Using feature pattern to instance?

Jlabs

Maybe I'm confused on terminology, but in my experience an instance is a driven entity, meaning for example in an assembly with 5 instances of a part, changing the part updates all the instances. This doesn't seem to work the same with feature patterns or part patterns? 

I have a 3-axis dolly with mounts at 3 points of the triangle. I want to make a change to the mount at corner one and have all 3 corners update with it. What is the best workflow to accomplish this? 

Thanks!

3dcad

You should make only one of those round piece and then create assembly and create circular pattern there - this way you only have one part mounted around the frame. Instead of circular pattern you can also use mates, if you need multiple parts in same way then you need to create subassembly which is then mounted to each place.

If you wan't to stay in part studio, use part pattern AFTER finished the original. If you need to add features, roll back before pattern and edit part there.
Onshape always builds your model feature by feature so it can be affected a lot by changing the order in feature tree.

Jlabs

Ok so I think I figured it out. What I did didn't realize is that I can add multiple features to the feature pattern, so my workflow is make a change, then edit the feature pattern to add the new features and it seems to work! Feels a bit cumbersome, but makes sense. I also learn about assemblies and how roll back works at the same time, so thanks everyone!

3dcad

Rollback just means that you add new features between old ones into feature list, regenerate then applies changes to features after that - it certainly doesn't mean repeating work or losing any of your work. You can also make the change last in list and later on drag it before pattern.

I think you should first make that thing with couple separate parts - center piece and part that patterns, this way part pattern always applies any changes to each similar piece. Then in the end add boolean unite to combine whole set as one. You only need to set up this once and any changes always apply on regenerate.

Dylan_Stewart

Are you able to share your document with us? 

3dcad

Or at least some screenshots, it might be very clear when seeing the model and writing text - but (at least) for non-native english speakers like myself, it can be difficult to imagine what you are looking even though text might have all needed information.

Jlabs

I made a basic public version to demonstrate the problem. Basically, I want each corner to be the same, and any changes I make to the top corner should reflect in the other two corners. I found that I can drive the revolved feature with a single sketch, but once I make additional changes to the design (such as the hole I put in as a sample) how do I get those features to change on all corners? Do I have to array the hole feature separately? Is there a way to drive the corner features differently?

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/83f432b287ac4f34390171d2/w/46e197fae444932654e74c49/e/3022f4aba56b02688ed05488

Thanks in advance!

3dcad

You should make only one of those round piece and then create assembly and create circular pattern there - this way you only have one part mounted around the frame. Instead of circular pattern you can also use mates, if you need multiple parts in same way then you need to create subassembly which is then mounted to each place.

If you wan't to stay in part studio, use part pattern AFTER finished the original. If you need to add features, roll back before pattern and edit part there.
Onshape always builds your model feature by feature so it can be affected a lot by changing the order in feature tree.

Jlabs

Thanks for the reply. The problem with using an assembly is that it's meant to be a single piece, meaning the round parts at the corners aren't separate parts. Rolling back seems very tedious if I make other changes to the part elswhere. Can you roll back and still retain changes after the rollback point? I'm unclear how rolling back would work in this situation?

Jlabs

Ok so I think I figured it out. What I did didn't realize is that I can add multiple features to the feature pattern, so my workflow is make a change, then edit the feature pattern to add the new features and it seems to work! Feels a bit cumbersome, but makes sense. I also learn about assemblies and how roll back works at the same time, so thanks everyone!

3dcad

Rollback just means that you add new features between old ones into feature list, regenerate then applies changes to features after that - it certainly doesn't mean repeating work or losing any of your work. You can also make the change last in list and later on drag it before pattern.

I think you should first make that thing with couple separate parts - center piece and part that patterns, this way part pattern always applies any changes to each similar piece. Then in the end add boolean unite to combine whole set as one. You only need to set up this once and any changes always apply on regenerate.

Jlabs

Ah now I see why you suggested making it a separate part originally. I'll try that, thanks!