Error with Pattern Along Curve: "Part Not Modified..."

[NZMark]

Hi,
I am getting an error when trying to use Pattern Along Curve in a Part file, in particular when the Feature to be replicated is a Thicken (SE V20).

The reason I have a Thicken as a feature - as opposed to e.g. a Protusion - is that I start with a Sketch Curve, use Extruded Surface to protrude this curve perpendicular to its profile plane and then Thicken to get the curved wall. Seems to be the most direct way to get what I am after.

However, when attempting to replicate this feature using Pattern Along Curve (with a straight line edge as the Curve, Fill with a specified spacing), I see a successful "ghost" of the Pattern, but when I hit "Preview" get the error message "Part Not Modified: Edit the Feature Inputs".
This is in Smart mode - in Fast mode I get some other error (although I rarely succeed at doing anything with Fast mode...)

The same error arises when I try to do a Mirror Copy Feature.

Is there any way to use this approach with success, or must I find another way of generating the feature (e.g. as a protusion)?

Regards, MT

 

[beachcomber]

Try patterning the surface, then thicken.

bc.
Core i5-3570 @3.4GHz , 8GB RAM
Quadro FX4600. W7 Pro 64-bit.

 

[Kenny_G]

Perhaps show a picture or video of what you are attempting. I have no problem patterning a thickened surface, but I'm using the latest version...

Ken G.

http://grundey.blogspot.com

 

[NZMark]

Dear Beachcomber,

many thanks. Okay, Pattern Along Curve is working with the Extruded Surface as the feature (as a side note, I can only select it with the option "Select: Body").

However, things don't work out smoothly when applying the Thicken to this (perhaps the attached screenshot is useful).

If I select the Pattern as the feature to be thickened (Select: Feature), then I get the error "Operation Unsuccessful".

I can apply the Thicken to a single body in the Pattern ("Select: Body"), but then I will have to do this separately for every replica (also a bit annoying that SE hides the Pattern each time I apply a Thicken). I guess this won't be very associative (if I change the Pattern fill parameters), nor efficient for a large number of patterned replicas.

Is this a behaviour that is definitively fixed in later versions? Any other suggestions? (thickened extruded surfaces seem to be quite useful)

 

[Kenny_G]

My concern would be the bottom surface... Does it touch the rectangular frame? If it does, then when you thicken it, it becomes part of the frame and then when you try to pattern it, the pattern occurrences must also connect to the frame. If it does touch, move it up a bit, thicken it and then see if your pattern works.

Ken G.

http://grundey.blogspot.com