<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > Dialog-Boxes > Dialog: Function-Block: Pattern |
See Add Pattern FB
If you use regular CAD, you will know about circular and linear arrays. In MechDesigner, there is more complexity because parts have complex motions.
A Pattern FB makes Copies of Profile/Extrusions and CAD-Solids - see Solids,
The Pattern FB anticipates the motion of each Copy and puts each Copy at a different phase of the machine-cycle.
The Pattern FB can show or hide each Copy for the machine-cycle.
The Pattern FB can show or hide each Copy as it passes through different phases of the machine-cycle.
Use Visibility toolbar > Show Solids in Mechanisms to see the Copies of the Solids that are generated by the Pattern FB.
Open the Pattern FB:
The Pattern Elements dialog-box is now open. |
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There are two tabs in the Pattern dialog-box: Pattern ElementsPhase Visibilities |
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Pattern-Elements Solid elements from which we make copies for the Space Pattern or Phase Pattern. There are two categories of Solid elements you can add as Pattern Elements: •MD-Solids - Profile/Extrusions - you MUST select the Extrusion •CAD-Solids - Solids you import onto a CAD-Line - you can select the CAD-Solid or the CAD-Line. Motion to Linearize It is intended that a Motion FB will linearize the motion of the Solids in a Pattern-Elements •If the Solids in the Pattern-Elements •If the Solids in the Pattern-Elements |
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Add SOLIDS to the Pattern-Elements box
Solid elements are now in the Pattern Elements box as Extrusions and/or CAD-Lines. To add a Motion FB to Motion to Linearize box
A Motion FB is now in the Motions to Linearize box To remove a Solid
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To help you understand what the Phase-Visibilities can do, it is helpful to think of a chain around a circular 12-hour clock. The chain moves continuously around the clock. One of the chain-links is the Source Pattern-Element (Solid).
•Use PHASES to decide how many chain-links you want in the chain - called # Copies
•Use PHASES to hide one or more chain-links (the Copies) permanently, all the way around the clock.
•Use Pattern Visibility to hide chain-links (one link after the next link) only as they move between hours e.g.: 6 and 9 o'clock
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Phases are copies of Pattern-Elements. # Copies: from 1 to 100 : The number of copies of the Pattern-Elements to be in the Pattern The format of the Phases separator is slightly different for the Space Pattern and the Phase Pattern. IF Space Pattern: Start Angle, Final Angle: •The Copies show at equal intervals from the Start Angle to the Final Angle. •The Phase Visibility separator does not show. IF Phase Pattern: The concept of a Motion-Period becomes important. Final Angle: e.g. 1: If Final Angle is 360, then the Motion-Period is equal to 1 Machine-Cycle e.g. 2: If Final Angle is 20º, the Motion-Period is 20º. •The # Copies show at regular intervals within one Motion-Period, from Home Angle (MMA=0) to Final Angle. •The Phase Pattern repeats one time for each Motion-Period or 36 ∕ 20 = 18 times in 1 Machine-Cycle •You can show or hide each copy within each Motion-Period - see Phase Visibility separator. |
Hide Source Pattern Element: Source Pattern Elements are those Solids that are you select in the model as Pattern-Elements , and show in the Pattern Elements separator of the Pattern-Elements tab. Nearly always, hide the source Pattern-Element. This is because the source Pattern-Element and the first copy (at 0°) are at the same position. It can be become confusing if you intend to hide the Copy (at 0°) but the Source Pattern-Element remains in the model. 1.Click a Pattern-Element in the Pattern Elements separator and Pattern-Elements tab It should show in the Phase-Visibilities 2.Click the Hide Source Pattern Element check-box Copies Box |
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•To hide a copy for the Motion-Period, click a •To show a copy for the Motion-Period, click the |
![]() Phase-Visibilities > Pattern-Visvibility |
Note: Pattern Visibility We use Pattern Visibility to show or hide a Pattern-Element for different periods within the Motion-Period. |
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To edit the Visibility of a Pattern-Element:
The Pattern Visibility interface is now open. You can now edit the Visibility of the element that is in the Pattern-Element to Edit |
Refer to the image below:
As an example, we will edit the Visibility Chart: In the image below, the chart is High from 0º to 360º. This means the Visible-Period for the Pattern-Element is a complete motion-period. |
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There are two(2) Nodes that identify and specify the timing of each Visible-Period in the chart. •Node at the Start - Start-Node •Node at the End - End-Node To edit a Visible-Period for the Pattern-Element we must edit the timing of the Start-Node and/or End-Node. STEP 1.(Example) Edit the Start-Node and End-Node to define a Visible-Period.
The image below shows the new timing of the Visible-Period for the Pattern-Element (Extrusion). It starts at 50 and end at 150 in the Machine-Cycle. |
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STEP 2.(Example continued...) Add a new Visible-Period
There is now a new Visible-Period in the Phase-Visibility Chart - see image below. STEP 3.Edit the Start-Node and End-Node to define the timing of the new Visible-Period.
The image below shows two Visible-Periods for the Pattern-Element (Extrusion) Visible Period Visible-Period |
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STEP 4.(Example continued...) Delete a Visible-Period
The image below shows one Visible-Period for the Pattern-Element (Extrusion) You can now Click |
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