Improvements to Onshape - August 20th, 2021

nick_papageorge_dayjob

I'm having a problem with the new replicate feature. If you mate something to the replicate, the replicate fails. For example brought in a step insulating sleeve washer from mcmaster. Replicated that in my assy, and all is good. Then I mate OS standard 10-32 screw to this washer. That makes the replicate fail. Anyone else?

john_mcclary

I love the new replicate feature, but it sounds like there is a need to dissolve or a parametric option 

StephenG

@Alex_Kempen

Never knew you could create a linear dimensional constraint to/from a plane. Thanks for the tip.

However, when the plane's visibility is suppressed the dimensional constraints looks suspect.
The constraint's dimension extension line points to nothing.

Onshape: Maybe a small plane icon should be appear at the end of the extension line to indicate it is associated with a plane feature.
  

malay_kumar

nick_papageorge073 said:

I'm having a problem with the new replicate feature. If you mate something to the replicate, the replicate fails. For example brought in a step insulating sleeve washer from mcmaster. Replicated that in my assy, and all is good. Then I mate OS standard 10-32 screw to this washer. That makes the replicate fail. Anyone else?

Replicate currently requires only one external mate to set of parts that are replicated. My guess is, in your case washer end up having multiple mates. If you need bolt to be replicated as well then you should edit replicate and add bolt. If that doesn't work then you probably still have unsupported mates but pl open a ticket and we can look into it.

We will look into supporting multiple mate case in future. 

malay_kumar

john_mcclary said:

I love the new replicate feature, but it sounds like there is a need to dissolve or a parametric option 

yes this is in plan. I am curious how often this is required though. One case that was mentioned before was if seed gets deleted or suppressed but may be there are better ways to handle that.

malay_kumar

shawn_crocker said:

The replicate update is great! turns replicate into more of a sketch driven pattern on steroids.  Sketch driven pattern has defiantly been missed by myself. 

We hope replicate to be more powerful and generic than feature driven pattern. Few benefits over driven pattern  (1) Replicate can work with imported geometry and geometry created from multiple features. (2) Replicated instances can have independent motion from each other representing real world design better when there is motion. (3) It can work with geometry created from custom feature thus giving custom instantiation logic. 

john_mcclary

malay_kumar said:

nick_papageorge073 said:

I'm having a problem with the new replicate feature. If you mate something to the replicate, the replicate fails. For example brought in a step insulating sleeve washer from mcmaster. Replicated that in my assy, and all is good. Then I mate OS standard 10-32 screw to this washer. That makes the replicate fail. Anyone else?

Replicate currently requires only one external mate to set of parts that are replicated. My guess is, in your case washer end up having multiple mates. If you need bolt to be replicated as well then you should edit replicate and add bolt. If that doesn't work then you probably still have unsupported mates but pl open a ticket and we can look into it.

We will look into supporting multiple mate case in future. 

so far my experience with replicate breaking / repairing has been surprisingly easy. BUT, What I have noticed is selecting objects to copy and paste in other assemblies is now more challenging. You need to find the seed instance of the replicate pattern, if you select a part in  the graphics view that is replicated, it won't copy to clipboard. 

is there a way to query on mouseover what  parts are part of a pattern in the graphics view, rather that the tree?
I see if you mouse over the replicate feature in the tree it highlights them in graphics view, but it does not show where the seed is. (maybe highlight this with a different color?) Right now you will have to right click / edit the replicate to see the seed.

Also, if you copy a replicated part from graphics view selection, it should recognize the part and add it to clipboard (or a series of parts)

malay_kumar

john_mcclary said:

so far my experience with replicate breaking / repairing has been surprisingly easy. BUT, What I have noticed is selecting objects to copy and paste in other assemblies is now more challenging. You need to find the seed instance of the replicate pattern, if you select a part in  the graphics view that is replicated, it won't copy to clipboard. 

is there a way to query on mouseover what  parts are part of a pattern in the graphics view, rather that the tree?
I see if you mouse over the replicate feature in the tree it highlights them in graphics view, but it does not show where the seed is. (maybe highlight this with a different color?) Right now you will have to right click / edit the replicate to see the seed.

Also, if you copy a replicated part from graphics view selection, it should recognize the part and add it to clipboard (or a series of parts)

These are all good improvements. We should be able to copy replicated instances to clipboard. We will log these and look into these in future.

Wes_Vendrig

Regarding the new parametric replication: In large assemblies I have to create groups insteads of mates. How do I go from a parametric replication 

john_mcclary

I like the ability to flip sheet metal orientation now. Unfortunately the execution is not ideal.

When you are creating your flat pattern views in drawings, you find a part that is upside down (bend direction needs to be flipped)
so you need to switch over to the model
find the sheet-metal feature
edit the feature, select flip
wait for regeneration
go back to the drawing
regenerate the drawing

then you find the mirror parts you have no control over unless you flip the parent too.

This should have simply been: Flip the view from TOP to BOTTOM (IN DRAWINGS) while maintaining the bend lines and updating bend notes automatically


I've been trying to use this feature in my last few jobs, but it is so tedious I will be ignoring this update from this point forward.
Which is sad for me, I was waiting for this one since Sheet-Metal came out. 

bruce_williams

I feel like something big is building up...

wayne_sauder

I was feeling the same thing... That or else Onshape is now going to disappoint us.   
 Not really fearful of that yet. 

john_mcclary

I didn't even realize it has been 3 weeks... 

konstantin_shiriazdanov

They have already posted a video about todays update on youtube

evan_morrison

malay_kumar said:

john_mcclary said:

I love the new replicate feature, but it sounds like there is a need to dissolve or a parametric option 

yes this is in plan. I am curious how often this is required though. One case that was mentioned before was if seed gets deleted or suppressed but may be there are better ways to handle that.

Just adding to the group asking for the old Replicate functionality to be optional, either in the Replicate tool or as its own tool ("Populate"?). The inability to add more mates to the seed component makes it difficult or impossible to use for populating lots of bearings and things where there are nearly always multiple mates involved in the stackup. Having the inability to copy the replicated instances is also frustrating. It makes the instances associated with the Replicate feature not behave like "full" instantiated parts. I understand the reason for the new feature behavior, but the "Macro" style functionality was very useful and the tool can no longer be used that way which significantly changes our typical workflow.

john_mcclary

I do wish we could choose which mate replicate patterns when a part has multiple mates.

I do love the new replicate, but the old replicate was also an important feature as it was. 

I would like there to be a checkbox (which remembers last state) that toggles the replicate pattern feature to be combined or disolved on creation.

Also the ability to disolve a replicate pattern as well would be helpful to some people i feel.