Kudos to anyone who can do this 3

[JaconHarbour]

I am trying to make this a sheet metal part that can be flattened. I cannot find a way to do it. If anyone else can. i would greatly appreciate it.

 

[TheTick]

If you make the part as a single lofted bend it may unfold.

Otherwise, no. The bend forms are non-Gaussian, and can not be unfolded w/ simple sheet metal unbending algorithm that SW (and most others) uses.

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, JaconHarbour:

Try the following:

1) Sketch the flat blank (sheet metal);

2) Two Sketched bends to create the offset ("step");

3) Roll the sheet metal into the shape using "FLEX/Bend" command.

I think this is what you need.

Best regards,

Alex

 

[JaconHarbour]

Thank you RGrayClamps


That worked

 

[TheTick]

Way to go, Alex. Here's the star the OP neglected to give you.

 

[JaconHarbour]

Sorry about that. I never even noticed the star system before

 

[rgrayclamps]

Thank you both for the stars!

By the way, if you want to, you can add equation(s) to control sizes of the flat blank based on the formed part.

 

[NomLaser]

Do you need to use the 2 sketched bends or can you use the Jog command? Does the same thing but with one command. I'm just not sure how it would work with the flex bending.

 

[JaconHarbour]

I used the jog command. Once it was created the flat pattern configuration had an error for the flex command, but I just suppressed it for that config.

 

[rgrayclamps]

Jog feature can only be used from a sketch with a single line, (-SW2008). I do not know if SW2009 can handle a sketch with multiple lines.

 

[NomLaser]

True that you can't create the jog with multiple sketch lines but you don't need to. You give a bend radius, angle of offset and offset distance on a single sketch line and you get the same effect. The test would be to see if it works with the flex bend.

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, DEddie:

Thanks! I tried Jog command. It works well.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

You don't need the Sketched Bends or the Jog.

Just extrude the finished profile, then apply the Flex in a config.

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, CorBlimeyLimey:

But OP wants to have flat blank.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The OP did not mention the need to start with a blank; Just the need to flatten the part.

 

[rollupswx]

Kudos to anyone who can do this

FYI
Inventor 2010 has added a lot of new sheet metal functionality.

 

[rollupswx]

Sketch, feature and flat. If it is in Inventor it won't be long before we see in SolidWorks. I hope.

JD
CSWP

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

That looks good. Similar but better than Flex by having more options and control. I assume it is a true feature of a sheet metal part. i.e. it can be flattened without having to suppress the Contour feature.

 

[msquared48]

If you give the sheet metal a couple of beers with the Bud button, it will bend easier.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering