Tricky pattern tool problem

[howiep]

Hi everyone,


I'm using the pattern tool to make a bunch of holes on a curved surface. I can get the orientation of the holes normal to the surface, but the pattern of the holes is still projected from the top. This is causing larger gaps between the holes where the side is steep which looks pretty daggy. I've tried the triangle and diamond options but they're no better.





Is there any way to "drape" a pattern over a surface so that it doesn't deform like this? I've been looking around the fourms but I can't find anysolutions. Is what I'm asking for not possible on Pro/E?


Thanks for your help


Phil

 

[dgs]

It depends on what you are trying to actually get. Do you have a sketch of the intended pattern?

You could create an intersection curve between a plane parallel to the top and the surface, creating a ring around the part. Then pattern points around the curve then creating holes on those points.

Then, group the ring, the points and the holes and pattern them, creating more rings with holes.

But it really depends on what you are after.

 

[howiep]

Thanks Doug.


Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that make the holes spread out on the flatter bits instead of the steeper bits? Sort of like a topographic map.


I want to keep a nice tight grid like it is on the top, but I'm starting to think it's not possible because Pro/E would have to do some pretty clever arranging of the grid - For example if I tried to lay fabric over that shape I'd need to fold it.

 

[zpaolo]

One nice feature of WF5.0 is patterning "along UV", this provides nice and balanced distributions of instances... I don't know if it's available in previous versions too

Paolo

 

[mcgowanp]

I've had the pleasure of doing this type of thing quite a lot. You are right in saying that the pattern tool is very limited when it comes to these types of things. Its an area where the gap between parametric systems and polygon systems could meet. being able to duplicate features like this whilst keeping normal to the surface.


One of the ways that I got around this was to create my point network, either through pattern, in which case you should try the pattern by table option, or by the curve method outlined by doug. Then i created one of the features, in your case the whole and created a UDF of it. then I went around and added one to every point. A little time consuming but once i had it created i could tweak and mod the point pattern as i wanted and the features would update.


Paddy

 

[howiep]

Thanks for the help Paddy. It does sound pretty time consuming (there's two of these type of parts with over 600 holes between them). Maybe I'll give it a go when I have some time to spare..

 

[gristle]

Had a similar problem recently, trying to model a perforated mesh.

I tried the new patterning tools in WF5, with the UV options, but it appears that the UV will only work on a single surface (unless I missed something), not over a quilt consisting of more than one surface. Not that useful in reality, unless you can rebuild an approximate surface over the quilt you want the pattern to conform to/be normal to and use that to control the pattern.

 

[ankarl]

Slightly OT but asuming it will be a mould and material is not rubber-like, how would you make the tooling if all holes are normal to the surfaces?

 

[gristle]

Another take on Doug's technique is to use VSS to create tubes, then intersect the tubes with the surface and use that curve to create a point pattern that controls the holes.

This way the distance between rows will be more consistent as the target surface curves, unlike using planes and intersections.

 

[howiep]

Thanks Guys,


Ankarl - It will be moulded from silicone, so coming off the tool won't be a problem. Getting all those holes with no flash will bea problem. Luckily for meit will be mainly the factorys problem.


The UV options sounds promising. Surely building a single surface that aproximates my one wouldn't be too big a problem. I think there's a ptc express videoof WF5's new pattern tool.