Help flattening a simple sheet metal part

[Anonymous]

When I try to flatten the attached part it only flattens a portion of it.  The remainder of the part then remains curved.  The part was produced from the "thicken/offset" comand and created from the "make part" comand.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[BarryZA]

I'm no expert but it looks like this part was not created using the sheet metal tab/tools.

What if you derive your reference part as a surface, then convert to sheet metal straight away. Then start a new sketch, project your single face (without thickness) and then use the contour flange command.

Rather use the sheet metal tools to "thicken" a sheet metal part, then it should unfold.

The only time I derive a sheet metal part is when I do a mirror image of an existing sheet metal part.

[mrattray]

I may be mistaken, but that looks like a double curved bend. If it is, then Inventor will not flatten it no matter what you do (unless you change the design).

[JDMather]

There is nothing technically wrong with using Thicken as long as you produce valid geometry that Inventor sheet metal unfolder can use, but close examination reveals questionable geometry before I even begin to check for a warped surface.

Can you attach the original file here with the trimmed surface?

[Anonymous]

The original file size (where I obtained the sheet metal part from) is too large to attach.  What other options do I have?

[mrattray]

Sharp eye, JD, I missed that.
This is a red flag to me that something is seriously wrong with your part. If you roll the EOP (End of Part marker) to the top of the tree it will reduce the file size significantly. Save it in this state and send it to a zip folder. Attach the resulting zip file here.

[Anonymous]

https://atropos.newellco.com/filestore/getLink.php?HASH=296f7b71b7bc08bf28730597387b5783

This is probably going to be the easiest way to get you the files.  In this zipped folder are several files.  What I am basically attempting to do is create a lable to cover the patterned area of the Water Jug Jacket (using the .stp file).  I used the "thicken/offset" command on the inside surface underneath the patterned area of the jug.  That then allowed me to create a component and turn it into a sheet metal part which I tried to flatten.  Thanks for the advice so far.

[JDMather]

I didn't download your file, but since it is just a label -

I would rotate 1.5° (Move Body) and use only for reference in creating sketches to approximate the shape, simplifying it just a very little bit to be an Extrude rather than a Loft, trim the surface and Thicken.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your help.  I ended up just using the model I already created and taking the arc lengths from that model to derive my own flat pattern.  It will be a close guess at least.