The Auxiliary Part Guiding the Part Pattern

If you position the pattern using the New Pattern selection, the software will add an auxiliary part to the pattern.

  • The auxiliary part part for a linear pattern is PATTERNXY.
  • The auxiliary part part for a polar pattern is PATTERNXY.

What is an auxiliary part and how is its location selected?

  • The auxiliary part is the guide curve (3D sketch) of the pattern, that defines the direction and relative position of the components in the pattern.
  • When adding a pattern, select a point or a line in the assembly as the location of the auxiliary part.
  • The auxiliary part's location will not change the location of the part from which the pattern is created.
  • Based on the pattern's data and selected location, geometric constraints are automatically added to the 3D sketch of the guide curve.
  • You can set the auxiliary part of a polar pattern visible in the model drawing. Select Auxiliary geometry visible in drawings as the property of the auxiliary part.

Example - Positioning an auxiliary part in a linear pattern

  • Select the location (A) of the auxiliary part on the component from which the pattern is created. You can also select a point that is not on the component as the location.
  • The origin of the 3D sketch is placed in the selected point.
  • If you select a pattern from the assembly tree, you can also see the pattern's auxiliary part (B) in the assembly.
  • The colors of the guide curve's lines indicate the directions of the positive axes (C). The lengthways direction is the X axis (red) and the widthways direction is the Y axis (green).

Example - Selecting the location of an auxiliary part in a polar pattern

  • Select the center point of a face as the location (D) of the auxiliary part.
  • The origin of the 3D sketch is placed in the selected point.
  • If you select a pattern from the assembly tree, you can also see the pattern's auxiliary part (E) in the assembly.
  • The circumferential guide curve is drawn as a circle if the pattern's angle is 360.

How to edit an auxiliary part?

  • After you have positioned the pattern, you can edit the directions and relative positions of the components in the pattern.
  • By selecting the 3D sketch to edit, you can edit the pattern properties using dimension constraints such as length, angle or radius.
  • Do not delete lines or automatically added dimension constraints from the 3D sketch.

As an example, edit the Angle constraint of the 3D sketch.