sheet metal flate pattern

[frank]

I have made a few parts in sheet metal.  I have created flat patterns of them.  I am tryin to figure out a way to extract the flat pattern to import into an assembly to show how to nest the parts on my stock material so that i can either get an accurate idea of how much stock material i need or to even cut them out with my mill / laser. 

[Mario428 · Accepted solution]

Always found it easier to do this in an IDW file.

Create a sheet the same size as your material to be used, usually 48 x 96.

Set you parts in using the flat pattern option at 1-1 scale and then move them around to get best result.

You can save this to dwg or dxf to send to your cutting vendor if you wanted.

Hope this helps0.

[frank]

Thank You.  That does work. 

I still would like to be able to export the flat pattern as an .ipt or when placing in an .iam to be able to select place as flat pattern, cause i am using the new Autodesk cam software to cam these parts out for milling. 

I dont like exporting and importing any other file formats, cause on my machine atleast (and i am not too educated in importing and exporting files) it never seems to work as nicely as i would like. 

[Mario428]

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@frank wrote:

Thank You.  That does work. 

I still would like to be able to export the flat pattern as an .ipt or when placing in an .iam to be able to select place as flat pattern, cause i am using the new Autodesk cam software to cam these parts out for milling. 

I dont like exporting and importing any other file formats, cause on my machine atleast (and i am not too educated in importing and exporting files) it never seems to work as nicely as i would like. 

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If I was going to use a CAM program inside Inventor to mill a flat pattern I would go about it differently.

I would create the part as a regular sheet metal part. Then use " unfold " to create a flat part, then use cam to create my toolpath. Use "Refold " to make the part the right shape again. I beleive "level of detail" would allow you to suppress the refold so the CAM always sees the part as flat.

You could also do that is an assembly bringing the parts in at the flattened "Level of Detail ". Might get to be a PITA though. LOL

Problem with trying to use CAM on the actual Flat Pattern is every time you save Inventor will want to rebend the part.

[SBix26]

Derive the folded part into another sheet metal part (with same sheet metal settings).  Flatten the derived part and use it for CAM.

[Mario428]

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@sbixler wrote:

Derive the folded part into another sheet metal part (with same sheet metal settings).  Flatten the derived part and use it for CAM.

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Gotta say with my history with derived parts and having them update as required, I would not do this on a dare if I thought the parts would change.

Being able to have a derived part is kinda cool but hoping it is the same as the original when it matters, not so cool.