Reference Section > Shape Library > Rectangular Shapes

The Rect with 4 Slots is a rectangular plate with four identical slots cut through it, set out as two rows of two. Each slot is an obround: two straight sides joined by a semicircular end at each end. The slots run along X. The corners of the plate are sharp. The slot pattern is centred on the plate by default, and both slot offsets move the whole pattern together.

It appears in the shapes library under Rectangular Shapes and Gussets.

The shape has no alias (older) names. The Slotted Plate shape is the general form of this shape: it has optional corner fillets and a Slot Columns x Slot Rows grid of slots at any angle. Rect with 4 Slots is still registered so that existing parts load.

Insert point and orientation

The insert point is the bottom left corner of the plate. Width is built to the right along X and Height upwards along Y.

The slot positions are measured between the centres of the slot end arcs, not between slot edges:

•Slot Width is the distance between the two end arc centres of one slot. The overall length of a slot is Slot Width + Slot D.

•Horiz. Dst. is the distance between the inner end arc centres of the left and right slots in a row. The clear material between the ends of those two slots is Horiz. Dst. − Slot D.

•Vert. Dst. is the distance between the centre lines of the bottom row and the top row. The clear material between the two rows is Vert. Dst. − Slot D.

With both offsets at 0 the pattern is centred on the plate. The centre lines of the two rows are Height/2 − Vert. Dst./2 and Height/2 + Vert. Dst./2 up the plate, and the pattern is centred on Width/2. Measured between the outer end arc centres the pattern is 2 × Slot Width + Horiz. Dst. wide; including the slot ends it is 2 × Slot Width + Horiz. Dst. + Slot D.

Properties

Lengths are in the current units (mm or inch). The defaults shown are for a new shape; the inch defaults are used when the program is set to inches.

Property	Description	Default
Height	Overall height of the plate, along Y. Cannot be negative.	150 mm (6 in)
Horiz. Dst.	Horizontal distance between the inner end arc centres of the left and right slots in each row. Cannot be negative.	50 mm (2 in)
Slot D	Slot diameter: the width of each slot across its straight sides (along Y), which is also the diameter of the end arcs. Cannot be negative.	25 mm (1 in)
Slot Offset X	Moves all four slots together along X from their centred position. Positive moves them right, negative moves them left. Slot sizes and spacing do not change. Negative values are allowed.	0
Slot Offset Y	Moves all four slots together along Y from their centred position. Positive moves them up, negative moves them down. Slot sizes and spacing do not change. Negative values are allowed.	0
Slot Width	Length of the straight part of each slot, along X, measured between the centres of its two end arcs. The slot is Slot D longer than this overall. Cannot be negative; at 0 both end arcs of each slot share a centre, so each slot is a round hole of diameter Slot D.	50 mm (2 in)
Vert. Dst.	Vertical distance between the centre lines of the bottom row and the top row of slots. Cannot be negative.	50 mm (2 in)
Width	Overall width of the plate, along X. Cannot be negative.	200 mm (8 in)

The property page refuses a negative value for Width, Height, Slot Width, Slot D, Vert. Dst. and Horiz. Dst. Only the two slot offsets accept negative values.

The dimensions drawn on the shape are Height, Width, Horiz. Dst., Slot Width, Slot D and Vert. Dst. Width and Height are measured on the plate edges. The four slot dimensions move with the slot offsets.

Limits and errors

The shape does not check that the slots fit on the plate or stay clear of each other. The outline and dimensions are built directly from the properties. If building raises an error, the shape catches it and the property page shows the red bar "Warning: Cannot build shape from these parameters", as for other shapes. None of the conditions below is checked, so keep them yourself:

•Horiz. Dst. must be greater than Slot D. At Horiz. Dst. equal to Slot D the inner end arcs of the left and right slots touch; below that they overlap.

•Vert. Dst. must be greater than Slot D. At Vert. Dst. equal to Slot D the top and bottom rows touch; below that they overlap.

•The overall pattern, 2 × Slot Width + Horiz. Dst. + Slot D wide and Vert. Dst. + Slot D high, must fit inside Width and Height with material left at the edges, after the slot offsets are applied. With the defaults there is 12.5 mm (0.5 in) at each side and 37.5 mm (1.5 in) above and below the pattern.

Check the part outline after changing the slot sizes, spacing or offsets. Overlapping slots, or a slot that crosses the plate edge, are drawn as given, so the outline overlaps itself or runs outside the plate. The shape does not report either case.

Every 2D shape also has the Transform properties (Base X, Base Y, Rotation, Scale, Mirroring X) and the Polar Array properties, listed after the shape's own properties.