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How to fill a shape with a pattern

ian_harris952ian_harris952 Member Posts: 20 ✭✭
I've been struggling with this for hours. I know there must be an easy way but I can't find it.
I have a shape (a plane wing rib) that I would like to fill with a hexagon pattern (or any other pattern) so I can 3D print the rib.
I've come close. I managed to create a hexagon pattern with the linear pattern tool after much trial and error, as I could find no way of ensuring the edges snapped together at the correct points, so had to do it manually eventually. Then I did a boolean operation to combine the outline of the rib with the hexagon pattern, and that worked but didn't really do what I wanted it to do. I want to end up with a rib shape that is 1.5mm thick, and the inside of the rib filled with hexagons (or squares, or triangles...) with edges also 1.5mm thick.

All advice gratefully received,
;-)

Answers

  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    You need the hex infill feature from here: https://www.onshape.com/en/features/custom-features
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    Or maybe the Fill Pattern feature might work better (from same location)
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • ian_harris952ian_harris952 Member Posts: 20 ✭✭
    edited June 2021
    Hi Neil, and thanks for the reply.
    I tried both of these functions, and met with limited success. The Hex Infill function didn't do what I was expecting it to do, but maybe that's the way it is supposed to work. When I tried it it created a sketch of hex cells with the specified dimensions behind the part I am trying to fill, but it didn't do the the extrude to subtract the hex shapes from the part. I could do it manually but it was a lot of manual effort trying to select only hex cells to extrude. I selected them with a click and drag box, but that selected the part too, and I had to go through the list to find the references to the part (and the sketch it was extruded from) and remove them from the extrude. It took me quite a few goes to get it right. Is this how it's supposed to work?
    I also noticed it doesn't work at all if the "hex preview" box is not checked.
    The Fill Pattern feature I could not get to work at all. I created a part (a cylinder) and selected the end of it as the "face to pattern", then  I selected the part that I wanted to apply the pattern to. Nothing happened. So I tried specifying a direction, but anything I selected on the part make the "face to pattern" turn red. So no joy there at all. Have I done something wrong? Is there an example of its use I could have a look at?
    Thanks,
    Ian
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