Tubing?

[jadog]

I have designed a tubular chassis does anyone know how I can flatpattern my tubes so I can have all the coping done with laser? Can I use another program like inventor or somthing to achive this? I found a cnc tube bending sofware that allows me to import solidworks files but I dont want to buy it if it will not flat pattern and show the coping.

 

[SBaugh]

You can only flatten them if you made each of the pipes in Sheet metal. If you didn't you cannot flatten it.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[jadog]

How do you detirmin cut length and the notch orientaion then? I know of a guy who does it but he wont tell how he does it. And his cost is very expensive. Plus I dont want to send my drawing out to another chassis builder.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

By "flatpattern" do you mean create the tubes from flat sheet stock? ie. Roll into a tube & then bend.

Or do you mean just straighten bent tubes? You may be able to use the Routing module for this.

Some lasers have accesories which can cut tubes ... one side at a time if necessary.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Cut length can be determined by measuring the centreline of the tube.
Notch orientation could be made in the bent state, or the bend could be made relative to the notch.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[jadog]

I have a chassis designed using the structural member tool so that I could easily show all the notches. I wanted to be able to unbend these tubes to show the tube length and the notch size and orientation so that all the flat tubes can be laser cut prior to bending.

 

[jadog]

There is tubing stretch issues i believe. It was my understanding that centerline wan not an acurate measurment.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

"structural member tool" ????


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[jadog]

Ya you draw the profile of your tubing the diameter and wall thickness and give it a name. You then draw a line or 3d line the shape you want your part you click structural member and the tubing profile you designate and it converts your line to that member. It also will notch all the corrisponding intersection. It under insert-weldment-structural member

 

[CSLufkin]

You mean Weldments. Yes weldments will give you a cut list with lengths, but they don't take tubing stretch (during bending) into account and I know of no way to straighten out your tubes to get them notched in the pre-bend state. You can save them as bodies and dimension them that way, but they will be bent. You would however be able to get the dimensions for the end notches... if the ends are all you care about.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Ohhh ... Weldments! Sorry, I had never heard it referred to as "structural member tool".


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

When I was in the Architectural Glazing business, any curved or bent extrusions were usually cut to length after bending ... especially if the cut was near the curved portion. A sizeable straight length was needed to "stretch" the extrusion around the form.

A tube bending machine may be different, but I think it would be easier to align a cut end to a formed part, rather than align a form to a cut end.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[smcadman]

There are bend formulas for sheet metal, but those for tube bending are hard to come by. It also depends on your tooling. 2 pdf's I recommend are:
Tube and Bending manual in English
Wall chart int English

http://www.toolsforbending.com/literature.asp

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Flores
SW06 SP4.1