Bending a Grid/Mesh Pattern?

[dy938811]

Hi!  Thanks to anyone one who stops in and takes the time to read this post.  I haven't been able to give back to this community much, but I am finally getting comfortable with the software and should soon be able to help others as others have helped me.

I am probably going about this the wrong way, and I have not attempted to "project on a curve" and use the "Expanded Metal" texture in the Appearance Pallette because I do not know how to use that feature yet. 

WHAT I A TRYING TO DO:  is bend a grid/mesh pattern of material to a certain radii and distance.  In the attached DWG I have used either Extruded or Sweep to create the existing (latitudal?) grid but am not doing well creating the perpindicular grid at the arc drawn below the existing (lat.) grid.

I believe the dwg is a good representation of what I am attempting to do, and I am asking for help getting to my end result, whether it means using what i've begun or starting over, and using the "Best Practices" to achieve such.

Thanks again, in advance.  I am hoping this is a total "No-brainer" for the gurus out there.

DY

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

What version of Inventor?

Looks like the solution will be a Sweep and a Pattern.

[conklinjm · Accepted solution]

As I only have Inventor 2010, I wasn't able to open your drawing file to take a look at exactly what you are trying to do.  One method for creating expanded metal mesh is to first create a simple sheetmetal part of the overall dimensions, apply folds as required to obtain the final shape, then roll-back to the 'flat' sheetmetal pattern and cut-out / remove material to simulate the mesh which will then bend as required when the bend is reapplied.

See attached part / image for an example.

Note that since you are actually cutting windows in the sheetmetal panel, this can increase the time that it takes to update drawing views.  Furthermore, the model size will be significantly larger than the basic sheetmetal panel _and_ the model may fail depending on the number of openings required in the mesh.  Not necessarily the ideal method but perhaps easier than trying to use sweeps, lofts and extrusions.

HTH

[BLHDrafting · Accepted solution]

I use the attached wire mesh all the time. Use the fx parameters to control the mesh attibutes. Then place a sketch on the plane of the mesh and use the Bend command.

I have done this in the attached part file. Just roll the EOP marker down.

I can't remember where the original wire mesh part came from, but I would like to congratulate the person who did it. It has saved me a lot of work over the years.

[dy938811]

Thanks for the help.  I had not converted to "part" prior to attempting the bend.

After viewing your drawings, I fell upon the 'right track' and have now been able to bend to my hearts content.

Thanks a bunch!

DY

[dy938811]

Hi again!  I am attempting to re-open this question because I am still having some serious issues with getting grid patterns of solids.  Is there a way I can find out why I am having such a hard time completing this task?

I tried to create a basket of 1/16" round rods and hoops arranged longitudal/latitudally like a barrel with open top/bottom.

I have tried to use extruded/sweept RODS (I created) placed vertically in a circular pattern 1" apart.

    To create them I drew a sketch of a circle in the top view which I extruded/swept X units long/tall.

    (sweep path I drew as normal, construction, and center lines in different attempts)

     I then in the same and in new top down sketches drew a large (30") diameter circle.

    Changed to front/side view and have drew a vertical line in center of large (30") circle for the axis.

    Used Circular Pattern Tool and patterned the Longitudal/vertical rods around large (30") circle.

Next

    I repeated the same process using sweep/extrude for latitudal/horizontal hoops of 1/16" round rods

    I used the Rectangle Pattern Tool to for the hoops 1" apart with path as the line drawn in center of 30" circle

Shouldn't this work for me.  I am now creating the vertical and the horiz separately and trying to position them in an assembly.

Attached is the file with the error I got as I tried the final save after the placement.  i am working in 2014 version

Thanks for taking the time to even read this.  I imagine it's something simple I am overlooking as I have been very slowly teaching myself this program.

D

[dy938811]

After posting this I finally have the barrel created but had to do it in an assembly with the vert and horiz rods created as separate parts and then assembled.

So, I have completed what i was trying to accomplish, but I would like to know why I am giving myself such a headache.

If anyone does take a look at the attachement in the previous message, I would be grateful for an explaination as to why it has those erros and what they are.

Thanks for listening...

D

[JDMather]

>...why I am giving myself such a headache

It occurred to me that you might be doing too much work.

Pull down the End of Part marker in this file step-by-step.