Pattern Driven Component Alignment Options in SOLIDWORKS 2020

In SOLIDWORKS 2020, when you use a Pattern Driven Component Pattern with a Hole Wizard feature as its driving feature, you can align the pattern distances to the hole axis for each hole. In the Property Manager of the Pattern Driven Component Pattern, you have two alignment methods under “Driving Feature or Component” when you have a hole wizard as the driving feature:

1. Align to holes which would align the instances to the hole wizard feature. This option is the default alignment method for new pattern features.
2. Align to seed which aligns the instances to the seed instance. This option is the default alignment method for existing pattern features.

In the example below, we are exploring the alignment options for a pattern using a hole wizard feature. In this example, we pattern a rivet to a hole feature in order to connect to plates to each other and we use the hole wizard feature for alignment. In the images below, you can see the top and side views of the two plates and the rivet that connects them together.

Top View of the Plates Assembly Before Creating the Pattern

Side View of the Plates Assembly Before Creating the Pattern

We create a “Pattern Driven Component Pattern” from the “Linear Component Pattern” in the Assembly toolbar.

Creating a Pattern Driven Component Pattern

For “Components to Pattern” we select the Rivet and for “Driving Feature or Component”, the hole wizard feature is selected. Then we click on “Select Seed Position” and select the seed component.

Property Manager of the Pattern

You can see the patterned rivet instances in the following top and side views.

Top View of the Assembly After Creating the Pattern

Side View of the Assembly After Creating the Pattern