topic Re: Getting a loop length dimension, and other flattening questions in Inventor Forum

Getting a loop length dimension, and other flattening questions

mjp.purdy — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 20:08:22 GMT

Hello!

I was playing with the sheet metal module for a particular part, and discovered quickly that it's not meant for complex geometry, regardless of the part being made on a press. So I modeled it like I'd model any other part; way more complicated than it should be.

Now I want to flatten it. I'm not trying to make a perfect impression, but I would like to create a parameter driven by a sketch which collects arc lengths and line lengths; Then I can simply make a flat pattern with the right dimensions. Is this even possible? Most of the arcs aren't perpendicular, so making an equation for each arc is just craziness.

Worst case scenario I simply measure each individual arc and tabulate it in excel, but I was hoping to be a bit more automated with changes. Attached is a screenshot of something similar, but the part in question is much more complicated. I'll try to make an example part at some point; It's robotics season, so got plenty of stuff coming!

Re: Getting a loop length dimension, and other flattening questions

mjp.purdy — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 20:37:44 GMT

So.... I'm tired. It's been a rough few days.

Apparently there's an "unwrap" button... and you can loft two lines and thicken it into a surface...

Re: Getting a loop length dimension, and other flattening questions

mcgyvr — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 20:38:17 GMT

Having a model of the exact geometry you would like to flatten would be very helpful...

I'm not sure I have seen anything that can be made in a normal press brake operation that Inventor cannot flatten.

Re: Getting a loop length dimension, and other flattening questions

karthur1 — Wed, 05 Feb 2020 21:19:51 GMT

Ditto what Mcg said... a model would help.

Inventor has no trouble getting a flat for the shape you show in your original message. There are several different ways to get the flat length into a parameter. Been covered here many, many times.

Kirk