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Bending a grid

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Message 1 of 11
bcrowell
1299 Views, 10 Replies

Bending a grid

 Our company bends wire grids to make shelving.  One of our designers was told that the best way for us to do this in Inventor was to make two separate models: one with the wires arranged in a flat pattern, and the other model with bent wires drawn bent using a 3D sketch and sweep (so as to be able to measure the loop and get the wire length).  Not only does having to draw two models waste time, trying to figure out how to translate the wire spacing from the bent pattern to the flat is less than accurate and more than time consuming.

 

Any tips would be appreciated.  We are still using 2008 so I probably won't be able to open many files.

INV Professional 2017 (Build: 142, Release: 2017RTM), Windows 10 Professional (64-bit), Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.5GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro K2200, Vault Basic 2017
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Message 2 of 11
IgorMir
in reply to: bcrowell

I would create a sheet metal part with the thickness equal to the wire dia. The overall dimensions of the unfolded part should be done with the wire mesh pitch in mind. Otherwise you will end up with the set of spikes on some sides.Smiley Happy

Regards,

Igor. 

Web: www.meqc.com.au
Message 3 of 11
BMiller63
in reply to: bcrowell

I may be wrong, but I don't think 2008 had the Bend Part command. That one combined with derived part, would help you a great deal. You might check Help > New Features to make sure I'm not remembering wrong as far as 2008 not having it.

 

Without that, I'd probably go at it by creating a 2d sketch, and then using a 3d sketch to get the combination of the 2d sketch and some surface that defines the bend. You could then derive the 3d sketch into another part and use that to create the bent version. This keeps the unbent and bent version based off of the same initial 2d sketch for updates, etc.

 

here are some videos i found on 3d sketch combining geometery that might be slightly helpfule (maybe not):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_qipSyXpEY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CBynxa2P3U

 

You might post a sample file and people can post back screen shots of how they'd tackle it (if they don't have 2008).

 

 

Message 4 of 11
bcrowell
in reply to: bcrowell

These are examples of what we have to model- two files to attempt to show the formed and flat patterns.  The problem is that we have to bend parts in an assembly, so I don't know of a way to make that work.

 

I had a thought this morning about maybe using a square as a bent part and the just filleting it to look like wire, but the assembly flat pattern is still an issue.

INV Professional 2017 (Build: 142, Release: 2017RTM), Windows 10 Professional (64-bit), Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.5GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro K2200, Vault Basic 2017
Message 5 of 11
JDMather
in reply to: bcrowell

Of course assemblies are worthless without parts.

 

Unless these things are really simple or there is some other compelling reason - I think I would model as-folded with sheetmetal plate tools and apply cosmetic texture to represent the grid.

 

Post some files and someone will return examples of this technique.


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Message 6 of 11
bcrowell
in reply to: JDMather

 
INV Professional 2017 (Build: 142, Release: 2017RTM), Windows 10 Professional (64-bit), Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.5GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro K2200, Vault Basic 2017
Message 7 of 11
JDMather
in reply to: bcrowell

Looks like there will be some work to do here.

First thing I notice is that your first sketch, Sketch5 ? is not making use of symmetry about the origin, is not constrained and has un-needed dimensions.

 

You might start with this document http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf


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Message 8 of 11
bcrowell
in reply to: JDMather

Sketch 2 in the 11210-600 assembly is simply being used for a workaround to translate spacing of the 5 support wires in the bent design to spacing in the flat pattern.  We have to place them in the bent part first to check for clearance to forming, and then put create a flat pattern assembly to show spacing.  The flat grid is welded together first, then formed as an assembly.

 

In a perfect world we would be able to draw the bent assembly and then have a flat pattern available afterwards so that we did not have to use a (at best inefficient) workaround.  Second best would be to create a flat pattern assembly that we can bend and at least go back and tweak to fit the bent assembly needs.

INV Professional 2017 (Build: 142, Release: 2017RTM), Windows 10 Professional (64-bit), Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.5GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro K2200, Vault Basic 2017
Message 9 of 11
Mike_Maenpaa
in reply to: BMiller63


@BMiller63 wrote:

I may be wrong, but I don't think 2008 had the Bend Part command. That one combined with derived part, would help you a great deal. You might check Help > New Features to make sure I'm not remembering wrong as far as 2008 not having it.

 


Bend Part does exist in 2008, as I have used it for doing exactly what browell is doing.

Model your flat grid, use derived part to bring in the assembly grid for using Bend Part command.

You will have to play around with the wire length and the bend line sketches to get it to the desired formed piece.

Be advised that the flat wire length may not be exact to what the real world grid would measure out to be.

 

Mike

 

Message 10 of 11
bcrowell
in reply to: Mike_Maenpaa

Thank you!  That works for what we need.  I know I will be using it.

INV Professional 2017 (Build: 142, Release: 2017RTM), Windows 10 Professional (64-bit), Intel Xeon E5-1620 3.5GHz CPU, 32GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro K2200, Vault Basic 2017
Message 11 of 11
IgorMir
in reply to: bcrowell

I see no reason why you can not create a square profile of the wire in the sheet metal environment. But if you insist on using round profile only then you will have to use Bend tool.

Igor.

Web: www.meqc.com.au

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