Circular Pattern
Replicate selected parts, faces, or features about an axis or Mate connector (inferred or existing). Create new parts or modify existing parts by adding or removing material, or intersecting parts in its path. For information on creating linear patterns, see Linear Pattern. Circular pattern may also be used during an active sheet metal operation.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
In the Feature toolbar:
Replicate selected parts, faces, or features about an axis or Mate connector (inferred or existing). Create new parts or modify existing parts by adding or removing material, or intersecting parts in its path. For information on creating linear patterns, see Linear Pattern. Circular pattern may also be used during an active sheet metal operation.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
![](Resources/Images/icons/help-video@2x.png)
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
The Circular pattern feature replicates selected parts, features, or faces about a center axis. This video covers the options available in this feature.
The Circular pattern feature is located in the feature toolbar. There are 3 different pattern types to choose from: parts, features, or faces. In this example, a part pattern type is selected. We want to pattern the 3 tooling bodies in the dark blue appearance to remove geometry from the Upper and Lower Castings. Choose Remove from the boolean options. You could create new parts, add the patterned geometry to the existing parts, or find the boolean intersection. Next, select the 3 parts to pattern. The axis of pattern is the center axis about which the pattern is created. Valid selections are a circular edge, a cylindrical face, or even a circle or construction circle in a sketch. Choose the pattern angle and the instance count. The instance count includes the original or seed part that is being patterned. Checking the equal spacing checkbox equally spaces the instance count across the pattern angle.
You can skip specific pattern instances by checking the Skip instances option. This is helpful when encountering conflicting geometry or when specific instances should be excluded from the pattern. Onshape displays a selection point outlined in gray for each instance. You can skip an instance by selecting its respective selection point or using a box selection to select multiple instances to skip. The selection points of skipped instances are displayed with a light blue outline.
Add the Upper and Lower Castings to the Merge scope to determine which parts should be affected by the pattern. The Merge with all checkbox option applies the pattern to all parts in the Part Studio. Once complete, accept the circular pattern by clicking the checkmark. A hole is now added to the tab. Next, you need to pattern the faces of the hole to every tab. Select the circular pattern feature, and choose Face pattern as the pattern type. Select all the faces to pattern; in the example here, one face from the Upper Casting, and two from the Lower Casting. Again, choose the Axis of pattern, Angle, and Instance count.
Next is the Feature pattern. More instances of the hole on the right face of the parts must be created. The Feature pattern option allows the selection of features from the graphics area or the Features list. In this case, choose the hole from the graphics area and select the edge as the Axis of pattern. By checking Equal spacing and setting the angle to 360 degrees, the pattern is equally distributed completely around the Axis of pattern. A total of six instances is required, so change the Instance count from 4 to 6. The spacing between each instance adjusts to keep the 6 instances equally spaced. The instance count includes the original seed features. Also note the pattern can scope multiple parts. If you change the angle to 180 degrees, the pattern condenses all 6 instances equally within that angle. You can also change the direction from the seed feature. If the equal spacing checkbox is cleared, the Angle input determines the spacing from the last instance. With equal spacing disabled, each hole is positioned 60 degrees apart when the instance count is 3 and the angle is 60 degrees. Change the angle back to 360 and the instance count to 6.
What if the original seed feature should be centered in the pattern as in this example? Adjust the pattern angle to 60 degrees, and the Instance count to 2. You can reverse the direction to the left or right of the original hole. You can also select the Centered checkbox to keep the original hole centered in the pattern and place an equal amount of instances to the left and right of the seed feature.
Use the Circular pattern feature to create several instances of features, faces, or parts about a center axis.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
- Click
:
- Select a Result operation type:
- New - Create new material that results in a new part.
- Add - Create new material and add to the existing material.
- Remove - Take material away from existing material.
- Intersect - Leave material only where geometry overlaps.
- Select the pattern type: Part, Feature, or Face:
- Part - To pattern an individual part
- Feature - To pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list.
- Face - To pattern a specific face on a specific part
- With focus on the Entities to pattern field, select entities to replicate into a pattern.
When selecting Faces to pattern, the Create Selection
can be useful to select related faces.
- Set focus in the Axis of pattern field, and then select an edge, face, or conic or cylindrical face of the part, linear sketch entity or Mate connector (inferred or existing) about which to place the replicated pattern parts. ( Click the
in order to select inferred Mate connectors.)
Once a Mate connector is selected, click the Mate connector icon in the dialog field (outlined in blue below) to open a dialog with which to edit the Mate connector:
- Enter the distance between each pattern part, and then the number of repetitions, or Instance count (the minimum number of instances you are able to use is 1).
- The Equal spacing box allows you to place the pattern parts equally spaced within the specified degrees:
Without Equal spacing checked, above, the parts are placed 90 degrees apart.
With Equal spacing checked, above, the parts are equally spaced within 90 degrees.
- Use Centered to make the seed instance/face/feature the center of the pattern:
The seed instance is at the top of the pattern (outlined in red), with the pattern circling to the left, above, with the Centered checkbox unchecked.
The seed instance is still at the top, outlined in red above, and with the Centered box checked, the pattern extends out from both sides of the seed instance.
- Check the Skip instances option to specify instances of the pattern to skip:
- Click the instance's selection handle to add it to the list of instances to skip.
- Click the X next to the instance in the list to add it back to the Part Studio.
- Click CLEAR to remove all instances from the Instances to skip list.
- Click the instance's selection handle to add it to the list of instances to skip.
- (Feature pattern type only) Select Reapply features to regenerate the feature for each instance (specified in Instance count), in lieu of simply recreating the initial pattern instance.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern an individual part
One section was created and then patterned as Add to create this part:
For sheet metal, this blade was selected as the part and an edge was selected as the pattern axis.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific feature (or features) in the Features list without Reapply features selected (a faster, more lightweight feature pattern). This is not available for sheet metal.
In the following example, the initial extrude was Up to next (bringing the extrude up to the face of the surface). Without Reapply features selected, the features patterned (extrude) are patterned from the initial features and not regenerated (so the Up to next does not update for each instance of the pattern):
Pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list with Reapply features selected. This is available for sheet metal.
In the following example, the initial extrude was Up to next (bringing the extrude up to the face of the surface). With Reapply features selected, the features patterned (extrude) are regenerated for each instance of the pattern so Up to next is applied to each instance of the pattern.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific face on specific part
The selected faces are the cylindrical face and its top face (for two cylinders), then patterned at 90 degree angles, 4 instances.
The selected face on this sheet metal piece is the flange. The axis or Mate connector (inferred or existing) is the highlighted circle.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
New - Create new material that results in a new part:
Add - Create material and add to the existing material (in this instance, Merge with all was selected):
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Take material away; select the part to pattern and then Remove:
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Select the part to pattern, and then Intersect:
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
-
When selecting a face or edge to set the Axis of pattern, you can use the Opposite direction arrow
to flip the result if necessary.
- When patterning a feature, you can select from the Feature list, in any order. Regardless of the order selected, the features are applied in the order listed in the Feature list.
- If you select a pattern in the Feature list, you will pattern that pattern, but not the seed. In order to include the seed, select it as well.
- When patterning a boolean feature, you must also select the features to which the boolean was applied.
- When creating Feature patterns, all aspects of a feature are applied; for example, the end conditions in an Extrude feature. (By contrast, Face patterns do not recognize these types of modifiers.)
-
If Reapply features is enabled for the feature pattern, external references will regenerate automatically on a per-instance basis.
In a sketch, the seed sketch dimensions and constraints to the origin or default plane will not be reapplied. You can use this behavior to scope which dimensions or constraints are reapplied within a pattern:
- You can pattern sketch features that are dimensioned or constrained to the origin or default planes and choose not reapply those dimensions and constraints.
- You can also create explicit construction sketches along the default planes or origin when reapplying features along them.
- If Mate connectors are Part patterned in a Part Studio, they will all be added to the Assembly when the Part Studio is inserted. If you don't see your Mate connectors when the Part Studio is inserted into the Assembly, make sure the Part is listed as the Mate connector owner entity.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
- Tap Circular pattern tool.
- Specify Pattern type:
- Part - To pattern an individual part
- Feature - To pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list
- Face - To pattern a specific face on a specific part
- Select a Result body operation type:
- New - Create new material that results in a new part.
- Add - Create new material and add to the existing material.
- Remove - Take material away from a part.
- Intersect - Leave material only where intersections exist.
- Select entities (parts, features, or faces) to pattern.
- Select the axis of the pattern (an edge, sketch, or circular/conical face).
- Optionally, tap the Mate connector icon to select or create inferred Mate connectors.
- Specify the angle. This angle will be the distance between each part, unless you chose to use Equal spacing (see step 9 for more info).
- Specify the instance count.
- Optionally, toggle to switch to the opposite direction.
- Optionally, toggle to use equal spacing. Equal spacing will place the patterned entities within the specified angle/degrees.
- Optionally, toggle Centered to make the seed instance/face/feature as the center of the pattern.
- Optionally, toggle Skip instances and select the instances to skip. Double-tap an instance to add it back to the Part Studio.
- Tap checkmark.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern an individual part.
A part is patterned 4 times using Circular part pattern around the axis of a sketch circle to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list.
An extrude feature is patterned 4 times using Circular feature pattern around the axis of a sketch circle to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific face on a specific part.
The highlighted cylindrical faces of the part are patterned 4 times using Circular face pattern to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
New - Create new material that results in a new part.
Add - Create material and add to the existing material.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Take material away.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Leave material only where intersections exist.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
- Tap Circular pattern tool.
- Specify Pattern type:
- Part - To pattern an individual part
- Feature - To pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list.
- Face - To pattern a specific face on a specific part
- Select a Result body operation type:
- New - Create new material that results in a new part.
- Add - Create new material and add to the existing material.
- Remove - Take material away from a part.
- Intersect - Leave material only where intersections exist.
- Select entities (parts, features, or faces) to pattern.
- Select the axis of the pattern (an edge, sketch, or circular/conical face).
- Specify the angle. This angle will be the distance between each part, unless you chose to use Equal spacing (see step 9 for more info).
- Specify the instance count.
- Optionally, toggle to switch to the opposite direction.
- Optionally, toggle to use equal spacing. Equal spacing will place the patterned entities within the specified angle/degrees.
- Optionally, toggle Centered to make the seed instance/face/feature as the center of the pattern.
- Optionally, toggle Skip instances and select the instances to skip. Double-tap an instance to add it back to the Part Studio.
- Tap checkmark.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern an individual part.
A part is patterned 4 times using Circular part pattern around the axis of a sketch circle to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific feature (or features) listed in the Feature list.
An extrude feature is patterned 4 times using Circular feature pattern around the axis of a sketch circle to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Pattern a specific face on a specific part.
The highlighted cylindrical faces of the part are patterned 4 times using Circular face pattern to add material to the existing part.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
New - Create new material that results in a new part.
Add - Create material and add to the existing material.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Take material away.
![Closed](../Skins/Default/Stylesheets/Images/transparent.gif)
Leave material only where intersections exist.