Tinkercad: Easy to Circle Array

Shapes are the basic building blocks of Tinkercad. It allow you to imagine anything and then design it in minutes. Tinkercad offer the most important basic design tools, and make modeling so easy. Some professional modeling software have separate tools to help you create complex objects, e.g. rectangle pattern, circle pattern, etc. Tinkercad have a powerful tool —— 'Duplicate' under Edit menu. When you work on Duplicate mode, Tinkercad will remember all the changes you did for the selected object, then affect this changes for the duplicated objects. You also can call it 'Smart Copy'.

In this Instructables, I will show you how to create circle array using Duplicate tool, even create the circle text.

Step 1: Shape Generator

Maybe you find that one shape generator can create circle array easily, it can work for several types object: Square, Circle, Triangle, or you need custom the profile. But, still difficult for it to create complex shape as your expectation.

Then, I will take the petaloid as example to show you a method to circle array any objects.

Step 2: Copy/Paste the Object

1. Start the design by dragging a Paraboloid shape to the workplane, and adjust the length and height

2. Copy and paste it, then move the copied one away from the original one

3. Adjust -> Align, select these two objects and align them in the center line

Step 3: Duplicate Tool

1. Select these two objects

2. Duplicate in place the shape by pressing Ctrl + D (or Edit -> Duplicate)

3. Rotate it 10 degrees

4. Repeat Ctrl + D, make it circle array

Step 4: Video: Circle Array Text

To make the text circle array using the similar method, here is a video to show the steps.

Step 5: Practice: Design Coin

Using the same method, please practice to create the coin, make the text circle array on the cylinder face.