Need free software solution for unfolding different shapes.

[Anonymous]

Hello guys,

I need a free solution for work because i can't use unlicensed software and the company can't / WON'T pay 400 euros for a single license for a good software.

I used plate'n sheet until recently and it was easy and got the job done. But now that i can't use it anymore i have to search for a free solution that does the same thing....helps me with the unfolding of different shapes.

I've searched the internet high and low and could not find anything similar 😞

Any help would be apreciated.

Thank you.

L.E. I use autocad 2012 on a x64 OS if that matters

[ampster40]

There's another person over in the Inventor forums I believe that works in a ship yard, I'll see if I can steer him towards this thread and perhaps shed some light on this subject.

[pendean]

🙂

[ToanDN]

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@Anonymous wrote:
The company builds ships that sell for more than 600mil$ each. Money is tight though.

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And I had thought building ships was awesome business wise since high sea piracy had become a thing again.

Anyways, SketchUp can unroll surfaces.  But I am not sure it is a core function or an addon, and available with free or paid version.

[Anonymous]

The money thing i think is bull**** but every department has a budget and the IT budget is really low... so we hardly get any new upgrades on software or hardware and not to mention that sometimes we run out of paper for plotters and printers to print out the drawings to send to production :))

It's really funny sometimes because by not printing the drawings, production delays some manufacturings, and even 1 day of delay on some works means millions of $ in losses, all because of 500$ in paper or less. per week. Management is pretty dumb about budgeting.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> not to mention that sometimes we run out of paper for plotters and printers to print out the drawings [...]

>> [...] by not printing the drawings, production delays some manufacturings, [...] means millions of $ in losses,

Isn't that your chance?

Make a simple Excel file, show costs of paper versus losses for manufacturing. Show them how much they lost (should be shown with real numbers like people not working, transportation issues because of defective time-planning, ...) because of not getting budget needed to accomplish the basic work requirements.

Don't bring that numbers in the way like "how much they lose" (because they have not lost anything yet, their result at the end of the financial year does not show that loss).

Make this with words like "you can win additional millions of $ with just an investment of 500 bucks" ... then their eyes will grow!

And with a similar calculation show them how much they can win with a 400$ investment of your software you need, show them that you can handle a project much faster compared to manual work, show them that they can get things a few days faster finished (with higher quality as you know already the results from the past). Sometimes comparing things with cars (as that is a special emotional thing) is great ... like until now I drove a car to do my work, now I don't get the fuel paid and I have to ride with a horse to customers to ship something ... that result how much can be shipped using a horse compared to a car makes it clear that the investment of fuel (or softwaretools) are a win-win situation.

The only problem with that XLS/DOC/PPT is whom you have to show this papers, on one side persons you trust (seems like these are not the people making your IT-budget), but the topmost managers (and not one single person) should get this info about additional revenues. That is the most important decision.

If you do that or not, good luck anyway, - alfred -

[ampster40]

I can recall an Inventor user possibly by the name of Paul who asked many questions regarding designing ships or parts of in Inventor, but forget his last name - and searching isn't finding any posts of his. Any Inventor users over here recall who I am referring to and might be able to drop him a note?

[wispoxy]

I've never seen a thread with so many emotes as this one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My conversation in an alternate universe just for you.

> Management ----> Out of all the departments we would like to cut the IT department down

> Me -----------------> Are you an absolute F***ing Nut-case?

> Management ----> Excuse me? don't speak to me like that.

> Me -----------------> The fact that Technology is bringing in more money than anything else around the world, you sit there and speak of this non-sense. Sounds like you don't care if you have a job especially when something gets a little tough. At this rate, we're both gonna lose a job.

> Management ----> *Total Silence*

> Me -----------------> I can bring further ideas that can improve our output and income, but you need to listen.

> Management ----> After what you just said you expect me to listen?

> Me -----------------> Absolutely. So, we're gonna create a stong budget plan by adjusting... and ....

-------- Part 2 Coming soon -------- 

[Patchy]

No money for software

No paper or toner

Paying employee $500/month

Employeee is looking for ways to get things done

This company is heading for bankruptcy

TIME TO ABANDON SHIP

[darawork]

👇

[darawork]

👇

[darawork]

👇

[Anonymous]

I'm just a low level in the company I don't know anyone from management and don't have the confidence to speak to them about budgeting and stuff. The company was fined many times for software fraud because some employees installed some really expensive unlicensed software to improve their work. Company was fined 500k $ employees were terminated. It's total chaos here and the only people that have to gain are the subsidiaries that drain money for work done over and over again because of any mistakes or delays. Hope the yard will be sold and bought by some Germans or something to bring some order and work ethics up in here 🙂

[ToanDN]

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-------- Part 2 Coming soon -------- 

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You probably need to wait for the heat to sink in before laying out another argument plan.  If you can, bring it up to the high board rather than the IT crew and hope that they may have a wider view of the horizon.  If it still comes out like a boatwreck then you may consider jumping ship before you are too deep into the water.

[wispoxy]

Apparently

"Accountancy is where it's at. But we get to watch as they wrongly inhale caviar, off a gold dolphin. Some day. "

is the

free software solution for unfolding different shapes

This thread made total sense. Especially when it comes to the solution marked.

[Anonymous]

I misclicked from my mobile as i replied earlier and marked the solution.... and i'm not paid enough to care about these things anymore 🙂

I asked sudgested IT to install on a meta server 2 demo apps from here http://www.revcad.com/Sheet5/Products/products_0.html

Maybe if the designers will get the job done with that they will invest in some licenses.

But i really don't think so... because they already are over-budget from the last paper and toner orders and asked for more money.

And after 3-4 weeks of endless paperwork and financial meetings they will get rejected.

[ampster40]

While you may have mis-marked the solution - I believe you actually found the correct answer and many others here will agree!

[johnteng00]

solid3dtech.com has the tools to unfold different shapes.

[darawork]

☝️

[RobDraw]

Sorry, as much as like spam with breakfast, this just doesn't cut it.

Reported.