Using Sketch from One Part in Multiple Parts

[ptc-5280311]

I am hoping to find out how I can use a sketch in multiple parts. Much like using a saved sketch in a new part but I want to sketches to update when the sketch on the original part is modified. I am making a model that will reuse the same sketch in multiple parts and don't want to manually update each of them everytime I make a change to one of the parts. Please let me know if there is a way of connecting them.

Thanks

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[LndoVnBtchmrk]

You can do this with a Copy Geometry feature.

You reference the part with the parent sketch and select the sketch you want to copy in the "chain" box. Make sure you set the "Components permitted for external reference" config option to All, otherwise you won't be able to select the sketch.

That config option is on the Assembly page of the config options dialogue box.

[TomD.inPDX]

There are a few ways to do this but for the most part, you will be doing this by driving parameters through an assembly.

One way is to save a fairly stable sketch (all feature associated to a CSYS) where only 2 dimension are required to locate the sketch. Now import that sketch in your second part as a new sketch, scale it 1:1, and locate the import sketch's CSYS to the part references. Next, now you can tie any of the sketch's dimensions to an assembly level parameter (or relation). If both parts are in that assembly, both will be driven by the same values when you create those relations.

I don't do this often because I find it a pain in the neck, but yes, there are several ways to do this and there are very legitimate cases where you want to use external references to drive your models.

Also, don't forget about family tables. You could drive several version of "similar" parts from one part file.