pattern with orientation following curve

Ok. Silly me. I patterned the coor sys as a group and it works out. Always the little things that I look past.
The mind is a terrible thing.
> Hi, > I'm trying to pattern an assembly that follows a curve and maintains > orientation to that curve. So maybe the assembled part is always tangent to > the curve, for example. Any suggestions? If I could pattern a coordinate > system to the curve that would probably work. But I can't get the coordinate > system to maintain a relationship to the curve. I've tried points, axes, > planes, but can't get it. I thought I did this a long time ago, but can't > figure it out. I'm on 2001. > > Any help is appreciated. > Thanks, > Dave > > > > >

: Ok. Silly me. I patterned the coor sys as a group and it works out. Always : the little things that I look past. : : The mind is a terrible thing. : Yeah, it is! And then you get gunshy about posting, thinking that if I just keep at this a little longer, I'll get it. But, really, don't deny us the opportunity of showing off! And, you never know, 10 people reading this might have had a similar question/problem and would have benfitted from seeing someone work it out, step by step. Soooo, since you posed the problem, at least present the solution ~ in a little detail.
David Janes

Dave,
I agree with David Janes. Provide us with some detail regarding your methodology. BTW, another technique is as follows:
-Create a datum curve that defines your shape. -Add a second, composite datum curve. -Extrude a 'Surface' feature by performing a 'Use Edge' on the composite curve. -Place an 'On Curve' datum point on the composite curve using the 'Actual Length' option. -Place a datum axis through the datum point and make it normal to the surface feature. -Make a Local Group of the datum point and datum axis features. *You may want to include a datum plane that is Through the datum point and Normal to the datum axis. -Group Pattern them by utilizing the 'On Curve' datum point's 'Actual Length' dimension as the pattern driver dimension. You should then be able to assemble and Ref Pattern an assembly component with respect to the datum features included in the Group Pattern.
Solid Protrusions can be patterned this same way to represent the teeth of a timing belt, etc.
S.T.

Yeah you're right. I was in a hurry to leave and was thinking that I'd save people the need to get back to me. But I should've said what I did. Been so long since I've been in here I took it for granted what a good resource this is. I don't really consider myself to be a source for knowledge, but I guess you just never know.
What I originally wanted was to pattern a part along a datum curve. And I wanted that part to be oriented to that curve so it was tangent at all points. I created a part with a datum curve. I also created another part that I wanted to assemble to that curve in assembly mode. In the part with the datum curve, I created a point on the entire curve using length ratio. Then created an axis tangent to the curve thru that point. Then created an axis normal to the sketching plane (that the curve was drawn on) thru that point. Then created a coordinate system using that point and the two axis. This gave me a coordinate system at the point tangent to the curve. But without grouping everything from the point to the coordinate system, it won't work. Patterning the group using the point as the driving feature allows the coordinate system to be tangent at each point along the datum curve. Now I can assemble parts to that pattern (coordinate system to coordinate system) and use reference pattern. Or even create additional features in the part with the curve using reference pattern.
Now if I want to pattern more features, like a cut or protrusion, in the part with the datum curve, it might be necessary to include additional features in the group. Trial and error will tell if I could reference pattern features to the coordinate system or have to include all additional features in the group before patterning.
Thanks everyone. Have a good day. Dave

: : -Create a datum curve that defines your shape. : -Add a second, composite datum curve. : -Extrude a 'Surface' feature by performing a 'Use Edge' on the composite : curve.
S.T., did you throw in this extruded surface just to see if we were paying attention? Cuz, if it's got a function, I'm not seeing it.
BTW, thanks, Dave, for the explanation. It helps, because usually with a good explanation, you can even tell what the problem was.
Also, three pattern questions in a row!?! You guys all taking a class together? It's got to be a first, plus, outside this NG, I had occasion this week to explain the very same thing (group/pattern) to someone requiring that solution to his problem but not knowing about groups and patterned groups.
This is a serious guru question about groups and group patterns: is it possible to have recursive patterns or patterns of patterns?
David Janes

Not hardly. It does serve a purpose. The datum axis creation option to be used is called 'Pnt on Surf' in 2001 and prior releases of Pro/E. This forces the datum axis to remain normal to the surface all of the way around its perimeter--which again is derived from the composite curve. You can obviously do this other ways, but I got this from the PTC Knowledge Base 'Suggested Technique' section about 3 years ago. Check out:
'Suggested Technique for Creating a Pattern Along a Datum Curve'
NOTE: For their particular example, they created a surface feature using the 'Surf & Bnd' surface copy technique.
Yes. You can do this with bi-directional, linear patterns as well as with radial patterns. I'll dig out the documents that I wrote for my employer's Pro/E users a few years back regarding this very topic; and post their contents for you and any other users in this forum that are interested in creating patterns of patterns.
S.T.

: > This is a serious guru question about groups and group patterns: is it : possible to have recursive patterns or patterns of patterns? : > : Yes. You can do this with bi-directional, linear patterns as well as with : radial patterns. I'll dig out the documents that I wrote for my employer's : Pro/E users a few years back regarding this very topic; and post their : contents for you and any other users in this forum that are interested in : creating patterns of patterns. : That would be great. We don't have nearly enough of the quality of answers that would comprise a 'Tips and Tricks' section. We could use something like that.