Flat pattern of a sphere?

[Anonymous]

has anyone done this? i would expect the pattern to look like one of those world maps thats all laid out flat. -Joe

[Anonymous]

This is an interesting solution for large items but there are a few very
significant points that everyone is missing.

1) Jewelry parts are very small. Your solution would have 24 tiny segments
that would have to be held in position and joined together.
2) The materials are expensive so most parts have to be very light weight.
Light weight means very thin parts so there is little room for alignment
errors.
3) Many components are smooth and shiny. Joints are a pain and best avoided
or at least discuised or hidden.
4) Several solutions in this topic have suggested welding. Welding is
rearely used except for laser welding in hidden areas. Welded surfaces are
rather rough and thick so they present finishing problems and often increase
the weight of the piece. Most joints are made by 'soldering' which is
actually brazing.

The best method for making spheres for jewelry depends a lot on the quantity
being produced. Small quantities can be made by hand by using a dapping
block and spherical punches to make hemispheres. These can be soldered
together relatively easily. Larger quantities can be made on a press by a
similar process, fixtured on graphite boards, and soldered in belt furnaces.
Very large quantities of one hole beads or spheres can be made by combining
multi stage press forming and rolling. Two hole beads are made by forming
tubing followed by rolling. And finally, spheres can be electroformed on
plastic spheres. Most of these techniques require long production runs to
justify the equipment costs.

The biggest problem in making jewelry is often holding the small parts while
you work on them.

Roger

[Anonymous]

They could also be cast but probably none of those methods could modeled to
unfold in Inventor due to deformation limitations.
~Larry

"Roger Harvey" wrote in message
news:101E87DF988A4062CA423BAF785DD98D@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> This is an interesting solution for large items but there are a few very
> significant points that everyone is missing.
>
> 1) Jewelry parts are very small. Your solution would have 24 tiny
segments
> that would have to be held in position and joined together.
> 2) The materials are expensive so most parts have to be very light weight.
> Light weight means very thin parts so there is little room for alignment
> errors.
> 3) Many components are smooth and shiny. Joints are a pain and best
avoided
> or at least discuised or hidden.
> 4) Several solutions in this topic have suggested welding. Welding is
> rearely used except for laser welding in hidden areas. Welded surfaces are
> rather rough and thick so they present finishing problems and often
increase
> the weight of the piece. Most joints are made by 'soldering' which is
> actually brazing.
>
> The best method for making spheres for jewelry depends a lot on the
quantity
> being produced. Small quantities can be made by hand by using a dapping
> block and spherical punches to make hemispheres. These can be soldered
> together relatively easily. Larger quantities can be made on a press by a
> similar process, fixtured on graphite boards, and soldered in belt
furnaces.
> Very large quantities of one hole beads or spheres can be made by
combining
> multi stage press forming and rolling. Two hole beads are made by forming
> tubing followed by rolling. And finally, spheres can be electroformed on
> plastic spheres. Most of these techniques require long production runs to
> justify the equipment costs.
>
> The biggest problem in making jewelry is often holding the small parts
while
> you work on them.
>
> Roger
>
>

[Anonymous]

Yes, casting might be an option but it there is no easy way to support the
core or to remove it after casting.

I think that the bottom line is that there are some things that don't have
solutions through IV. I use IV to design machines to make jewelry but don't
use it a lot to design it. That might change if the 3D spline is strong
enough.

There a few CAD programs that are very useful for certain kinds of jewelry
design but their focus is quite different than IV.

[Anonymous]

I was thinking more casting the halves using wax.

Yeah ... anxious to see how the new spline works myself. The 3D Sketch is
pretty much useless for anything but sweep paths IMWO.
~Larry

"Roger Harvey" wrote in message
news:EBF6DE026CE926E8B3F33A173AE892B4@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Yes, casting might be an option but it there is no easy way to support the
> core or to remove it after casting.
>
> I think that the bottom line is that there are some things that don't have
> solutions through IV. I use IV to design machines to make jewelry but
don't
> use it a lot to design it. That might change if the 3D spline is strong
> enough.
>
> There a few CAD programs that are very useful for certain kinds of jewelry
> design but their focus is quite different than IV.
>
>