Circular Pattern in SolidWorks

This tutorial shows you how to use the circular pattern feature of SolidWorks to replicate objects around an axes. This is generally used for making holes in circular objects like wheels etc. This feature is similar to linear pattern feature.

1) Create a cylinder of 10mm dia and 5mm in length as shown in figure

you have to  use  extrude feature to achieve this.

2) Now create an circular extruded cut  on the x-axis of .5 mm in dia  and 4 mm away from the center / origin as shown in figure

3) Now enable display of temporary axes as shown

Now select the circular pattern and select the central axis of the cylinder as the pattern axis and check the equal spacing option and enter the no of instances as 12.

now click on features to pattern and select the extruded cut which we have created in step 2.

click ok and you will see the final structure as

download the SolidWorks part.

if you don’t select the equal spacing option you have to enter the angle between each instances in the pattern angle. You can also select the instances to skip.