extruding/pushpull a large array of circles

[pleasehelp]

Hi All,

I need to design a 'stencil' of sorts - but it just needs to be an array of circles separated by a constant distance. its an array of 200 micron diameter circles separated by a distance of 500 microns each (between centers).

Its super easy to make this array, but when I try to 'pull' it into the third dimension, or extrude the array, I get an 'invalid' error. Or the highlighted objects just get 'unhighlighted' (for the lack of a better word) once i hit enter after selecting them all.

Also, I made the entire array into a 'block' of easiness.

Any help is hugely appreciated!

Thank you!

Mukul

[MSasu]

Also, I made the entire array into a 'block' of easiness.

You should explode that block to be able to extrude the circles. This operation isn't accepting block objects - you probably missed the error in command line:

Cannot sweep or extrude an object of this type

To be able to manage them together, may look to GROUP command instead; however after extrusion the grouping will be lost.

[rkent]

Since you are using 2012 the array may be associative (you pick one and they are all selected) so simply explode the associative array and extrude by selecting them all.

[BIGAL]

Maybe try extrude 1 then array

[JD Mather]

Maybe try extrude 1 then array

Now there is an idea.

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?69706-extruding-pushpull-a-large-array-of-circles&p=477048#post477048

[michelcad]

Use BPOLY command, and you will see a dialog box. Just accept the default and press "Pick points". Then pick an internal point of your drawing then enter.

Now you can start to EXTRUDE as normal.

BPOLY creates a closed polyline of a boundary by picking an open area within a area enclosed by lines, arcs or circles.

[mikekmx]

Maybe try extrude 1 then array

 

or maybe extrude 1, block, array would be more efficient (filesize & possible mods)

[mikekmx]

Now there is an idea.

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?69706-extruding-pushpull-a-large-array-of-circles&p=477048#post477048

 

...now i'm really confused!

 

ancient thread anyways