CAD Forum

I've never found fill pattern feature useful. 9 out of 10 it doesn't fill the whole area.

This is one of those 9 cases Solidworks fails to calculate the correct count of the holes.
I have a 172x154 rectangle that needs to be punched out with Ø4.0 holes. Solidworks gives me 725 holes, while it should be 754.
I've tested it on other CAD software. They give me 26 rows, while Solidworks produces only 25 rows.
( 25 * 6mm pitch) + 4 =154
Solidworks keeps 3mm unfilled space both above and bellow the pattern. Having 3+3=6mm means I can have another row.
Is there any work around?
Thank you.
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Workaround: Create a extrude cut of dia 4 which is tangent to both the edges (any corner). Now use the fill pattern and select that dia 4 feature for pattern and set your required options/settings to get the desired result.

gupta9665 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 3:59 am Workaround: Create a extrude cut of dia 4 which is tangent to both the edges (any corner). Now use the fill pattern and select that dia 4 feature for pattern and set your required options/settings to get the desired result.

I use what you explained every now and then but the problem is in this specific size, I can use tangent and the case is solved. At times, the area that has to be punched out is not dividable by the pitch of the holes. (it varies based on the circuit board card used). In this situation I have to manually calculate the position of the first hole.

It's really a surprise why SW fails in such a simple task.
I hoped I could find a way. But if it's what it is, I can live with it. Thank you.