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How to re-use mechanical feature on multiple parts?

laird_broadfield
laird_broadfield Member Posts: 42 ✭✭
edited March 2016 in Community Support
So, I'm currently sketching a set of things that I'd like to FDM print so they snap together in various configurations -- think Lego blocks and you'll be pretty close.

I can't figure out a good way to develop a common snap (presumably the male part and the female part) and then readily paste multiple of it into my actual parts, at various places, in correct alignment to each other -- particularly when at least the female part probably consists of void space as well as positive space.

I think there's at least three questions buried in here that I'm having trouble segmenting; thanks for any attempts at answering any of them.  I suspect this is closely related to discussions of standard parts or part libraries, but I don't see recent discussion/resolution.

Thanks.

Best Answer

Answers

  • laird_broadfield
    laird_broadfield Member Posts: 42 ✭✭
    I've been fiddling with derive, but transform seems super-unwieldy... Hmm -- it's gotten drag handles.  That might make it easier.


  • laird_broadfield
    laird_broadfield Member Posts: 42 ✭✭
    O ho -- transform by mate connector is interesting.  It's also badly under-documented in the help, and the fact that selecting mate connectors refers to them as "derived 2", not "Part 5" is very confusing.  (Derived 2 is the operation that created Part 5 -- "derived 2" is not a part.)
  • viru
    viru Member, Developers Posts: 619 ✭✭✭✭
    @laird_broadfield , Transform has a option to use Mate connectors to define the new orientation.
    Kindly refer below video link which will be helpful to you.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO5UTK-ZYKI
  • laird_broadfield
    laird_broadfield Member Posts: 42 ✭✭
    Ayup -- mate connectors have been a revelation, and I've been using them quite a bit as I get the hang of them.  (Thus, actually, my latest question: https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/4229/linear-pattern-a-mate-connector).

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