SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part II: Building Intelligence into Your Parts

FIGURE 8.6

A geometry pattern test

Geometry pattern off — Parametrics are patterned

Geometry pattern on — Parametrics not patterned

FIGURE 8.7

Merged faces

In some situations, SolidWorks error messages may send you in a loop. One message may tell you

that the pattern cannot be created with the Geometry Pattern turned on, so you should try to turn

it off. When you do that, you may get another message that says the pattern will not work, and

that you should try to use the Geometry Pattern setting. In cases like this, you may try to use a

different end condition, or change the selection of features patterned along with the feature, such

as fillets. You may also try to pattern bodies or even faces rather than features.

Patterning Bodies

I cover multi-bodies in depth in Chapter 26, but need to deal with the topic here briefly. Any

discussion of patterning is not complete without a discussion of bodies because using bodies is an

available option with all the pattern and mirror types.

SolidWorks parts can contain multiple solid or surface bodies. A solid body is a solid that

comprises a single contiguous volume. Surface bodies are different, but they can also be patterned

and mirrored as bodies.