How to Save Time with Geometry Pattern in SOLIDWORKS

In SOLIDWORKS, the Geometry Pattern option allows you to create patterns by duplicating the exact geometry of a feature without recalculating its constraints or end conditions for each instance. The Geometry Pattern option is available for all pattern features except variable patterns. This approach can significantly enhance rebuild speed of patterned features. You can find the Geometry Pattern option under the Options tab in the pattern property manager.

Figure 1. Pattern Property Manager

Understanding Geometry Pattern

When you enable the Geometry Pattern option, SOLIDWORKS copies the faces and edges of the original feature directly, bypassing the need to solve end conditions or reference geometry for each patterned instance. This results in faster rebuild times because the software doesn’t have to perform complex calculations repeatedly.

Advantages of Using Geometry Pattern

1. Improved Performance

By skipping the recalculation of feature constraints, Geometry Pattern reduces computational load, leading to quicker model updates.

2. Consistent Geometry

Each instance is an exact replica of the original feature, ensuring uniformity across the pattern.

Considerations When Using Geometry Pattern

a. Feature Independence

Since Geometry Pattern ignores feature constraints, it may not be suitable for features that rely on specific end conditions or reference geometry.

In this example, the cut is extruded with the Offset from Surface end condition, and the bottom face selected.

Figure 2. Cut Extrude without Geometry Pattern

Figure 3. Cut Extrude with Geometry Pattern

b. Merged Faces

You cannot create geometry patterns of features that have faces merged with the rest of the part.

In this example, the protrusion is created with face that merges directly with the main body of the part. Geometry patterns cannot be applied to such features.

Figure 4. Protrusion with Main Body

Consider a scenario where you have a plate with a linear pattern of 10,000 holes, each with a diameter of 5 mm.

Figure 5. Plate with Linear Pattern Holes

Using the Performance Evaluation tool, we can analyse the rebuild times for this feature under two conditions:

a. Linear Pattern without Geometry Pattern

The rebuild time is approximately 0.81 seconds.

Figure 6. Rebuild Time without using Geometry Pattern

b. Linear Pattern with Geometry Pattern

The rebuild time decreases to about 0.56 seconds.

Figure 7. Rebuild Time using Geometry Pattern

Despite no change in the geometry, rebuild time is now reduced by 250 milliseconds when the geometry pattern option is enabled. While this may not seem significant for simple cases, such improvements would drastically reduce rebuild times for more complex geometries.

Should you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our support team.

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