Modeling > Feature Modeling > Pattern and copy features > Pattern Feature

Pattern Feature

Use the Pattern Feature command to create patterns of features (linear, circular, polygon, and so on) with various options for defining pattern boundaries, orientation of instances, clocking and variance.

You can create pattern features using a variety of pattern layouts.

Linear	Polygon	Along	Reference

Circular	Spiral	General	Helix

You can fill a specified boundary with a pattern feature.

For a Linear layout, you can specify a Symmetric pattern in one or both directions. You can also specify to Stagger columns or rows.

For Circular or Polygon layouts, you can choose to radiate a pattern.

For Linear and Along layouts, you can create a pattern along selected points by setting Spacing to Points, which lets you control where you place instances.
You can define a Pattern Increment by using expressions to specify pattern parameters.
You can export pattern parameter values to a spreadsheet and make positional edits that are propagated back to your pattern definition.
You can explicitly select individual instance points for clocking, suppression and variance of pattern features.
You can control the orientation of a pattern.

Same As Input	Follow Pattern (circular)

You can select from the Single, Simple, and Variational pattern methods.

Where do I find it?

Application	Modeling and Shape Studio
Prerequisite	History mode
Command	Pattern Feature

Pattern Feature methods

There are three methods of creating pattern features:

Single

	Supports one input feature only. Creates a single feature, with high performance but no editable instances. Ideal when used to pattern a feature whose instances you do not need to modify, such as a large pattern of holes.

Simple

	Simple design features such as extruded features are supported. One input feature per output pattern. Multi-body features are supported. Positive and negative threaded holes with copied threads from extracted or mirrored bodies, including linked ones, are supported.

Variational

All features which support copy-paste are supported. Detailed features such as blends and drafts are supported. Each instance of the pattern is fully evaluated. Works with multiple input features. Multi-body features are supported. You can reuse references to the input feature and control which references from the input features are evaluated at each instance location. Positive and negative threaded holes with copied threads from extracted or mirrored bodies, including linked ones, are supported. Sketch features are supported.

Converting pattern feature methods

If the method used to create the pattern feature doesn't fit your needs, you can convert a variational or simple pattern feature to a single pattern feature, or a single pattern feature to a variational or simple pattern feature.

For example:

When you don't need to edit instances or have multiple input features, you can convert a simple or variational pattern feature to a single pattern feature to improve its performance.
If a single pattern feature doesn't have the capabilities you need, you can convert the single pattern feature to a simple or variational pattern feature.

Create a linear pattern of features in two directions

This example shows you how to create a linear pattern of features in two directions.

Choose Home tab→Base group→Pattern Feature .

Select features to pattern.

In the Pattern Definition group, from the Layout list, select Linear .

Select an edge to define Direction 1.

In the Direction 1 section:

From the Spacing list, choose Count and Span.
In the Count box, type 5.
In the Span Distance box, type 145.

In the Direction 2 section, select the Use Direction 2 check box.

Use Specify Vector to define Direction 2.

In the Direction 2 section:

From the Spacing list, choose Count and Pitch.
In the Count box, type 3.
In the Pitch Distance box, type 55.

Choose another command or click OK to create the pattern.

Create a circular pattern of concentric features

This example shows you how to create a partial circular pattern of features that are concentric.

Choose Home tab→Base group→Pattern Feature .

Select the features to pattern.

In the Pattern Definition group, from the Layout list, select Circular .

Under Rotation Axis, click Specify Vector.

Specify a vector of rotation.

Specify a point of rotation.

Under Angular Direction:

From the Spacing list, choose Pitch and Span.
From the Define Pitch As list, choose Angle.
In the Pitch Angle box, type 30.
In the Span Angle box, type 270.

Under Radiate:

Select the Create Concentric Members check box.
Make sure the Include First Circle check box is selected.
From the Spacing list, choose Pitch and Span.
In the Pitch Distance box, type – 20.
In the Span Distance box, type – 50.

Choose another command or click OK to create the pattern.

Create a pattern of features on a truncated cone

This example shows you how to: Create an angled linear pattern of features on the truncated cone face. Use the first linear pattern to create another pattern along a circular edge.

Choose Home tab→Base group→Pattern Feature .

Select features to pattern.

You can use the Part Navigator to select features.

Feature groups can also be selected.

Set the following Pattern Definition parameters:

Layout = Linear
Specify Vector = Angled sketch line
Spacing = Count and Span
Count = 4
Span Distance = 70

Middle-click to Apply.

Select features to pattern.

You can use the Part Navigator to select features.

Set the following Pattern Definition parameters:

Layout = Along
Select Path = Edge of base of cone
Spacing = Count and Span
Count = 10
Location = %Arc Length
% Span By = 100

Choose another command or click OK to create the pattern.

Edit a pattern of features using variance and clocking

This example shows you how to: Vary a pattern by editing parameters of selected features of the pattern. Use clocking to move specific features of a feature pattern.

In the Part Navigator, position the cursor over a Pattern node to edit and right-click→Edit with Rollback.

In the Pattern Feature dialog box, in the Instance Points section, click Select Instance Point .

Select the middle concentric arc of instance points as the features to edit.

With the cursor on a selected pattern point, right-click→Specify Variance.

The Variance dialog box becomes available.

Select an object expression to variant, then right-click→Add to Edit.

The selected expression is added to the Values group of the Variance dialog box where its value can be modified for the selected instance points.

You can edit multiple expressions by adding them to the Values group.

Visual check with Show Result

Edit the expressions then OK. In this example the following expressions were modified:

EXTRUDE: End Limit: Increased from 10 mm. to 30 mm.
SIMPLE HOLE: Diameter. Decreased from 10 mm. to 5 mm.

Click OK.

Click Deselect All on the Top Border bar.

The selected instance points are deselected.

Select the new reference points, use Specify Variance to vary the diameter.

Visual check with Show Result

Make modifications to expressions. In this example, the following expression was modified:

SIMPLE HOLE: Diameter. Decreased from 10 mm. to 5 mm.

Click OK.

With the cursor over one of the selected instance points, right-click→Clock.

Use the Angle and Radial handles or input boxes to adjust the clocking. In this example, the rotation angle is set to 150 degrees.

Click OK to accept the clocking parameters.

Choose another command or click OK to create the pattern.

Reuse pattern references to control the shape of pattern features

This example shows you how to: Create a pattern of slot features along a curve. Reuse sketch references to control the shape of the pattern features. The feature pattern will be created from an extruded sketch. The sketch is constrained to the base of the cylinder (1) and the intersection curve on the tube (2).

Choose Home tab→Base group→Pattern Feature .

Select features to pattern.

The default Reference Point is displayed. It is at the center of the object’s mass.

In the Reference Point group, use Specify Point options to move the reference point to the tangency point on the intersection curve.

Set the following parameters for Direction 1:

Layout = Along
Path Method = Offset
Select Path = Angled elliptical intersection curve
Spacing = Count and Span
Count = 20
Location = % Arc Length
% Span By = 100

Set the following parameters for Orientation:

Orientation = Same as Input
Follow Face (selected)
Select Face = Outside face of the tube

Set the following parameters for Pattern Method:

Method = Variational
In the Reusable References list, select the geometry you want to reference during patterning.

In this example, two sketches which control the slot geometry are selected.

Extrude Coordinate system for Datum Coordinate System for Extrude Sketch External Reference for Extrude Sketch External Reference for Extrude

Use Preview→Show Result to check the pattern. Choose another command or click OK to create the pattern.

Pattern Feature dialog box

Feature to Pattern
Select Feature
Reference Point
Specify Point
Pattern Definition
Layout

Boundary Definition

Not available when Layout is set to Along, General, or Reference.

Boundary Definition addresses objects that lie in close proximity to or on the surface being patterned, such as holes or repeated detail geometry. Using Boundary Definition with objects whose centroids or instance points are positioned away from the target surface may yield unexpected results.

Boundary

Does not define boundaries. Patterns are not restricted to boundaries.

Lets you select face edges, sheet edges, or region boundary curves to define the pattern boundary.

You can also select faces to be used to define the orientation by following the face normal, much like with the Follow Face orientation option. The faces you select to define the boundary are also reused to define the orientation for Follow Face.

In such a case, NX attempts to space the instances with the pitch distance calculated along the curvature of the boundary face instead of in the Pattern Layout, such as Linear spacing. This allows for the pattern layout, such as Linear, to approximate the surface being followed.

Note that the instance spacing is also dependent on the type of faces being selected, so it will be different when you map curved faces versus planar faces.

Lets you select a set of curves, or create a sketch to define the pattern boundary.

Lets you select curves or create a sketch to define an area that is excluded from patterning.

Patterns created with a boundary definition are highly sensitive to the Reference Point location. If the reference point calculated for a given instance lies outside the boundary, the instance is not created, but the actual geometry created for the instances might overlap the boundary, as seen below.

Simplified Boundary Fill

Available when Layout is set to Linear, Circular, Polygon or Spiral and Boundary is set to Face or Curve.

Displays the Simplified Layout subgroup of options that you can use to fill the specified boundary with instances. The available options depend on the Layout option that you select. You do not need to input as much information to create the instances.

Lets you form a grid for the simplified linear layout pattern, using the Square, Triangle, or Diamond options on the Layout list. The designated layout is repeated until the boundary is filled.


Square		Triangle		Diamond

The Radial Pitch option is unique to circular and polygonal simplified boundary fills. It lets you control the concentric distance of the pattern features as they radiate out.


Circular		Polygon

Margin Distance

Lets you specify an offset distance from the defined boundaries.

Apply Margin to Internal Boundaries

Available when Layout is set to Linear, Circular, Polygon or Spiral and Boundary is set to Face or Curve.

Adds the specified margin distance to any internal boundaries. Any pattern feature that encroaches into the margin distance area will not be displayed.

Rotation Angle

Lets you specify a rotation angle for the simplified layout based on the defined reference vector.

Pattern Definition layout parameters

Pattern definition parameters vary based on layout.

There are also parameters common to all layouts.

Use the Look up more details links for specific layout options information.

Pattern Increment

Some objects have pattern configuration expressions that can be incremented.

In such cases you can use Pattern Increment to open the Pattern Increment dialog box where you can define increments to be applied to instances as the pattern count increases.

Pattern Feature example: Cone parameters incremented at 50%

Instance Points

Select Instance Point

Lets you select points that represent the layout, pattern definition and orientation of the instances that are to be created. Use the Snap Point options on the Top Border bar to filter point selection

When you right-click an instance point, the following options are available.

Suppress temporarily removes the selected instance from the display. A small gray sphere indicates that the pattern instance is suppressed.

Unsuppress re-displays the selected instance.

Delete removes the selected instance from subsequent pattern feature operations. A small red sphere indicates that the pattern instance is deleted.

Deleting instance points and the pattern instances attached to them does not affect the Spacing / Count parameter specification. For example, a 3 x 3 linear layout with its last column of instances deleted is still a 3 x 3 layout, not a 2 x 3 layout.

Undelete adds the selected instance back into the pattern feature.

Displays the Clocking dialog box where you can specify instance points to edit, and then define a delta position and orientation for the specified instance points.

Clocking is also available from the Operation Navigator by right-clicking an instance and choosing Clock.

Unclock returns selected clocked instances to their original locations.

Displays the Variance dialog box where you can specify instance points to edit and define new defining values for those instances of the pattern feature.

The above options are also available using the Part Navigator.

Use Spreadsheet

Not available when Layout is set to Reference.

Lets you edit pattern definition parameters, including any pattern-variance settings, only in a spreadsheet.

After you confirm your values, they are read back to the dialog box and the geometry is updated.

The spreadsheet is not stored with the pattern.

If you want to edit the pattern definition parameters in the dialog box, clear the Use Spreadsheet check box.

Orientation

Not available when Layout is set to Reference.

Determines if the pattern features in the layout will maintain a constant orientation or follow an orientation derived from some defining geometry.

	Orients the pattern features in the same orientation as the input feature.

	Not available when Layout is set to Linear or Reference. Orients the pattern features following the orientation of the layout.

	Available when Layout is set to Along. Orients the pattern features based on the normals or projected normals of the specified path.

	Not available when Layout is set to Along, General, or Reference. Orients the pattern features based on a specified CSYS.

Follow Face

Not available when Layout is set to Reference.

Maintains an orientation for the pattern features that is normal to the specified face at the location of the instance.

The specified faces have to be on the same body.

Project Direction

Available when Follow Face is selected.

The locations of the instances on the pattern plane will be projected normal from the pattern plane to the specified face.

The locations of the instances on a pattern face will be projected normal from the pattern face to the specified face.

The locations of the instances will be projected along a specified vector to the specified face.

Pattern Settings

Available when Layout is set to Linear, Circular or Along.

Pattern Method

Method

Supports a single feature as input to create a Pattern Feature object.

	Supports one input feature only. Creates a single feature, with high performance but no editable instances. Ideal when used to pattern a feature whose instances you do not need to modify, such as a large pattern of holes.

Supports multiple features as input to create a Pattern Feature object, and evaluates the input at each instance location.

	To specify the input, you can: Select multi-body features. Select detailed features such as blends and drafts. Reuse references to the input feature. NX evaluates the inputs at each instance location. You can control which references are evaluated, using the Reusable References list.

Supports multiple features as input to create a Pattern Feature object, with limited evaluation of the input features.

	To specify the input, you can: Select simple design features such as extruded features and holes. Symbolic threads are supported. Select multi-body features. Select one or more input features per output pattern.

Available when Method is set to Variational.

A list of the defining parameters of the input feature is displayed.

You can select which of the feature’s parameters will be evaluated at each instance location in the pattern.

The two sketches that belong to the extruded slot feature are reused at each instance.

One end of the input feature is dimensionally constrained and the other has a tangency constraint to the elliptical sketch curve.

Extrude Coordinate system for Datum Coordinate System for Extrude Sketch External Reference for Extrude Sketch External Reference for Extrude

When you edit a pattern feature, you can convert the pattern feature method as follows:

You can convert a single pattern feature to a simple pattern feature.
You can convert a single pattern feature to a variational pattern feature.
You can convert a simple pattern feature to a single pattern feature.
You can convert a simple pattern feature to a variational pattern feature.

Settings

Output

Determines the kind of objects that are created during the patterning operation.

Creates a Pattern Feature object from the specified input.

If the Pattern Method is set to Variational, and your input consists of multiple features, the output will be a single Pattern Feature object.
If the Pattern Method is set to Simple, and your input consists of multiple features, the output will be multiple Pattern Feature objects.

Creates individual copies of the input features instead of a Feature Pattern object.

Creates individual copies of the input features and puts them into a Feature group.

Expressions

Not available when Output is set to Pattern Feature.

Creates new expressions for the copied features.

Links the original feature expressions to the copied features.

Reuses the original feature expressions for the copied features.

Linear layout options

Pattern Definition – Linear layout

Pattern Settings

Circular layout options

Pattern Definition – Circular layout

Radiate

Pattern Settings