Welcome to the Onshape forum! Ask questions and join in the discussions about everything Onshape.

First time visiting? Here are some places to start:
  1. Looking for a certain topic? Check out the categories filter or use Search (upper right).
  2. Need support? Ask a question to our Community Support category.
  3. Please submit support tickets for bugs but you can request improvements in the Product Feedback category.
  4. Be respectful, on topic and if you see a problem, Flag it.

If you would like to contact our Community Manager personally, feel free to send a private message or an email.

Replicate assembly components with rotation

adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
I have a bearing secured with two fasteners, and I need to add 32 instances of this subassembly to a mounting plate. Replicate works for a single mate, but not for a component requiring two mates like this one.

What would be the best way to approach this without manually mating each bearing?


Comments

  • noanoa Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 141
    @adamohern is it possible to post a public link? My first instinct would be to make a subassembly out of the bearing and then try replicating the subassembly.

    If that doesn't work, I would create a circular feature pattern of mate connectors at the part studio level, then go into snap mode.
    Noa Flaherty / Customer Success / Onshape Inc.
  • adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
    Thanks @noa, sorry it's not a public document. I'm currently using a subassembly for the bearing and trying to replicate it. It works, but the rotation is wrong, since it can only take a single mate into account.

    In this case, I ended up brute-forcing it by adding the first eight bearings manually, then doing a circular pattern to match the hole pattern. Still, it would be nice to know of a better way.
  • lougallolougallo Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 2,001
    @adamohern probably best to use patterns today.. 
    Lou Gallo / PD/UX - Support - Community / Onshape, Inc.
  • abefeldmanabefeldman Member Posts: 166 ✭✭✭
    @adamohern if you reduce the number of mates between the subassembly and the plate to one (maybe reorient a mate connector in the hole?) you should be able to replicate along the radial patterns for one of the pattern instances which you could then use a circular pattern for. It's not as fast as doing all of them at once with a single Replicate, but will still be faster than mating 8 individually.

    If you share the document with support I can show an example.
    Abe Feldman
    UX/PD/Community Support
  • adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
    I admit I'm finding mate connectors to be a real hassle. I understand the theory of using explicit locators as datum elements for mating, but the actual user experience of creating, modifying, displaying/hiding, and making use of the connectors to be cumbersome and confusing. The theory is good, but the implementation could be a lot cleaner.

    If I could I would simply create mate connectors in the sheet metal plate at the original hole pattern instance, and then include it in the patterns that create the holes. I imagine mate connectors could be included in any kind of pattern, including body, face, and feature patterns. This way I could include mate connectors with the proper orientation for each hole.
  • owen_sparksowen_sparks Member, Developers Posts: 2,660 PRO
    Couldn't you replicate using a mate positioned in the center of the rectangular cut outs?  That way the orientation will be preserved.

    Owen S.
    Business Systems and Configuration Controller
    HWM-Water Ltd
  • adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
    Couldn't you replicate using a mate positioned in the center of the rectangular cut outs?  That way the orientation will be preserved.

    Owen S.
    The thought had occurred to me, but for some reason at the time I didn't think it was practical. Thinking through it with fresh neurons it seems plausible. I'll look into it. Thanks!
  • abefeldmanabefeldman Member Posts: 166 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    Good news! Mate connectors can be patterned in the part studio with a feature pattern. Place one on the sheet metal hole in the part studio and you should be set.

    Abe Feldman
    UX/PD/Community Support
  • adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
    Good news! Mate connectors can be patterned in the part studio with a feature pattern. Place one on the sheet metal hole in the part studio and you should be set.

    Notice in your image that the mate connectors are not oriented correctly.
  • adamohernadamohern Member, OS Professional Posts: 216 PRO
    Also, since there is currently no "sketch driven pattern" in Onshape, I can't actually use feature patterns. Instead, I had to rely on a combination of manual Transform features and the "Point Pattern" FeatureScript feature, neither of which support mate connectors.
  • abefeldmanabefeldman Member Posts: 166 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    You can reorient the mate connectors using a sketch and then pattern the sketch as well to orient the mate connectors properly, but you're right without the other features to support it afterwards it's a bit of a moot point.


    Abe Feldman
    UX/PD/Community Support
Sign In or Register to comment.