When I create a Circular Sketch Pattern, the center of the pattern is left in a floating, underdefined state, as exemplified in the attached file.
How do I constrain the center during the creation of the circular pattern?
Thanks.
sketch_pattern_example.SLDPRT (61.3 KB)
It seems to constrain for me in SW2025 SP5.0
In the past some times trying to add a dimension it would give me an over constrained warning and when I removed the dimension it would show as constrained.
Also as a side note I can’t remember when it was that I used the circular sketch pattern. I normally would pattern the feature rather than the sketch.
I’m not a fan of sketch-level patterns. I stopped using them 25 years ago. Today, I ran into someone else’s file that contained one.
Did you get it constrained? Here is a clip of what I did to your file.
Added a dimension between 2 of the circles. Increased the dimension so the the center of the circular sketch was offset from the center of the main circle. Deleted the added dimension & then constrained the center of the circular sketch to the center of the main circle.
That’s what I do. I drag the pattern out, then snap the center point to where it should be.
IMO, a workaround like that should not be necessary.
Sketch patterns are just a different way of thinking, and they are intentionally more flexible than feature patterns. All a pattern does is dictate qty and even spacing. You’re free to set the actual pitch, direction, center, etc. after you create the pattern. Circular patterns don’t actually have any defined “center” that is constrainable. You just have to think of ways to fully constrain a circle.
In the case of your file, all I had to do was add two “coincident” relations on two of the circle centerpoints to your construction line.
I’m with DLZ on this, I almost never use sketch patterns, I just drop in a circle and then add center lines from the center of the circle with angles to constrain them, since you have to do it anyways with the circular sketch pattern if you want them constrained.
Doing the feature pattern is generally better though.
I don’t use Solidworks PDM, yet I don’t post that fact every time someone posts a question about it. Just saying.
Dwight
As far as I can tell, PDM hasn’t been mentioned in this thread.
