A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
(OP)
A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature, NX7.5.5.4......The function needs a bit more work, since I have many parts now that will not unfold properly after applying the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature. We are going back to the old "forming/flattening" tools in NX6 until we see improvement here.
A Sheet Metal 'Clean-up' utility has been mentioned to exist NX 7.5, but I have yet to find it to see if it actually works on our parts.
A Sheet Metal 'Clean-up' utility has been mentioned to exist NX 7.5, but I have yet to find it to see if it actually works on our parts.
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?





RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Tools -> Cleanup Utility...
Note that starting with NX 8.5 we've replaced the traditional dialog-based 'Convert to Sheet Metal' function with one utilizing a 'Wizard' approach which takes the user step-by-step thru the process including offering an optional step to 'Cleanup' the model.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Even after that, and then applying 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal', I can't get most parts to unfold. Some bends unfold, but most others don't.
I am afraid that 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' is not quite ready for our use yet. Let's hope that some of these problems are solved before we get a "Wizard" that doesn't work either.
Going back to NX6 to unfold for a while. The "forming/flattening" tools in NX6 work fine.
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Wizards shouldn't be available to use if the functions they rely on don't work.
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Dream Team - VMH International
NX, TeamCenter, Solid Edge
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Note that NOT every Sheet Metal 'part' can be unfolded. This includes models which include such Sheet Metal features as Louvers, Dimples, Beads, Drawn Cutouts as well as the Advanced Flange applied to a non-linear edge. Generally, these types of features must be either 'stamped' or 'drawn'. The 'Convert to Sheet Metal' function only assures that the model meets the topological criteria for a 'sheet metal' model, NOT that it can be 'unfolded'. Note that 'sheet metal' parts modeled 100% in NX Sheet Metal but which consist of only Louvers, Beads, Dimples, etc, while they are still considered to be a Sheet Metal model, then cannot be unfolded.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Could you post a model (can be a fictional one) that you have trouble with?
I would like to see one to find out what exactly is causing the conversion to fail. Sometimes little stupid things can still ruin the conversion and still prevent it from flattening, which of course doesn't make much sense.
I would also suggest to log IR's on the models that are bothering you. Converting parts to sheet metal parts is an ongoing effort in NX so your models could contribute to better conversion tools.
2x NX8.5.1.3 Mach Design
on win7 64bit and MBP MacOS 10.8.3
NX Beta Tester
1x Solid Edge ST2
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
To the untrained eye, it looks like we have to look for another solution to unfolding sheet metal parts.
Again, if I can't unfold it, it's not a sheetmetal part, whatever Siemens wants to call it this month.....
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
I fully agree with that.
2x NX8.5.1.3 Mach Design
on win7 64bit and MBP MacOS 10.8.3
NX Beta Tester
1x Solid Edge ST2
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
The result of a "successful" convert to sheet metal should always be unfold-able by the software.
But of course you can always ad non-sheet metal features to a sheet metal model and then make it unflatten-able. Now each release NX sheet metal is getting better and better at flattening the unflatten-able features. Some good stuff came in NX8 and NX8.5 (like stiffening ribs across bends that remain flatten-able) and about NX9 I'm not allowed to say anything...
2x NX8.5.1.3 Mach Design
on win7 64bit and MBP MacOS 10.8.3
NX Beta Tester
1x Solid Edge ST2
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
I'm not holding my breath for NX9, I have to look for another unfolding/flattening solution before we are given another set of new tools that don't work.
Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..
To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
www.nxjournaling.com
RE: A caveat on the 'SB Convert to Sheet Metal' feature
If you don't feel comfortable posting that information on a public website, please email them to me so that the appropriate people can follow-up with what you're having a problem with (as for my email address, just take the name I use here on Eng-Tips, add a couple of periods where it makes sense, add the appropriate email extension).
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.