topic Re: Sheet metal model in Inventor Forum

Sheet metal model

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 10:16:33 GMT

Kindly tell me that which tools to be used to model this part in sheet metal or it is not to be made in sheet metal.

Re: Sheet metal model

SBix26 — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 10:43:15 GMT

Sheet Metal tools will not be helpful for this part. Inventor's sheet metal tools will not be able to create a flat pattern of this part because it is stretched in multiple directions.

I would model this by creating a solid of the outside shape, shelling it, then add the flange around the rim and the cutout of the front face.

Warning: the actual part undoubtedly is not of uniform thickness; starting with a uniform thickness sheet and then deforming it that much will result in thinner sections in the walls of the part. If this matters, your modeling task gets more ~~difficult~~ interesting.

Sam B

Inventor Professional 2017 R2
Vault Basic 2017
Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit, SP1
Inventor Certified Professional

Re: Sheet metal model

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 11:47:32 GMT

Yes I was also thinking sheet metal will not be able to flatten the pattern. I have to use normal solid modeling

Re: Sheet metal model

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:05:08 GMT

Also tell me buddy, is that the key point to kept in mind that the model that can be flattened is modeled in sheet metal or any other thing also?

Re: Sheet metal model

SBix26 — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:17:44 GMT

I'm no expert on the sheet metal in Inventor, but from my reading here on the forum and my experience:

Parts can be flattened that have no sheet metal features at all. However, to be flattenable, they must be of uniform thickness, and bends must be only cylindrical or conic— bends that typically can be produced in the real world by a press brake or by rolling.

Sam B

Inventor Professional 2017 R2
Vault Basic 2017
Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit, SP1
Inventor Certified Professional