Do it real test for SW2007 or SW2006 on your workstation !!!

Not sure what you mean with the total time but,.. on my old P4 3.0mhz,

~1hr8min to solve the pattern (blue, sketch still open) ~25min to exit or save the sketch (grey, sketch closed) or,..~1hr33min total

Will try it on SW2008 sp0 later..

..

Correction,.. (Dammit!) it for some reason it did not pattern the second circle sketch?? So, I'll guess (factor of 2X) that this is then on par with your values?

..

"DeeJay" wrote in news:fe10rp$j72$ snipped-for-privacy@ss408.t-com.hr:

Some testing was done a couple years ago (by Matt Lombard, I think, and probably TOP too) on the problem of large patterns. Sketch-based patterns (step and repeat) rebuild the slowest. If the pattern allows for it, make original holes in the plate, then pattern the feature. Geometry patterns will probably be slower. There have also been reports of improving rebuild times by making patterns of patterns.

So, my recommendation would be to make a feature pattern of the original holes, make a pattern of them, then make a pattern of the pattern. It still won't be fast, but should will be better. You might also examine whether it is necessary for all of the holes to be modeled, or if a few holes and a note on the drawing will be sufficient.

There is also a new feature in SW 2008 called cosmetic pattern...to show holes like this in the drawing without actually making them. Need to use shaded views and real view turned on.

// Krister

Actually,

The cosmetic Pattern that was presented in Alpha and Beta is not what was implimented in release of 2008. The idea was to do a cosmetic pattern and have it show thru to drawings as an annotation but that was dropped. the part of it that survived the release is a cosmetic pattern that is essentially a RealView material that can be applied parts and faces.

Hmmm....the other parts seems to have survived in the help file. I remember playin with it in Beta and just checked yesterday before I answered here that it still was there.

// Krister

I can't help you with better hardware, but maybe I can help with a different way to make it.

Yes, doing it all in a sketch pattern is a great way to take an extra long lunch and catch up with friends. Additionally, in my experience, patterns of patterns is a great way to take a long break (check email, read 'the onion', etc)

I had a patterning job a few months back that required thousands of instanced patterns (this is where having two computers comes in handy

- while one crunches, work on another job on the second) I wish I had clocked it - all I know is I gave up on both basic approaches early on

- sketch pattern (immediately) and then feature pattern after a try or two.

The only way that worked for this gig in anything approaching a reasonable time (and the pattern was along curved surfaces which kicks Deejays problem up a notch) was to model one complete instance (solid, holes, fillets, etc), then pattern the body that was created, then merge the final bodies. It still took a decent chunk of time time, but at least it was do-able. Before this I spent a few hours with other approaches and almost 'no-quoted' the job because SWx could not handle it.

In full-diclosure mode, I patterned a series of bodies that described

On the planar pattern, if you do this again, I would suggest you do a corner of your pattern as a body, and then pattern that body (in one or two steps) to fill up your 2000mmx1000mm area.

Hope this helps. I know that patterning bodies instead of features (dumb things instead of smart things) has helped me save time multiple times on my path to the same final model.

Ed