In this exercise you will learn how to repeat shapes in a pattern across your workpiece. You will also learn how to use Dimension Constraints to position objects accurately. We will construct a patterned ring and a lattice box. Again they are complex processes and you are likely to encounter error messages - persevere!
To draw the Ring:
Open a new Design.
Go onto the Workplane (Shift and W) and draw a circle 180mm in diameter.
Go to Trimetric (Shift and T) and extrude this circle to 10mm.
Select the top face of the disc. Click on Workplane then New Sketch. Click on OK.
Draw a circle of 20mm diameter near the top of the disc.
We are going to position the circle 10mm away from the edge of the disc. Click on Constraint then Dimension.
Click on the circle then hold down Shift and click on the edge of the disc so that both are highlighted. Drag away. Arrows and a number should appear showing the distance of the circle from the edge of the disc. Double click on this number and change it to 10mm.
Click on Select then Lines. Select the circle.
Click on Edit then Duplicate. Choose the Circular tag.
Enter 16 into the Number box and click OK. 16 circles should appear arranged around the outside of the disc.
Select the circles (they are all the same sketch) and extrude to 10mm.
Click on Select then Edges. Highlight the top edge of each of the small circle (You will need to hold down Shift - warning this is a fiddly operation.)
Click on Feature then Round Edges. Round these over using 10 as a radius for the round.
Click on Select then Faces. Highlight the top face of the disc.
Draw a circle on the disc inside the line of the roundels.
Extrude this circle Below the Workplane and Subtract Material - the disc should become a ring.
Save your work.
To draw the Latticed Cube:
Open a new Design.
Draw and extrude a 100mm cube.
Select the top face of the cube.
Click on Workplane then New Sketch. Click on OK.
Draw a square 20mm by 20mm in the bottom left hand corner of the face.
Click on Constraint then Dimension.
Click on the horizontal edge of the square square then hold down Shift and click on the edge of the cube so that both are highlighted. Drag away. Arrows and a number should appear showing the distance of the square from the edge of the cube. Double click on this number and change it to 10mm.
Repeat step 7 for the vertical edge of the square. The square should be place exactly 10mm from the edges of the cube.
Click on Edit then Duplicate. In the X Direction boxes type 3 under Number and 30 under Spacing. Repeat for the Y Direction boxes. Click on OK. A pattern of 9 squares should appear.
Select these squares and click on Feature then Extrude Profile. Extrude the squares Below the Workplane and Subtract Material. Make sure the go all the way through the cube.
Repeat steps 4 to 10 for the front and side faces of the cube to complete the lattice.
Save your work.
Rendering:
Experiment with rendering these forms. In Album mode if you click on Select then Faces you can render parts of your drawing differently from others even though it has not been assembled from a series of files.
© Jim Rowley 2002