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Subdivide an element

baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
edited May 2017 in Community Support
Hi, 

I have several elements in my drawing that I would like to subdivide in equal subelements. I created a sketch showing the whole element and the goal that is the element composed of subelements ( the size of the sub elements is not equal, but will have to be in the real subdivision). 

Does anybody knows a smart way to do that? If there isn't a standard function I ignored so far, would there be a feature that does the job?

Thanks for help

Markus


https://cad.onshape.com/documents/6241cb432116d5696cd40a02/w/08ce71397dea0649f2c253e5/e/4b780ac1d0be3266e6b2eb6a

Best Answers

  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Answer ✓
    Thanks for the hint. Just one follow up question. I have to split an extrude into 40 subparts. 
    is there a way to separate it easily (that is without creating 40 planes and splits) into 40 subparts? Maybe  there is a function or a feature script from someone who had the same demand?

Answers

  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,308
    Try the Split command - you can split a solid using an extruded surface
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Answer ✓
    Thanks for the hint. Just one follow up question. I have to split an extrude into 40 subparts. 
    is there a way to separate it easily (that is without creating 40 planes and splits) into 40 subparts? Maybe  there is a function or a feature script from someone who had the same demand?
  • Jake_RosenfeldJake_Rosenfeld Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 1,646
    Hello @baumar

    This is the kind of thing that our 'Feature pattern' is for. I've made you an example doc showing how to slice an extruded piece 40 times:
    https://cad.onshape.com/documents/bb912de1a3bb5eace5e4a9af/w/38f1a1db373548e870711bf5/e/e3a738a0358d34ebf0bcb9fe

    You can copy this document and double click on the features to see their inputs.  I made heave use of variables, so changing any of the variables at the top of the feature tree should change the model accordingly.

    https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/linearpattern.htm
    https://www.onshape.com/videos/patterns-in-onshape-04-20-17
    Jake Rosenfeld - Modeling Team
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Hi Jake, that's terrific, thanks a lot! Now I just have to figure out to use it on my parts...
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Hi Jake, I could successfully adapt your pattern, great stuff!
    Just one little question: I searched where the variables that you defined will be used and I found by chance that clicking in the fields where the value appears that it is referenced with an # like #widthEach. so I can use any variable and use it anywhere in any item I guess?

    Another thing I didn't get right is this: Even when I change the width to 50, the whole construction looks the same - though the distance is 5 times bigger. but just now I saw that you can obviously use the variable also in the drawing, is that right? That's awesome, because now you can give it a meaningful name instead of a 'meaningless' number
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Short follow up question: I don't  find the variable Icon in my Part studio, neither in assembly. Is it possible that this feature is not backward compatible?
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    @Jake_Rosenfeld

    Thanks for the hint, now I can use it, it's really a great feature*.

    May I bother you with a follow up question: I now can make the elements that I need, but I end up with an 'opposite' problem: As I still want to construct the whole part (as it was before the splitting) - seen from my current knowledge - I have to add them to the Assembly one by one using the mates... time consuming and a bit monotonous.
    I used a trick that I add the solid element in the Assembly first and split it afterwards in the part studio. This works from the point of view of look, but there is a kind of 'circular reference' between part studio and assembly which is not so good. Much more as I have to use the whole element several times in my design
    It would be better to assemble the parts - in a hopefully easier way, where I would like to get a hint how to - then group it and reuse it in another assembly.


    *I guess I will ask to have an option to display the logical name also in the drawing, in some cases I think that would make the drawing to be more descriptive. Would you agree?)


  • Jake_RosenfeldJake_Rosenfeld Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 1,646
    PS:

    The beginning of this video shows how to bring in an entire Part Studio:
    https://www.onshape.com/videos/assembly-mates
    Jake Rosenfeld - Modeling Team
  • baumarbaumar OS Professional Posts: 76 PRO
    Hi Jake, actually you're right. I introduced the part studio with the major piece as whole, now I will try to do the same after splitting it up!
    Thanks for the hint!

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