Pattern FB
See Add Pattern
A Pattern FB makes an array of one or more one or more times.
A Pattern is similar to a circular or linear array as found in your CAD. However, the Pattern FB also anticipates where each Solid in the array will be at each instant in a machine-cycle.
Use to see the Solid and its copies generated by the Pattern FB.
Edit the Pattern FB

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Edit the Pattern FB:
1. | Click the Pattern FB in the Assembly-Tree. |
The Pattern FB is now in the Selection-Window
2. | Right-click the Pattern FB element in the Selection-Window |
3. | Click Edit element in the contextual-menu |
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The Pattern Elements dialog-box is now open.
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Pattern dialog-box

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There are two tabs in the Pattern dialog-box:
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Pattern Elements tab

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1. | Click the Enable check-box to make the Pattern element active. |
2. | Click: Space Pattern or Phase Pattern. Experiment! |
◉ | - Note: I rarely use this option! |
1. | Take a 'snap-shot' of the path that the Pattern Elements will take in one machine-cycle (see Pattern Elements below) |
2. | Shows Pattern Solids at equal increments as given by the number-of-copies, along the snap-shot of the path |
When you cycle the model:
3. | Each copy of the Solid remains fixed as given by the Snap-Shot, and all Pattern Solids move with the Part |
- or -
The same as the Space Pattern, however:
1. | When you cycle the machine, each copy of the Solid moves along the path it actually takes. |
2. | Each Solid is at an advanced position around the cycle. |
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To ADD Elements
Padlock icon.
Click the Padlock, to 'unlock' it, before you can add or remove Pattern elements.
These are the elements from which we create copies for the Space Pattern or Phase Pattern
To add Solids to the 'Pattern Elements' box:
With the Padlock open:
- and/or -
1. | Click CAD-Lines onto which a CAD Solid has been imported |
If the motion of the Solids is linear - when they move at constant velocity - then the Solids will show at equal positions. There is no need to select a Motion element.
If the motion of the Solids is not linear, then they will be closer together at machine angles when the Solids move slowly, and they will further apart when they move quickly.
Motion FBs can linearise the position of each Pattern element.
To add Motion FB to the 'Motions to Linearise box:
1. | Click a Motion FB in the Assembly-Tree or the graphic-area. |
To remove elements
With the Padlock open:
1. | Click an element in the Pattern Elements or Motion to Linearise box |
2. | Click the Remove Solid'or the Remove Motion FB icon immediately below Pattern Elements separator. |
The Padlock icon:
1. | Click the Padlock, to lock it again, to make sure you do not add more Solids or Motion FBs to the Pattern as you continue to edit your model. |
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Phase Visibilities tab

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The format of the separator is slightly different for the Space Pattern and the Phase Pattern
: from 1 to 100 : The number-of-times the Solid is repeated in the Pattern, and displayed in the graphic-area.
IF
Start Angle, Final Angle:
• | The show at regular intervals from the Start Angle to the Final Angle. |
• | The Phase Visibility separator does not show. |
IF :
The concept of a Motion-Period and Motion-Cycle become important.
Final Angle:
If the is 360, then the Motion-Period is equal to 1 Machine-Cycle
If the is for example, 20º, the Motion-Period is 20º.
• | The 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. |
source Pattern element are those Solids that are in the Pattern box in the Pattern Elements separator.
• | Click the check-box to hide the . |
Nearly always, hide the source Solid. The first copy (at 0) is at the same position as the source Solid.
Copies Box
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shows only when you select the Phase Pattern check-box in the Enable and Type.
Show or hide individual Pattern Elements at one or more phases in the Pattern Range.
Think of a chain wrapped around a circular 12-hour clock and the chain moves continuously around the clock. You can hide each chain-link as they move between 6 and 9 o'clock.
Compare with : hide a Solid as it moves all the way around the clock
To edit the 'Phase Visibility' of a Solid:
1. | Click a Solid in the Pattern Elements box. |
The Solid element - 'Extrusion' or 'CAD-Line' must show in the Edit Pattern Element' box
2. | Click the Edit Pattern Visibility...button |
The Pattern Visibility dialog-box opens.
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 | Edit Visibility of Pattern in Machine Cycle |
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Phase Visibility: to Show and Hide Solid Elements between different Machine Angles.
When the Solid is hidden, its Mass-Properties are also zero.
Visibility of Pattern Element
This identifies the CAD-Line or Solid you are editing in the Phase Visibility dialog.
Phase Visibility Chart
The chart can 'Switch' the visibility of the Pattern element (Solid) over a machine-cycle.
The X–axis is Machine Period or Machine Angle : 0 – 360.
The Y–axis is 'High' to Show or 'Low' to Hide the Solid element in the graphic-area.
In the image: the chart is High from 0º to 90º and also from 190º to 270º.
Add or Remove a Show or Hide Switch.
To add a Switch:
1. | Click the icon |
2. | Click the Phase Visibility Chart |
To remove a Switch:
1. | Click a Node |
2. | Click the icon |
The dialog removes the switch that needs the Node
You cannot remove all of the Phases.
To Edit a Node:
1. | Click a Node |
2. | Edit the machine angle of the Node in the Switch Phase data box (Node Position). |
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Examples

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Build a model:
The Mechanism: A 'Piggyback Slider' arrangement
Add 'Slider 1', Add 'Slider 2' to move on Slider 1', but moving in a perpendicular direction to 'Slider 1'.
The Motion: Default motion (Rise-Dwell-Return-Dwell)
Advance the motion of the Slider 2 by 90º:
Edit the Linear Motion FB, and set it to 90º.
The path taken by the Origin of the Slider that moves along the X and the Y–axis should be a 'square'.
The Pattern element : a Solid:
Add a Profile/Extrusion at the Origin of Slider 2
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It is in the Assembly-Tree.
2. | Edit the Pattern Element
Double-click the Pattern Element in the Assembly-Tree to open the dialog-box. |
3. | Enable it and select 'Space Pattern' |
4. | Expand the Pattern Elements separator.
Click the Extrusion in the graphic-area so it shows in the Pattern Elements box |
5. | Expand the Phases separator
Set the Copies to 8. |
There is a copy of the Source Extrusion every 45º of the Master Machine Angle, starting at 0º.
The motions for the Extrusion happens to produce a regular pattern for the Extrusion.
The model should be like the image to the left.
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6. | Set the Copies to 6.
The model should be similar to the image to the left. |
There is a copy every 60º of the Master Machine Angle, starting at 0º .
The copy shows at the position that the Extrusion would show at each angle (in the Copies List box) with reference to the Master Machine Angle.
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7. | Set the Copies to 8.
The model should be similar to the image to the left. |
See Video to the Left.
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Edit the Copies
1. | Turn off one or many of the copies in the Pattern |
See Video to the Left.
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'Compress the Copies'
Edit the Start and End-Angles.
This changes the range of the Master Machine Angle over which the eight copies are distributed.
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 CASE 2/1: Space Pattern: Copies = 6, Start Angle = 0; End Angle = 360, Non-Linear Angular Velocity
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CONDITION 2/1: Part Moves with a Non-Linear-Motion - See Motion above
The Part rotates 360 in a machine-cycle
Start Angle = 0; End Angle = 360;
Copies = 6
Example Instance: Look up the second instance of the Pattern.
X–axis = SA + (EA-SA ∕ 6*(2-1)= 60.
When the X– Axis is 60, the Y motion-value is 100.
This means the second instance after the start, is 100º.
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 CASE 2/1: Space Pattern: Copies = 6, Start Angle = 0; End Angle = 120, Non-Linear Angular Velocity
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CONDITION 1/2: Part Moves with a Linear-Motion - for example Constant Angular Velocity
The Part rotates 360 in a machine-cycle
Start Angle = 0; End Angle = 120.
Copies = 6
Example Instance: Look up the fourth instance of the Pattern.
X–axis = SA + (EA-SA ∕ 6*(4-1)= 60.
When the X– Axis is 60, the Y motion-value is 100.
This means the fourth instance after the start, is also 100 degrees.
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Build a model:
The Mechanism: A 'Piggyback Slider' arrangement
Add 'Slider 1', Add 'Slider 2' to move on Slider 1', but moving in a perpendicular direction to 'Slider 1'.
The Motion: Default motion (Rise-Dwell-Return-Dwell)
Advance the motion of the Slider 2 by 90º:
Edit the Linear Motion FB, and set it to 90º.
The path taken by the Origin of the Slider that moves along the X and the Y–axis should be a 'square'.
The Pattern element : a Solid:
Add a Profile/Extrusion at the Origin of Slider 2
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It is in the Assembly-Tree.
2. | Edit the Pattern Element
Double-click the Pattern Element in the Assembly-Tree to open the dialog-box. |
3. | Enable it and select 'Phase Pattern' |
4. | Expand the Pattern Elements separator.
Click the Extrusion in the graphic-area so it shows in the Pattern Elements box |
5. | Expand the Phases separator
Set the Copies to 8. |
There is a copy of the Source Extrusion every 45º of the Master Machine Angle, starting at 0º.
The motions for the Extrusion happens to produce a regular pattern for the Extrusion.
The model should be like the image to the left.
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See Video to the Left.
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Edit the Copies
1. | Turn off one or many of the copies in the Pattern |
See Video to the Left.
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'Compress the Copies'
Edit the Start and End-Angles.
This changes the range of the Master Machine Angle over which the eight copies are distributed.
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