Feature Pattern vs. Sketch Step and Repeat 3

[coolcad]

I'm working on our "Best Practices" guide >:-O

Is there a general consensus as to which is a better practice....use Feature Patterning or Sketch Step and Repeat patterning? I understand that the design intent and part revision is a huge part of the eqation but I'm also interested in the performance of the part.

If you have a part with multiple patterned features, will it perform better than if you pattern the features in the sketch? In simple tests I've done, the file sizes between the two are very similar.

Any opinions?

Thanks!!

Glenn

 

[TheTick]

There is a serious limitation to sketch step-and-repeat: entities can not be added to the patterns. If your sketch changes so that you need to add entities, you are SOL and need to create a new pattern.

SIDE NOTE: Do not confuse sketch "step-and-repeat" with "Sketch-driven pattern".

Due to illness, the part of The Tick will be played by... The Tick.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Actually you can change the number of entities ... but you have to go down to the "Edit sketch" level to do so. If you RMB any entity while in the Edit sketch the LSS&R dialogue box appears & the qty's can be adjusted.
If the Fixed option is used when creating the pattern, the "pitch" can also be modified.

It's clunky, but does work. Hate to admit it, but SE's Pattern Fill is much better.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?

 

[Arlin]

There was a large discussion on comp.cad.solidworks a while ago discussing this question. Matt Lombard did some performance tests and published them.

Check out Matt Lombard's site here:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~mlombard/

Look under Rules of Thumb: Patterns

In summary, Feature patterns are almost always preferable to a step and repeat in a sketch for almost every reason (performance, design intent, configurability, editability...)

Sketch patterns do have their place, but usually a feature pattern is the best option if at all possible.

 

[TheTick]

Cory: You misunderstood my post.

It is not possible to add entities to a sketch step-and-repeat. It is possible to change number of instances, though.

For instance:
•Make a sketch-and-repeat pattern of a simple sketched rectangle.
•Close the sketch.
•Open the sketch, modify the "root" rectangle by adding an entity to its contour (like a corner chamfer).
•RESULT: You will find that this change can't be propagated throughout the sketch-and-repeat pattern.

Due to illness, the part of The Tick will be played by... The Tick.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

OK, gotcha ... sorry about that.

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

If you choke a smurf, what color does it turn?

 

[SBaugh]

You can edit the distances too if you add Dimensions to the Construction Geometry that is created during the Function. But yes Ticks right you can't add a new sketch to and existing Linear sketch step and repeat.

See this thread regarding this thread559-93851

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376