Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

I have never used the unfold command before. It seemed simple enough, draw the part, extrude, turn into sheet metal, set defaults and unfold to make a flat pattern. What am I doing wrong? It will not let me unfold. The dialog box comes up, but will not allow me to pick a flat surface or bends....

[#2]

First thing you are doing wrong is using Extrude rather than one of the sheet metal tools.

Extrude is probably fine as long as you follow sheet metal rules (constant thickness, bends and rips).

Second possible mistake is you haven't set your sheet metal style to the same thickness as your extrusion, but you say you have set the defaults - so maybe we can rule that one out.

I'm betting constant thickness or missing bends.

Actually Unfold is not how you create a Flat Pattern.

Unfold/Refold is used to add features that are difficult to do in a folded state.

Create Flat Pattern is for, well, creating flat patterns.

Attach the file here and erase all doubt.

[#3]

I drew this part in Inventor 2012 and extruded. Set material default to mild steel. Default K factor. Material thickness is .1875, but I believe it defaulted to .2 - not sure why it would not let me change that.

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[#4]

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nmetzger wrote:
 Material thickness is .1875, but I believe it defaulted to .2 - not sure why it would not let me change that.

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Did you figure out how to change it?
Did you get this figured out?

Attach the file here.

[#5]

Hi! To change the thickness, simply go to Sheet Metal Defaults -> either click on the pencil button at the top or uncheck "Use Thickness from Rule."

To create a successful unfold feature, the sheet metal body thickness has to be consistent with the setting. Please let me know if it works for you. If not, please attach the file here or send it to me.

Thanks!

[#6]

If you tell Sheet Metal Defaults that the thickness is .062 and the model thickness is .06200005, the model will not unfold.The thickness of the material in Sheet Metal Defaults must match the thickness of the model exactly. The only way to ensure this is to uncheck "use thickness from rule", delete the thickness, click the arrow, click the measure command, and click any thickness line on the model. The true thickness should appear in the box and you can now smash that sucker flat.

[#7]

If you tell Sheet Metal Defaults that the thickness is .062 and the model thickness is .06200005, the model will not unfold.The thickness of the material in Sheet Metal Defaults must match the thickness of the model exactly. The only way to ensure this is to uncheck "use thickness from rule", delete the thickness, click the arrow, click the measure command, and click any thickness line on the model. The true thickness should appear in the box and you can now smash that sucker flat.

[#8]

Thanks! That helped! Nichole Metzger Manufacturing Engineer Valco Industries 625 Burt Street Springfield, Ohio 45505 937-399-7400