wanted it to.

Since I only have slot geometry to work with, can I "dissolve" patterns like in SolidWorks? That would be my last ditch option before doing it manually.

john_mcclary

Not that i'm aware of. But if you have to mate them after dissolve anyway, there isn't mich point.  Just copy paste a part (ctrl-c  ctrl-v) it will maintain mates and mate connector hidden state when you copy.

Then you can quickly mate them all up with shift-enter after each mate to repeat command.

That's what I do for my spiral chutes, you can mate up 100 parts in 5 minutes without patterns

matthew_stacy

What is the reason for limiting 'Replicate' (replicate part instance in assembly) to parts with ONE mate?  If I'm putting a collection of fasteners (e.g. flat washer, split lock washer, and screw) into a pattern of holes that seems to require an awful lot of mouse clicks:

When I used to work in SolidWorks I greatly appreciated the 'Pattern Driven' and 'Feature Driven' patterns tools.  I really don't want to create a subassembly of screw/lock washer/flat washer.  You just place one instance of each item into the assembly and then pattern the seed components to the appropriate hole feature.

Are there any tricks or workflows for accomplishing this task efficiently in Onshape?

john_mcclary

I agree 

Add your vote here 
https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/60757#Comment_60757

Sachintha_Balasooriya

@john_mcclary

I finding it difficult to perform your method explained above.
Might be the method has changed since 2019, But I can't find a way to change the orientation of the mate after replicating it.
Could you clarify the method.