Tip: Create a Hole Pattern that Follows a Rectangular Shape

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Synergis Manufacturing Applications Consultant, Dave Breiner
Working with flanges, bolted cover plates or gaskets can cause a situation that requires you to generate a good number of patterned holes around a perimeter of a part. This can cause you to add a bunch of holes and dimensions to achieve your pattern. Just like many things we do to create our parts, there are many ways to accomplish this task. Below is one way to create patterned holes around a square or rectangular shape.
For my example I will create a gasket with hole equidistant around the gasket. Create a part with a hole located on the gasket. I have constrained my hole horizontally to the origin vertically from the edge of the gasket.

To prepare to create the pattern, place a sketch on the face of the part, add a point to the center location above the hole and project the outside edges of the gasket.

Finish the sketch and select Rectangular Pattern from the Pattern panel on the 3D Model tab.

1. Select Feature – Extrusion or Hole
2. Select Direction
3. Set number of holes
4. Under the Spacing pull-down select Curve Length
5. On the Expanded panel select Start and choose the Center Point above the hole.
6. Under Orientation select Direction 1
7. Press OK

To follow this theme I would like to expand this process a bit to create a pattern along a geometry line.
On the face of a part create a line/spline in any shape you want.

Start the Hole feature and add a hole to the end point of the spline.

In my case I am going to “Share” my sketch by right clicking and selecting “Share Sketch”.
Select the ‘Rectangular Pattern’ feature from the Pattern panel on the 3D Model tab.

1. Click on ‘Features’ and select the feature in the browser window or select the feature right from the model.
   2. Select the geometry and the Direction you wish the hole pattern to follow
   3. Add the quantity of holes in the pattern
   4. Select ‘Curve Length’ from the drop down menu

The quantity of holes will be placed equidistant along the length of the sketched line.
Both of these methods are not typical but definitely have their uses when the circumstance arises.
Enjoy!