Figure 8­40 Pattern created with the Offset curve and Tangent to curve radio

buttons selected

Figure 8­41 Pattern created with the Offset curve and Align to seed radio
buttons selected
The other options in the Curve Driven PropertyManager are the same as those
discussed earlier for the mirror and other pattern features. By selecting the check
box in the Direction 2 rollout, you can also specify the parameters in the second
direction. Figure 8­42 shows the curve driven pattern feature created with the
pattern defined in first direction and second direction.

Figure 8­42 A curve driven pattern created by specifying parameters in both the
directions
Creating Table Driven Patterns
CommandManager: Features > Linear Pattern flyout >Table Driven Pattern
SOLIDWORKS menus: Insert > Pattern/Mirror > Table Driven Pattern
Toolbar: Features > Linear Pattern flyout > Table Driven Pattern A table
driven pattern is created by specifying the X and Y coordinates of the
pattern feature with reference to a coordinate system. The instances of the
selected features, faces, or bodies are created at the points specified using
the X and Y coordinates. To create this pattern, first you need to create a
coordinate system using the Coordinate System button from the Reference
Geometry toolbar. The coordinate system defines the direction along which
the selected feature will be patterned. Choose the Table
Driven Pattern button from the Linear Pattern flyout or choose Insert >
Pattern/Mirror > Table Driven Pattern from the SOLIDWORKS menus;
the Table Driven Pattern dialog box will be displayed, as shown in Figure 8­
43.

Figure 8­43 The Table Driven Pattern dialog box

Select the feature to be patterned and the coordinate system from the drawing
area or from the FeatureManager Design Tree. Also, enter the coordinates in
the Coordinate points area of the Table Driven Pattern dialog box for creating
the instances. As you enter the coordinates, the preview of the pattern will be
displayed in the drawing area. After entering all coordinate points, choose the
OK button from the Table Driven Pattern dialog box. Figure 8­44 shows the
feature and coordinate system to be selected. Figure 8­45 shows the table driven
pattern created after entering the coordinate values in the Table Driven Pattern
dialog box.

You can save the table driven pattern file by choosing the Save button. Choose
the Browse button to retrieve the already saved file and it will be displayed in
the Read a file from selection box. You can also write the coordinates in a text
file and browse the same file while creating a table driven pattern. The other
options in this dialog box are the same as those discussed earlier.

Figure 8­44 The feature and coordinate system to be selected

Figure 8­45 The table driven pattern created after specifying the coordinate
points
Creating Fill Patterns
CommandManager: Features > Linear Pattern flyout > Fill Pattern
SOLIDWORKS menus: Insert > Pattern/Mirror > Fill Pattern Toolbar:
Features > Linear Pattern flyout > Fill Pattern The Fill Pattern tool is used to
fill a defined area with the pattern of features, faces, bodies, or predefined
holes. The area to be filled with the pattern of features or holes can be a
sketched entity, a face, or a coplanar face. To create a fill pattern, select the
feature to be patterned from the drawing area or from the FeatureManager
Design Tree. Next, choose Linear Pattern > Fill Pattern from
the Features CommandManager; the Fill Pattern PropertyManager will be
displayed, as shown in Figure 8­46. Also, the name of the selected feature
will be displayed in the Features to Pattern selection box. Additionally, you
will be prompted to select the edge or the axis for direction reference and
the face of feature to define the area of fill pattern. Select a sketched entity,
a face, or a coplanar face to define the area of fill pattern; the preview of the
fill pattern will be displayed in the drawing area. Choose the OK button
from the PropertyManager. Figure 8­47 shows the feature and planar face
to be selected and Figure 8­48 shows the resulting pattern feature.
 Figure 8­46 Partial view of the Fill Pattern PropertyManager

Figure 8­47 The feature and planar face to be selected

Figure 8­48 Resulting pattern feature

The procedures to create different fill patterns using the Fill Pattern
PropertyManager are discussed next.

Creating a Fill Pattern of the Selected Features When you invoke the
Fill Pattern PropertyManager, the Selected features radio button is
selected by default in the Features and Faces rollout. Therefore, to
create a fill pattern, you only need to select a feature from the graphics
area.

Creating a Fill Pattern of the Predefined Holes Select the Create seed
cut radio button from the Features and Faces rollout of the Fill
Pattern PropertyManager to create a pattern of the predefined holes.
The available predefined cut shapes are circle, square, diamond, and
polygon. On selecting this radio button, the Circle, Square,
Diamond, and Polygon buttons will be enabled below it. The Circle
button is chosen by default; therefore a pattern of circular holes will
be created with the default settings. Figure 8­49 shows the planar face
to be selected and Figure 8­50 shows the fill pattern created by
choosing the Circle button.

Figure 8­49 The planar face to be selected

Figure 8­50 The resultant fill pattern

Creating a Fill Pattern by Specifying a Vertex or a Sketch Point The

Vertex or Sketch Point selection box will be available when the
Create seed cut radio button is selected in the Features to Pattern
rollout of the PropertyManager. By default, the seed feature is located
at the center of the fill boundary and the pattern feature is created
around the seed feature. Using this selection box, you can change the
location of the seed feature to any vertex or sketched point. Figure 8­
51 shows the fill pattern when the seed feature is at the center of the
fill boundary and Figure 8­52 shows the fill pattern when the seed
feature is at the right vertex of the fill boundary.

Figure 8­51 The fill pattern with the seed feature at the center of the fill
boundary

Figure 8­52 The fill pattern with the seed feature at the right vertex of the fill
boundary
Creating a Fill Pattern of Different Layouts You can define the layout
of instances within the fill boundary using the Perforation, Circular,
Square, and Polygon buttons available in the Pattern Layout rollout
of the PropertyManager. The Perforation button is chosen by default
in this rollout. Using this button, you can create a perforated style
pattern. To create a circular shape pattern, choose the Circular button
from the Pattern Layout rollout. Similarly, the Square and Polygon
buttons are used to create square and polygon shape patterns,
respectively. Figures 8­53 through 8­56 show different pattern layouts
created using the buttons available in the Pattern Layout rollout,
when the Create seed cut radio button is selected.

Figure 8­53 The perforated style fill pattern

Figure 8­54 The circular shape fill pattern

 Figure 8­55 The square shape fill pattern

Figure 8­56 The polygon shape fill pattern

Creating a Fill Pattern by Specifying Target Spacing and Instances Per

Loop When you choose the Circular button from the Pattern Layout
rollout of the Fill Pattern PropertyManager, the Target spacing
and Instances per loop radio buttons will be enabled. By default, the
Target spacing radio button is selected. Therefore, you need to
specify the spacing between the instances using the Instance Spacing
spinner. On selecting the Target spacing radio button, the number of
instances will be calculated such that the instances fit evenly. If you
select the Instances per loop radio button from the Pattern Layout
rollout, you need to specify the number of instances for each loop of
the fill pattern in the Number of Instances spinner. Figure 8­57
shows the circular shape fill pattern created when the Target spacing
radio button is selected. Figure 8­58 shows the circular shape fill
pattern created when the Instances per loop radio button is selected.

Figure 8­57 Fill pattern created when the Target spacing radio button is
selected

Figure 8­58 Fill pattern created when the Instances per loop radio button is
selected

Creating a Fill Pattern by Specifying Target Spacing and Instances Per

Loop When you choose the Square or Polygon button from the
Pattern Layout rollout of the Fill Pattern PropertyManager, the
Target spacing and Instances per side radio buttons will be enabled
below these buttons. By default, the Target spacing radio button is
selected. Therefore, you need to specify the spacing between the
instances using the Instance Spacing spinner. On selecting the
Target spacing radio button, the number of instances will be
calculated such that the instances fit evenly. If you select the
Instances per side radio button from the Pattern Layout rollout, you
need to specify the number of instances for each side of the fill pattern
in the Number of Instances spinner. Figure 8­59 shows the square
shape fill pattern created when the Instances per side radio button is
selected. Figure 8­60 shows the square shape fill pattern created when
the Target spacing radio button is selected.

Figure 8­59 Square shape fill pattern created on selecting the Instances per side
radio button

Figure 8­60 Square shape fill pattern created on selecting the Target spacing
radio button

Creating Variable Patterns CommandManager: Features

> Linear Pattern flyout > Variable Pattern
SOLIDWORKS menus: Insert > Pattern/Mirror >
Variable Pattern Toolbar: Features > Linear Pattern
flyout > Variable Pattern The Variable Pattern tool is
used to pattern features by varying their dimensions.
Using this tool, you can create variable patterns for
Extrude/Cut Extrude, Revolve/Cut Revolve, Sweep/Cut
Sweep, Loft/Cut Loft, Fillet, Chamfer, Dome, and Draft
features.
To create a variable pattern, choose the Variable Pattern button from
the Linear Pattern flyout or choose Insert > Pattern/Mirror > Variable
Pattern from the SOLIDWORKS menus; theVariable Pattern
PropertyManager will be displayed, as shown in Figure 8­61.
 Figure 8­61 The Variable Pattern PropertyManager

Also, you will be prompted to select the feature. Now, select the feature from the
drawing area; the name of the feature will be displayed in the Features to
Pattern selection box and all dimensions of the selected feature will be
displayed in the drawing area. Also, the Create Pattern Table button will be
activated in the Table rollout. Now, choose this button; the Pattern table dialog
box will be displayed with rows and columns of the instances. Also, you will be
prompted to select the dimension from the graphics area to add them to this
table. Select the dimensions of the feature that is to be varied from the drawing
area; a column for each dimension will be added in the Pattern Table dialog
box. Now, you need to add more instances in the table. To do so, enter the
desired number of instances in the Number of instances to add edit box located
at the bottom of the Pattern Table dialog box and then choose the Add
Instance button. You will notice that desired number of rows will be added in
the table. Modify the value of the dimensions which you need to vary for each
instance in the table. Now, choose the Update Preview button at the bottom of
dialog box to display the preview of the pattern in temporary graphics. Choose
the OK button to exit the Pattern Table dialog box. Now, choose the OK
button from the Variable Pattern PropertyManager. Figure 8­62 shows the
dimensions to be selected for creating a variable pattern and here you need to
vary the radius and angle dimension to create the resulting pattern. Figure 8­63
shows the resulting variable pattern.

All the created instances of the variable pattern appear in the FeatureManager
Design Tree as the child feature of VarPattern. You can right­click on any
pattern instance to suppress, unsuppress, or delete it. You can also view and edit
each dimension of the selected instance. To do so, double­click on an instance in
the FeatureManager Design tree; its dimensions will be displayed in the
drawing area. Double­click on the required dimension; the Modify dialog box
will be displayed. Change the value of the selected dimensions in the Modify
dialog box and then choose the Save the current value and exit the dialog
button to confirm the change.
 Figure 8­62 The dimensions to be selected for creating a variable pattern

Figure 8­63 The resulting variable pattern

Creating Rib Features CommandManager: Features > Rib
SOLIDWORKS menus: Insert > Features > Rib Toolbar:
Features > Rib Ribs are defined as the thin­walled
structures that are used to increase the strength of the
entire structure of a component so that it does not fail
under an increased load. In SOLIDWORKS, the ribs are
created using an open sketch as well as a closed sketch.
To create a rib feature, draw a sketch and exit the
sketching environment. Invoke the Rib tool by choosing
the Rib button from the Features CommandManager or
by choosing Insert >Features > Rib from the
SOLIDWORKS menus; the Rib PropertyManager will
be displayed and you will be prompted to select a plane, a
planar face, an edge to sketch the feature, or
anexisting sketch to be used for the feature. Select the
sketch from the drawing area; the Rib
PropertyManager will be modified, as shown in Figure
8­64, and the preview of the rib feature with
thedirection arrow and the confirmation corner will be
displayed in the drawing area. You can also invoke
the Rib tool, select a plane, draw a sketch, and then exit
the sketching environment to display
the Rib PropertyManager and the preview of the rib
feature.
 Figure 8­64 Partial view of the Rib PropertyManager

Specify the rib parameters in the Rib PropertyManager and view the detailed
preview using the Detailed Preview button. Figure 8­65 shows the sketch drawn
for the rib feature and Figure 8­66 shows the resulting rib feature.

The options in the Rib PropertyManager are discussed next.

Figure 8­65 Sketch for the rib feature