What is the besst way to curve/bend a complex body?

[paramax55]

I am trying to model the main wing spar for the F4U Corsair fighter plane from the 1940's. The Spar is like an I-beam, built up from many different parts. My first part is the cap at the top of the spar. It is a fairly complex shape that was manufactured by, first, taking a flat strap of aluminum, cutting a bunch of stuff in it, then bending it in a roller so it matches the iconic gull-wing shape. That's the approach I am taking here. I have most of the cuts in mine, and I have the reference curve modeled, but I'm really not sure how to bend this object to match the curve.

[davebYYPCU]

Sheet Metal - Create the curved blank, unfold it and cut your shape, then refold it.

Actual steps to do that process have some pitfalls to be wary of.  Your file has many of those pitfalls, 

When the tabs are tapered in thickness and curved, part is not constant thickness.

Sheet metal is not an option.

Might help....

[paramax55]

I have seen a couple of videos like this one, but I can not find the bend part command in my tools. How is this guy doing this? It should do exactly what I need:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/how-to-model-bends-in-fusion-360/td-p/7554...

[davebYYPCU]

Fusion does not have the Bend tool that exists in Inventor.

You model is further advanced with those cuts and sweeps than Sheet Metal can tolerate.

If you were to create the curved surface and thicken, as per original video, we can now under certain conditions, flatten it, make profile changes and then save sketches before refolding it.

As far as I can see you are modelling tapered thickness, and bend trenches etc, that Sheet metal can't handle.

Might help....

[paramax55]

I see now that the CAD Whisperer was using Autodesk Inventor. Why would Autodesk have one program with the "bend" tool, but Fusion 360 doesn't? The code exists... It's obviously useful, otherwise it wouldn't exist in Inventor... It must work similar to the "sweep" command... I'm confused.

[davebYYPCU]

You don't think the subscription rates between the two are not having an impact on functions?

[paramax55 · Accepted solution]

I got something done that I am sure has lost accuracy. I used sweep to make a bent beam first. Then I made all of my cuts. It would never work for real life, but I think it's as close as I am going to get with Fusion 360.