Manual Pattern

Use Manual Pattern to copy solid bodies or features to other locations on your model. For example, in the picture below, the boss on the left part has been copied five times on the right part.

Each operation has three components:

• A target body. This is the solid model upon which the copied features will be applied.
• One or more tool bodies. These are the solid features or operations that will be copied.
• One or more results. These are the copies of the solid features that have been created.

Mastercam prompts you to select the target body as soon as you enter the function. If only one solid exists, Mastercam automatically selects it as the target.

• Edit the default Name as desired. This is the label that will be used for this operation in the Solids Manager.
• The Target field lists the name of the solid that has been selected. Click the highlighted button to select a different target solid, if desired.
• If the feature that you are copying is a separate solid body from the target, you can choose Solid body boss to add the shape to the target body, or Solid body cut to remove it. If the selected feature is part of the target body, these options will be disabled.

After you select the target, Mastercam asks you to select one or more features on the model that you would like to copy. Select one or several features, and click End Selection to return to the function panel.

• You can select entities from the graphics window, or features from the Solids Manager.
• Your selection at this time is not final; you can select additional features, or remove them, from within the function panel.

Mastercam lists the selected features or operations in the Selection window. Right-click in the window or use the highlighted buttons to add new features to the list, remove them, or clear the list completely. Click on an item to see it highlighted in the graphics window.

Finally, tell Mastercam about the copies that you want to create. Click the Add button to begin.

• First select a location associated with the tool bodies, such as the center of a hole, and click on it. Mastercam will use this location as the base point for placing the copies.
• Click again at each location where you would like the copied features to be placed. A good practice is to create pick points or construction geometry that Mastercam can snap to when selecting the location.
• Press the [Enter] key to return to the function panel. If you wish, you can add more or remove copies from the list; right-click in the window or use the buttons below it.

Each location that you click on is added to the panel in the Results window, labeled as Instance 1, Instance 2, etc. Click on an item to see it highlighted in the graphics window.

Learn more 

• Rectangular Pattern panel
• Circular Pattern panel