Add feature to mirror

[Sandeep Mahadik]

Hi,

I created few features & mirror them about a plane. Later I
found that I have to add an another feature before the
mirror command and want to include the same in the mirror
feature.

Can any body tell me how can I add the feature to mirror
command.

Thanks.

 

[kdem]

The only thing you can do is delete the mirror and cretae a new mirror feature.

 

[michaelpaul]

Can any body tell me how can I add the feature to mirror

command.



Thanks.

in a word, NO!

this is one of the biggest weaknesses with Pro Engineer's mirror and pattern functionality. you cannot go back and add additional features to the mirror or pattern group after you create them. You have to delete the mirror or pattern group, add the new feature, then recreate the mirror or pattern again.

the solutions are to add your feature and then just reference pattern it or create a new mirror of it. total band-aid. total work around.

yes, in SW you can add a feature to any mirror or pattern at any time. you've been able to do this in SW since at least 2005.

I generally try to avoid using mirrors and even patterns for this reason. they just aren't worth the effort it takes to fix it when you need to make changes.

 

[Sandeep Mahadik]

Thanks Michael & Kdem.

 

[mcgowanp]

Yeah this is a big problem in proe. What I do is creat my feature but as a surface with capped ends, then i copy the surfaces from the feature that I want to mirror then mirror the copy. use the solidify and remove the material instead of adding, This way you can leave your mirror in place and you still have full access to the extrude of cut to change the sketch. sounds long winded but once you do it a couple of times its grand. Why this couldn't be built in the mirror command i dont know!!


Paddy

 

[kdem]

This works well if you are adding features that build off a single feature you have mirrored such as a chamfer on an extrusion but you still have to create new mirror features or delete and redefine the mirror feature if you add additional features to the model you want to mirror (ie. you add another extrusion to the model and want to mirror it).
Edited by: kdem

 

[mcgowanp]

Well I wouldnt gerally go mirroring chamfers. You dont have to go deleting anything. If you have a cut, you make your copy of the surfaces and then mirror the copy and solidify. If you now want to add a hole in the cut, then you redefine your copy surfs, leave your mirror intact.


If your mirroring a symmetrical part then its even easier. if your mirroring features then it depnds on how many features you want to "group" together.

 

[kdem]

Okay I got it to work. When I tried to redefined my surfacesthe surfacesoriginally selected were still highlighted as I selected surfaces to add but when I completed the feature the original surfaces were deselected. The problem with this was the mirror featuredidn't automatically update, it left the original copied geometry and there was no indication that the surface feature had been changed (the mirror feature had an expandable node). What I found was, and this may be what you are doing, but instead of mirroring the copy feature from the model tree use the filter to select the copied surfaces as Quilts andmirror that. The trick I found for the copy feature was you need to select a seed and boundary surface selection that includes the surface the features are created onand then exclude the surface to create the quilt you want to mirror (may not be necessary to exclude the surface the features are created on just didn't try it). When you create additional stand alone features on that surface you can then drag the new feature before your copy feature and the copy feature and mirror is automatically updated.

 

[mcgowanp]

Yeah, that's right. I didnt make that clear, you not copying the quilt you are copyingthe individual sufaces. i normally use the geometry selection filter, then hit copy and paste then you can add in individual surfaces.

 

[MGortner]

I want to second the notion to copy surfaces and then
create the mirror based on the the copy. Never copy an
extrude feature! There are too many limitations.

 

[spidernate]

Agree with MGortner & mcgowanp

 

[Sandeep Mahadik]

Hi,

I created all the features required. Then selected one
surface, right click on that, from the options selected
solid surfaces. This will select all the surfaces.
Now from the edit menu select copy & then paste it.

Now you can mirror this set of surfaces & solidify them.

This will solve two issues,
1. You do not have to set parameters for the copied
features. ( As we have to do it when we copy individual
features - Ex - References for drafts & other features.)

2. You can insert or delete features before the copied
surfaces. And still you will get an updated solid on the
mirrored side.

I think this is the exact solution I was looking for.

Still if anybody is having any better solution please do
reply.

Thanks,

 

[Zestje]

Have a look at these tutorials at E-cognition:

http://www.e-cognition.net/pages/TurboPattern.html
http://www.e-cognition.net/pages/FamTabPat.html

These will help a lot in working around the weaknesses in ProE with regards to patterning and mirroring.