Section 5: Patterning and Mirroring

Section 5 : Patterning and Mirroring

Patterning and mirroring in SolidWorks are great tools to help you improve your efficiency.
A solid understanding of patterning and mirroring tools is necessary to be able to build the
maximum amount of parametric intelligence into your models, and to open up the possibilities of
your design objectives.
The pattering and mirroring can be used in a sketch and in a model.

5.1 Patterning
In this section you will draw six circles six circles with diameter 100 mm, distant from each other
150 mm.
Click “Sketch”, then click “Circle”, draw a circle, then click on “Linear Sketch Pattern”.

Linear Sketch Pattern

Figure 5.1 Command Manager

This will open the window “Linear pattern”, as shown in figure 5.2.

Direction x
Distance between the patterns

Number of pattern

Angle

Direction y

Figure 5.2 Linear Pattern

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Select the sketch that you want to duplicate, in this case select the circle, and choose the distance
between the circles, figure 5.3.

Circle duplicate
The distance in x direction

Number of pattern x direction

Direction y
The distance in y direction

Number of pattern y direction

Figure 5.3 Linear Pattern

Now set the number of pattern to 3, then click on direction y, and change the distance in the y
direction to 120 mm, and set the number of patterns in y-direction, to 2, as shown is figure 5.4.

Figure 5.4 Pattern

Hit return, or the green button, to finalize the pattern.

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Figure 5.5 Pattern of circle

Patterning features works in similar way. This can be used to create a sequence of the same part,
for example had the part shown in figure 5.6.

Part that I want duplicate

Figure 5.6 Part

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To do this, click on “Features”, then select “Linear Pattern”, as shown in figure 5.7.

Linear Pattern

Figure 5.7 Command Manager (Features)

Then click on the part that you want to duplicate, and select the direction, figure 5.8-5.9.

Figure 5.8 Preview Pattering

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Direction that select

Figure 5.9 Direction

In this case, by default, the parts will be created in the opposite direction. To change this, click on
the arrow that you see in the figure 5.9 to reverse the direction (Figure 5.10).

Figure 5.10 Preview Direction

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Hit return, or the green button, to finalize the patterning, figure 5.11.

Figure 5.11 Part with patterning

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5.2 Mirroring
In this sub-section you will learn how mirroring sketches and parts.
In the blank-sheet, draw a circle, and the centreline (you can found this in the menus shown in
figure 5.12).

Centerline Figure 5.12 Command Manager Mirror Entities

Centerline and circle are shown in figure 5.13.

Figure 5.13 Centerline and circle

Select both sketches, then click on “Mirror Entities”. You should see what is shown in figure 5.14.

Figure 5.14 Mirroring

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Mirroring can be used to mirror parts, for example the part shown in figure 5.15.

Figure 5.15 Part.

To do this, click on the Features, “Mirror”, as shown in figure 5.16.

Mirror

Figure 5.16 Mirror

In left-hand side of the interface the “Mirror” input interface will open, as shown in figure 5.17.

Mirror face/plane

Features to mirror

Figure 5.17 Properties

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As reference surface for your mirroring operation under Mirror Face/Plane, select the surface
shown in figure 5.18.

Mirror face

Figure 5.18 Select the mirror face

Then select the Features tab, the first is the body extruded, figure 5.19.

Body extruded

Figure 5.19 Select features

Now select the features that represent the part extrude-cut, figure 5.20.

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Select this feature

Figure 5.20 Select Extrude-cut

Then select the rest of part extrude, figure 5.21.

Select this
part extrude

Figure 5.21 Select Part extrude

Then click enter or the green button, and the mirror is complete, figure 5.22.

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Figure 5.22 Part

If you want mirror this part, click on “Mirror”, select the mirroring face, as shown in figure 5.23.

Select this face

Figure 5.23 Select the face

Then click on “bodies to mirror”, and select the part, as shown in figure 5.24.

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Select the body

Bodies to Mirror

Figure 5.24 Select the body

Hit return or the green button, to finalize the operation. The result is shown in figure 5.25.

Figure 5.25 Mirror Body

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