Trouble creating contour flanges on loops

[montikm01]

I've been trying to create flanges in a loop and have them all combined. I have an existing product I've been trying to duplicate however, change the long sides to the short sides, visa versa. The product is for a hard drive cage that needs to be modified, I will be using trays that slide into these brackets as why I need them curved for ease of use.

I've tried two methods since It will not contour like (contour flange method) it would in a practice sketch with a straight piece with a curve.

1. Offsetting a loop the length of the flange, and then trying to fold or bend it. It will not work once I face once I add that extra piece.

2. Joining together existing flanges to make them curved. 

The only non loop flange is at the top and the bottom, it's straight with 25 degree offsets at the ends.

I'm sure its possible as the sheet metal piece in front of me is bent ideally the same way I'm look at it.

There are some tight turns that wouldn't work the way I wanted them to if I had seperate flanges because the flanges would hit each other.

Could anyone give me advice to maybe fix this issue.

[montikm01]

I have also tried lofted flange which doesn't transition the bend from the main piece to the flange, so it can't be sheet metal..

The last option is try to use a punch tool and that'd going to make it really difficult because I'm not very familiar with punches

[WHolzwarth]

IMO, my attachment is all you can get. The problem is overlapping faces in flat pattern. I've added some edge fillets for cleaning up some overlaps, but not all edges can be bent. You could think about not bending the 4 red spots, and therefore have a slightly longer neighbored flange.

Walter

[montikm01]

I have the sheet in front of my and it literally bends a continuous flange around the entire loop. I'm not sure if it'd done with a punch or a die, something of that sort. but when I add a loft-flange to the mix, it will not unfold. I can upload a picture of it if need be of the product I'm trying to change.

[JDMather]

You will not unfold that in Inventor.

Use Inventor Punch tools or model using standard part model features.

[montikm01]

Oh my, hate you. =D that's impressive, now to remove some of the lines. That's awesome. So I just need to save these shells/fillets/extrusions as punches and make it happen?

[JDMather]

I was in a hurry.

Maybe not the best way to do the part.

[montikm01]

What I need is almost exactly like you posted. Might have to make some changes so I can have the "flanges" spaced accordingly and get rid of some flanges. And I will need to send this off to be cut and braked. Hopefully, I will not need a die to do this...I only need to make 2 sheets of this.

and if its not the best way, what would be a solution to do it so it can be manufactured?

[montikm01]

Okay after a few days of research I have found that many other CAD programs come packed with a feature to easily place a flange on curved edges and allow you to unfold it. Why is this feature not in inventor. Its quite simple concept, I just don't see anyway around it and being able to unfold it after I bomb it with tons 3D model edits.

Wondering what would happen I made this flange in another software and exported it to inventor if it wold work.

[JDMather]

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@montikm01 wrote:

Okay after a few days of research I have found that many other CAD programs....

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What are the names of these CAD softwares?

In any case, will not unfold in Inventor without an add-in as that is a deformed part.