topic Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid in Inventor Forum

Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 22:04:45 GMT

Inventor Professional 2018.2.3 64 bit on Windows 10

I will sometimes create a sheet metal part from a derived solid to simplify the development of a weldment containing many interrelated sheet metal parts (derived from the same solid.)

I have run into a problem whereby the sheet metal flat pattern will not show in a flat pattern drawing view. This happens when I derive a sheet metal part from a solid then delete one of the faces of the derived solid to turn it into a surface. I know I can derive a surface directly but deriving to a solid allows me to modify the solid easily then turn it into a surface by deleting a face. I can then create my sheet metal part on the remaining faces.

The sheet metal part is created easily on this new surface body and the flat pattern works out well; however, when I try to add this flat pattern to a drawing view, the view shows nothing.

This problem is not consistent. Some parts I create this way work out well and some do not. It only seems to affect the drawing view. The type of derived solid does not seem to matter - whether a single body with or without seams or as separate solid bodies. I suspect this has something to do with the Inventor software seeing the surface body as a solid body and therefore as a multibody part, which is not allowed in flat pattern drawing views.

Please see the attached parts and drawing. The drawing view of Part2 is in the center of the drawing.

Re: Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

Xun.Zhang — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 06:37:10 GMT

Hello @barsea,

Thanks for reporting back. It is a problem for 2018.3 and reproducible in my end as well.

However, it was fixed already in Inventor 2019. Could you try it and recreate the drawing file?

https://autode.sk/2S0yty3

Thanks!

Re: Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

johnsonshiue — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 08:11:43 GMT

Hi! On 2018, you can open the part and do Rebuild All. The flat pattern view should be shown correctly.

Many thanks!

Re: Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

Xun.Zhang — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 09:02:24 GMT

Hello @Anonymous,

Johnson and I worked together for a while with this particular problem in 2018 version, unfortunately, there is still some trouble to solve it in 2018.

Hope it helps!

Re: Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 15:21:02 GMT

I tried Rebuild All in 2018 but it did not work for me; however, when I opened the model in 2019 initially the behaviour is the same until I Rebuild All, then the flat pattern appears in the drawing view. We have not yet migrated to 2019 as a company (although we have a subscription for it) so this is the first I've been able to try it.

Re: Flat pattern not showing in drawing view - sheet metal derived from solid

Anonymous — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 23:54:50 GMT

I have recently found a quicker fix for this problem. You just need to use the delete face tool with the heal box unchecked to remove a single face from the derived solid. This will convert the solid into a surface body and you can make a flat pattern. There may be some errors this way but it is quick and easy. Otherwise turning the part into a component separates the part from the derived solid and you can do what you want with it.