What is the geometry pattern option for?

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

And what is it intended to do? This an option in all patterns and mirrors. Is this one of those things that you simply tick if something doesn't work or is there actually some functionality there?

The other day I modeled a sheetmetal part and the end of the edge flanges showed as one face instead of a separate face for the flange and the radius. Which meant it would not allow me to do a closed corner. I discovered if I rolled above the circular pat. of a Cut-Extrude they would show as separate faces. So I went into the circular pattern, ticked the Geometry Pattern option and they showed as separate faces which meant the closed corner now worked! I tried this in a very similar part but it didn't have the same effect. WHY!? WHY!?
See the video and part below.

SW Sheet Metal Rad Weirdness.mp4

(18.54 MiB) Downloaded 48 times

[matt]

Geometry pattern patterns the exact feature geometry instead of the intelligence. If the exact feature geometry doesn't fit perfectly, geo patt fails.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

Geometry pattern patterns the exact feature geometry instead of the intelligence. If the exact feature geometry doesn't fit perfectly, geo patt fails.

Thanks @matt.
This is what I found in the help:

Creates the pattern using only the geometry (faces and edges) of the features, rather than patterning and solving each instance of the feature. Geometry pattern speeds up the creation and rebuilding of the pattern. You cannot create geometry patterns of features that have faces merged with the rest of the part.

Is there a way to make this "Geometry pattern speeds up the creation and rebuilding of the pattern" purple text in the help file.

[matt]

Thanks @matt.
This is what I found in the help:

Is there a way to make this "Geometry pattern speeds up the creation and rebuilding of the pattern" purple text in the help file.

I did a test years ago, and it works predictably if you know what you're looking for. The help is actually right. I left out the bit on merged faces.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

I did a test years ago, and it works predictably if you know what you're looking for. The help is actually right. I left out the bit on merged faces.

What does Geometry Pattern have to do with the faces on an edge flange?

[matt]

Ok, I was posting on my phone from the place inspecting my car. Now I get to see what's really going on.

On this forum a lot of questions look complicated but they aren't. Pay attention to what you're doing and make sure it makes sense.

You extrude the circle and the flower petal in the same cut feature, and then circular pattern both cut holes as a single feature. So that center hole is getting patterned over and over again when it doesn't need to be.

If you make the center hole and the patterned petal as separate features, and only pattern the petal, everything works the way it should.

I was ready to say this was a bug, because the Geometry Pattern thing is funny about merged faces, but this one is on you. Don't pattern extra stuff. I'm a little surprised Geometry Pattern worked at all like that.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

Ok, I was posting on my phone from the place inspecting my car. Now I get to see what's really going on.

On this forum a lot of questions look complicated but they aren't. Pay attention to what you're doing and make sure it makes sense.

You extrude the circle and the flower petal in the same cut feature, and then circular pattern both cut holes as a single feature. So that center hole is getting patterned over and over again when it doesn't need to be.
image.png

If you make the center hole and the patterned petal as separate features, and only pattern the petal, everything works the way it should.

I was ready to say this was a bug, because the Geometry Pattern thing is funny about merged faces, but this one is on you. Don't pattern extra stuff. I'm a little surprised Geometry Pattern worked at all like that.

image.png

Yea, that one's on me. I should of thought of that. On another part that is almost identical I have both of the cuts in the same feature and it does not cause issues like the previous one which really confuses me. (that part is attached so you can see for yourself.)

[matt]

Yea, that one's on me. I should of thought of that. On another part that is almost identical I have the both cuts in the same feature and it does not cause issues like the previous one which really confuses me. (that part is attached so you can see for yourself.)

Yeah, I don't understand why it works that way sometimes and not others. It still might be considered a bug, because it really shouldn't act that way just due to a setting on a pattern.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

Yeah, I don't understand why it works that way sometimes and not others. It still might be considered a bug, because it really shouldn't act that way just due to a setting on a pattern.

Exactly!

[mike miller]

Yeah, I don't understand why it works that way sometimes and not others. It still might be considered a bug, because it really shouldn't act that way just due to a setting on a pattern.

Intermittent unintended non-functionality.