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Manual / Sketch

Mirror, Linear Pattern and Circular Pattern in a Sketch

Mirror and repeat shapes in a sketch along a line or around a center point.

Edition: Standard+

What it does

Creates repeated shapes in a sketch without redrawing them.

Where to find it

Sketch ribbon › Modify › Mirror / Linear Pattern / Circular Pattern, or right-click › Linear Pattern… / Circular Pattern…

Circular Sketch Pattern window
Circular Sketch Pattern window

Mirror

  1. Click Mirror, then click the objects to mirror.
  2. Press Enter.
  3. Click the line to use as the mirror axis.
  4. Confirm Mirror N object(s) across this line?

Linear / Circular Pattern

  1. Click Linear Pattern or Circular Pattern. The Pattern window stays open.
  2. In Select Figures mode, click or drag a box around the objects (click again to remove one).
  3. Choose Select Direction Line (Linear) or Select Center (Circular), then click the direction line or center point.
  4. Enter the values and click OK.
Option Meaning
Figures List of objects to repeat
Instances Number of copies (default 6)
Spacing (mm) Distance between copies (Linear, default 20)
Type Spread Evenly (360°) / Fixed total angle (Circular)
Total angle (deg) Total angle when Fixed total angle is chosen

Note: Right-click an item in the pattern › Explode Pattern (separates it into independent objects) or Delete Whole Pattern.

Try it: Ski-pole basket

A powder basket stops your ski pole from sinking into the snow. You draw only half of one window. Mirror makes the full window, and Circular Pattern places all eight.

  1. Click Sketch and press Enter (XY-Plane). Draw two circles at the origin: Ø 90 and Ø 12.
  2. Draw a Constr. Line from the origin straight up to about (0, 45). This is the mirror line.
  3. With Line, draw (0, 16) → (6, 30) → (0, 40) and press Esc. Start and end on the construction line.
  4. Click Mirror and click the two lines. Press Enter, click the construction line and confirm Mirror 2 object(s)…. You now have a kite-shaped window.
  5. Click Circular Pattern. In Select Figures mode, click the four window lines. Choose Select Center and click the origin. Set Instances 8, Type Spread Evenly (360°) and click OK.
  6. Click Finish Sketch and Extrude 4 mm. For the hub, sketch circles Ø 22 and Ø 12 on the XY-Plane and Extrude them 18 mm.

Ski-pole basket: one half window, Mirror, then Circular Pattern x8
Ski-pole basket: one half window, Mirror, then Circular Pattern x8

Challenge: Right-click one window › Explode Pattern, then delete every second window to get a lighter 4-window basket.

See also