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Solidworks Surface flatten
2

Solidworks Surface flatten

Solidworks Surface flatten

(OP)
Howdy all,

Im only new to solid works. been play at school.
I have Drawn a boat (jet sprint boat from newzealand ) and im hoping to try and make as a model.

The file is the lower bow sheet and as you can see its not flat. is there a way to make it flat but retain its outline so i can cut it from aluminum on a flatbed router and weld it up?

I know i wont have the bubble in it but the shape but flat will work pretty well.

Cheers brad

 

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

Create a plane with three points of the surface, project the surface onto a sketch on that plane. That is close but no cigar.

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2011 SP 2.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

I can't tell for sure but it looks like a simple contour i.e. mathematicly able to be flattened without stretcing.  One method that might get you close is to measure each edge and measure each corner angle and then lay out a box with straight sides for the short ends (usually a good approximation) and large radius curves for the long edges and see if you can get close.  I'm not sure how to compare your results of a flat pattern with your original though since the bend is more then just a constant radius.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

2
Unfortunately SolidWorks is not very good at flattening surfaces, well not at all.
One way to try it is with the sheet metal "lofted bend" tool.
I would take the the two long edges (I think they are the keel and chine edges)and do the sheet metal "lofted bend" tool with those two.
I would then lay them on top of each other (in an assembly) to see if they are the same. The loft might not be the shape you are looking for, if it is then you can use that part and the flat pattern that SW will generate.

Complex ones I usually have to export to Rhino or something else to get flat pattern. Actually I do my hull plating in MaxSurf, anyways, good luck.

-Joe
SolidWorks 2009 x64 SP 5.1 on Windows XP x64
8 GB RAM  -  Nvidia Quadro FX1700

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

BTW, Plane3 does not exactly match the lower curve, so some adjustment will be required.

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

Solidworks will only flatten mono-curved surfaces, meaning surfaces that are developable. What you see it what you get. If you have surfaces that curve in both direction (and I think also have nonconstant curvature) you can never get an exact flatten, you need to relax and tug and pull the shape. Solidworks doesn't have such algorithms, Rhino seems to handle those fairly well.

Certified SolidWorks Professional

RE: Solidworks Surface flatten

A Lofted Bend does not require the sketch planes to be parallel, here is your part as a sheet metal part.

-Joe
SolidWorks 2009 x64 SP 5.1 on Windows XP x64
8 GB RAM  -  Nvidia Quadro FX1700

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