How to re-use mechanical feature on multiple parts?

laird_broadfield

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.

NeilCooke

Hi Laird - have you tried Derive in Part Studios? You can create a standard feature, derive it into another Part Studio, then use mate connectors and transform to place them. 

NeilCooke

Hi Laird - have you tried Derive in Part Studios? You can create a standard feature, derive it into another Part Studio, then use mate connectors and transform to place them. 

laird_broadfield

I've been fiddling with derive, but transform seems super-unwieldy... Hmm -- it's gotten drag handles.  That might make it easier.

laird_broadfield

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

@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

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).