Mate Connector at the Center of a Hole Pattern

david_lewis009

I am coming from Solidworks, terminally disappointed in Fusion and increasingly impressed with Onshape. I am currently struggling with mate connectors, which seem to be better implemented here than in Fusion, but there are some headscratchers.

I have discovered that I have to carry over sketches into the assembly if a mate connector references a sketch entity. Not just the appropriate sketch, but all-or-nothing. Fair enough, that's teaching me not to create mate connectors from sketch entities - I think?

How can I reference the center of a hole pattern without a sketch? Is there an SOP for this?

I ask in general, but specifically I have a four bolt-hole pattern that I created with points in a sketch. For a pattern this limited in scope, I think this is the best way, especially since the print dimensions them symmetrically about the centerline and distance from an edge - so not on the center of the face. Coming from Solidworks, I want the hole feature to reference the entire sketch, so the sketch is free of any construction geometry or points not used for holes.

That leaves me with nothing to reference for the center of the hole pattern, though. While I am aware that I can just reference one of the holes, I am programmed to seek the center of a hole pattern for mating, and that doesn't seem to be possible here. What am I missing?

Matt_Shields

In your Part Studio, you could add a Mate Connector to the part at the center of the hole pattern.  Just make sure the "owner entity" is the part, and it will show up in your assembly.