Create sheet metal chute from solid block

[GC_CC]

Hello,

I am currently looking for new 3D modelling software and Fusion caught my attention. I am trying the 30 days free trial at the moment, so I am fairly new.

I am trying to find a way to turn an odd shaped solid block into a sheet metal assembly for production.

First I create a component with multiple bodies to get the shape I want.

Then I combine the bodies into 1 body, I use shell to make it hollow, then convert the component into a sheet metal part. But now I am stuck and can't find any tutorials on this.

How do I continue to split the part into sheets for production? Or maybe I am using a totally wrong approach to design this in Fusion.

Red lines should be cut (so we can weld them) and green lines would be bent. The chute would be 4 metal sheets welded together in this example.

I have designed odd shaped chutes in the past using PTC Creo Direct Elements Direct and would like to be able to create the same.

 

I have added the .f3d start file with the solid block as an attachment.

Any help would be appreciated.

[davebYYPCU]

If not using Sheetmetal, with a library metal rule? then 

You did not Shell, so what wall thickness is involved.

This should be modelled as a surface body, filleted with bend radius, and then thickened so the conversion can take place.

Each real world part needs to be a component (3) to obtain the 3 flat patterns efficiently.  4th side is not going to be bent.  

If it were me, I would make it one piece (top block can unfold) and weld the 4 lower portion seams.

Might help....

[Warmingup1953]

Is it in 2mm Metal? and why not this way? 

[user015M86Y]

HI, here is a proposal completely made with sheet metal

I realize 3 parts : main body and upper, lower bodies

I cut with thin space in order to create 3 flat pattern

Hope this help

[GC_CC]

Hey @davebYYPCU thanks for your reply. Could you send me your .f3d file you made please?

I tried your surface method (I think it is the correct way to design my chute) but I seem to get stuck. These were my steps:

First I placed 3 surface bodies on the front and stitched them together to get 1 surface.

Then the same for the right side.

Then I thickened both sides 2mm.

Then I added fillets for inside and outside bends of my right side.

Then I converted it to sheet metal and tried to unfold it, but because of the odd shape of my chute, it gives me problems in my bend area:

Could you send me in the right direction?

I attached my new file.

Thanks.

[GC_CC]

Hey @Warmingup1953 thanks for your help.

I know how to model it like you did, but I got stuck when I wanted to model it the way I sketched it in my first post.

I tried again and I got a pretty good solution for it, but it is a bit of a workaround I think.

First I design a big sheet on my starting block.

Then cut off all the excess material by projecting my starting block in my sketch.

Then I had to cut away all the small bend areas which was left.

See attached file to see what I did.

But all the corners looks nice and it can unfold properly. When I edit the starting block all the sheets update and follow the block, which is a very good thing.

   

If this could be done more professionally, please let me know.

If there was a similar way to select the corners of my starting block and choose to junction or make bends in sheet metal, that would be awesome.

See this example in BricsCAD: https://youtu.be/kLgaOzIzjg4?si=fQRyNUf6Ff2OfN8c

[GC_CC]

@user015M86Y thanks alot for responding.

Please read my other replies.

In the design you made there are some small problems where the pieces are interfering with eachother, but I'm sure it can be fixed.

I have seen the method of the thin cut like you did, but it is not really a way to construct these chutes in the real world since it would be impossible to bend the parts.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Will check later see if the file was saved, as I had no sheet metal rule, (thickness and bend detail) was free handed.  Sorry written before noticing your new file.  Will review it before another reply.

From solid block, establish

which way you would thicken (inside used or outside), 

material thickness

bend radius, 

how much you want to put in a (each) flat pattern.

For one Flat Pattern.

Surface > Create > Offset, set Zero distance, select the block.

Hide / Remove solid body.

Delete - top, bottom and any internal horizontal faces.

Fillet external horizontal bend seam as Bend Radius.

Fillet internal horizontal bend seam Bend Radius minus thickness.

Fillet all vertical seams with Bend Radius.

Decide where the open corner will be, and delete all the fillet faces for that seam

Delete all the vertical fillet faces not associated, with the top 4 vertical faces. (Red seams)

Creates the lower open seams. There are lots of them.

Thicken.

Got to Sheetmetal.
Convert to Sheetmetal.

Create your Flat pattern.

Edit:

Ok - my file was not saved. 

Solid body construction - should use Join for the loft. (result is 1 body)

Your file has the thicken and fillets out of timeline sequence order to work correctly.

When making hybrid sheetmetal bodies, the fillets must be created on the surface body before the Thicken, 

then the Convert and Flat Pattern will work.

Might help….

[user015M86Y]

Hi, interfernce mdified, double cut in order to achieve bend

[GC_CC]

Thanks alot!
I used the Offset command instead of Patch which works faster.
Adding the fillets before the Thicken command gave me the result I wanted, I am now able to unfold the 4 sheet metal sides.
Modifying the start block updates all the sheets perfectly. This is what I needed.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! This is quite easy to do in Fusion. You just need to focus on the chute body. Add the fillets to the sharp edges (to control the gap width). Then create a zero-offset surface body. Lastly, thicken the connected faces logically.

Many thanks!