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Passing on Blank Size information in Sheet Metal Environment?

6 REPLIES 6
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Message 1 of 7
Anonymous
921 Views, 6 Replies

Passing on Blank Size information in Sheet Metal Environment?

The company I work for currently uses a an old cardboard "slide rule" to
calculate blank sizes of designed sheet metal parts.

Calculated sizes are used in Excel Spreadsheets as size descriptions for our
Bill of Materials.

Is there a way to have Inventor calculate or measure sheet metal blank sizes
so that they can be passed on to a spreadsheet and/or a Bill of Materials or
Part size or cut size?

While I could dimension the sheet metal part in flat and "fat finger" that
size into an unrelated spreadsheet, I want to automate the process so that
any update to a part that changes blank size or cut size is reflected in
variables or parameters that can be passed on to Parts Lists, Bills of
Material or external spreadsheet.

Any tips, suggestions or errata would be most welcomed!
6 REPLIES 6
Message 2 of 7
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Search this group for the Flat Pattern size topic. The latest discussion was
held two days ago.
Igor.

--
To reply please use igor@iinet.net.au address
"Jim Strenk (AIP 2009)" wrote in
message news:6024950@discussion.autodesk.com...
The company I work for currently uses a an old cardboard "slide rule" to
calculate blank sizes of designed sheet metal parts.

Calculated sizes are used in Excel Spreadsheets as size descriptions for our
Bill of Materials.

Is there a way to have Inventor calculate or measure sheet metal blank sizes
so that they can be passed on to a spreadsheet and/or a Bill of Materials or
Part size or cut size?

While I could dimension the sheet metal part in flat and "fat finger" that
size into an unrelated spreadsheet, I want to automate the process so that
any update to a part that changes blank size or cut size is reflected in
variables or parameters that can be passed on to Parts Lists, Bills of
Material or external spreadsheet.

Any tips, suggestions or errata would be most welcomed!
Message 3 of 7
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Thank you, Igor for your reply. I shall do a search immediately.

"Igor Mironenko" wrote in message
news:6025210@discussion.autodesk.com...
Search this group for the Flat Pattern size topic. The latest discussion was
held two days ago.
Igor.

--
To reply please use igor@iinet.net.au address
"Jim Strenk (AIP 2009)" wrote in
message news:6024950@discussion.autodesk.com...
The company I work for currently uses a an old cardboard "slide rule" to
calculate blank sizes of designed sheet metal parts.

Calculated sizes are used in Excel Spreadsheets as size descriptions for our
Bill of Materials.

Is there a way to have Inventor calculate or measure sheet metal blank sizes
so that they can be passed on to a spreadsheet and/or a Bill of Materials or
Part size or cut size?

While I could dimension the sheet metal part in flat and "fat finger" that
size into an unrelated spreadsheet, I want to automate the process so that
any update to a part that changes blank size or cut size is reflected in
variables or parameters that can be passed on to Parts Lists, Bills of
Material or external spreadsheet.

Any tips, suggestions or errata would be most welcomed!
Message 4 of 7
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Hey Jim,

In Drawing Manger, check out the 'text' command and switch the
properties drop down to Sheet Metal Properties. Create a note with flat
pattern length and width referenced and see if these values are what you
want to document. If so, there is help available to get these values into
the Drawing Manager parts list.

Seth

"Jim Strenk (AIP 2009)" wrote in
message news:6025236@discussion.autodesk.com...
Thank you, Igor for your reply. I shall do a search immediately.

"Igor Mironenko" wrote in message
news:6025210@discussion.autodesk.com...
Search this group for the Flat Pattern size topic. The latest discussion was
held two days ago.
Igor.

--
To reply please use igor@iinet.net.au address
"Jim Strenk (AIP 2009)" wrote in
message news:6024950@discussion.autodesk.com...
The company I work for currently uses a an old cardboard "slide rule" to
calculate blank sizes of designed sheet metal parts.

Calculated sizes are used in Excel Spreadsheets as size descriptions for our
Bill of Materials.

Is there a way to have Inventor calculate or measure sheet metal blank sizes
so that they can be passed on to a spreadsheet and/or a Bill of Materials or
Part size or cut size?

While I could dimension the sheet metal part in flat and "fat finger" that
size into an unrelated spreadsheet, I want to automate the process so that
any update to a part that changes blank size or cut size is reflected in
variables or parameters that can be passed on to Parts Lists, Bills of
Material or external spreadsheet.

Any tips, suggestions or errata would be most welcomed!
Message 5 of 7
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Great tip, Seth! I think that this may serve my needs! Now, specifically,
what help topic do I need to read/review to place the sheet metal extents
within the parts list?

Ideally, each sheet metal item should have a "description" of "Gauge# x
Width x Height", with a Column Name of Blank Size. While the company I work
for uses gauge numbers, i.e. GA.11, GA.20 and so forth to report material
thicknesses, I imagine that Inventor 2009 will only be able to report gauge
via Material Thickness. If this is the ONLY way for Inventor to report
gauge, I can live with that. My current sheet metal styles do in fact
contain gauge numbers as I mentioned above.

Ultimately, the sheet metal extents needs to be in the Parts List & the Bill
of Materials. The Bill of Materials will then be exported to MS Excel as an
"externalized" Bill of Materials for use within the company and to selected
third-party vendors which we may select to actually produce the sheet metal
part(s).

"Seth A. Hindman (Autodesk)" wrote in
message news:6028399@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hey Jim,

In Drawing Manger, check out the 'text' command and switch the
properties drop down to Sheet Metal Properties. Create a note with flat
pattern length and width referenced and see if these values are what you
want to document. If so, there is help available to get these values into
the Drawing Manager parts list.

Seth


--

"Jim Strenk (AIP 2009)" wrote in
message news:6024950@discussion.autodesk.com...
The company I work for currently uses a an old cardboard "slide rule" to
calculate blank sizes of designed sheet metal parts.

Calculated sizes are used in Excel Spreadsheets as size descriptions for our
Bill of Materials.

Is there a way to have Inventor calculate or measure sheet metal blank sizes
so that they can be passed on to a spreadsheet and/or a Bill of Materials or
Part size or cut size?

While I could dimension the sheet metal part in flat and "fat finger" that
size into an unrelated spreadsheet, I want to automate the process so that
any update to a part that changes blank size or cut size is reflected in
variables or parameters that can be passed on to Parts Lists, Bills of
Material or external spreadsheet.

Any tips, suggestions or errata would be most welcomed!
Message 6 of 7
RANDYWINDERS
in reply to: Anonymous

ok, where do i find "Drawing Manager"? is it inside inventor? I can't seem to find it in the autodesk program folder either. Running IV2009
Message 7 of 7
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Drawing Manager is the environment used when you are working on an IDW or
DWG file within Inventor.

If you create a new file and you select an IDW template, the tools you see
are commonly referred to as "Drawing Manager".

--
Gary R. Smith
Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions Division
Technical Publications - Subject Matter Expert
Portland, OR
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