How to flatten a spiral

[jjpatino]

I'm trying to flatten a section of sheet metal so i can get a cut lenth for my fab shop. Please see attached drawing. I want to use these dimensions, and then flatten the part so my fab shop can trace it and cut the sections, bend them and weld together, but when i use the flatten command, nothing happens... I'm not exactly sure why... any ideas?

[jjpatino]

OK, here's a little more information of what I am doing...

-I start a new sheet metal part

-I sketch a rectangle, 12" long, .125" thk

-6" away i draw a line at a random length

-Switch to the model ribbon, select coil command

-specify the line at random length to be the axis

-select coil size tab

-select "revolution and heigth" type

-height is 9", revolution is .5

-click OK

then i select the part, click "create flat pattern" and I get an error message "no bends found, nothing to compute"

Any Ideas?

[jletcher]

Inventor can't un-fold it. Look into SPI for Invetor..

[jjpatino]

what is SPI?

[blair]

Google search "AutoPol"

You might be able to do this in Inventor if you used the Surface-Thicken. You would have to create your revolved sweep of just under 360 deg, something like 359.9 deg so as not to have an interferance conflict. Do the Thichen command, then convert to Sheet-Metal, set your thichness properties to match your Thicken and then Flatten.

Like I said, it may work

[jjpatino]

I'll try that... Id rather do that, or figure it out mathematically rather than investing more money into yet another CAD program. I'll let you know how it turns out! Thanks.

[jjpatino]

OK so i tried it, used the thicken command, made it .125. convert it to sheet metal, changed my sheet metal style to default thickness to .125 as well. then used create flat pattern command... and still same error message.

When using the coil command, i specified .9 in the rotation to avoid a complete circle. any other ideas?

[blair]

Not in Inventor, if it was going to flatten, that would have been the best shot.

I've never tried it in our Radan profile/nesting software. The other solution would be the 3rd party such as AutoPol's sheet-metal software, it'll flatten most everything.

[S_May · Accepted solution]

Hi @jjpatino,

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/de/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/screencast/Main/Detai...

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/de/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/screencast/Main/Detai...

[carlos.silvaE6A6W]

Can you do it with a bend? Like in L shape?

thanks.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Please share your attempt here. Without seeing the actual file, it is hard to tell if it is doable.

Many thanks!

[carlos.silvaE6A6W]

Hi. What im trying to do something like this (look the files attached).

I was wondering if it's possible to get the right flat pattern of this piece. Or as close as possible.

The "spiral" bend does not flat on my attempt.

Thanks.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I don't believe Inventor Sheet Metal can build the flat pattern from this part. You need to use Unwrap command in 3D Model tab (2020 and later).

Many thanks!

[carlos.silvaE6A6W]

Hi johnsonshiue.

I will have to update to version 2020, at least.

Thanks anyway.