How to Unroll Iges to make flat DXFs in Fusion?

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

Here is my next major problem to sort out.

I have an iges file that I can open in Fusion 360. I have attached a fusion file with it in to this post.

It is the skins that have been designed to wrap around a 1:1 scale R2D2 build that can be made in aluminium or styrene. It has front and rear halves, outer and inner skins.

Here is how the Inner Skin is added to my wood frame and leg R2D2 build:

To create a set of files that I can get a laser cutter to cut, I am best using the rolled skin file and creating four dxfs from it. A Front Outer, a Front Inner, a Rear Outer and a Rear Inner Flat skin file. These can be sent to the laser cutter to cut out of 1mm aluminium.

So the main thing is, how do I create four dxfs from the rolled skin file, which I assume requires initial flattening of the rolled sections.

The reason its best to use the first file is because it has allowed the variation in size and position of the Outer and Inner Skins when lining cut outs up.

I hope this is clear what I am trying to do. I also apologise for the nature of the ige. It was done years ago and probably not the best of ways.

Feel free to ask more information if I have not been clear.

Kind Regards

Ian

[jodom4]

Hey ianhughes7UFVF,

Fusion doesn't currently have an unroll surface function, but you can get a faceted layout of this in Slicer that might make for a useful result. 

https://apps.autodesk.com/FUSION/en/Detail/Index?id=8699194120463301363&os=Win64&appLang=en

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

I would convert the components to Sheet Metal and then select Flat Pattern (for each).

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

Thanks for the suggestion. The first question is how do I convert it to sheet metal and then how do I select a flat pattern for this.

I haven't done this before, or is this where you change the properties of the material of the 3d drawing to the material you are after.

Sorry to ask.

Kind Regards

Ian

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

The thing about the skins, is in fusion they seem to be made up of a Body that is made up of unstiched parts.

I imagine it would need to be made into one rigid component to be workable and that I have no idea of how to do.

Hopefully I am not on the wrong path here.

I was trying to post the original IGES of the skin here but it seems to not be able to be loaded.

Kind Regards

Ian

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

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@ianhughes7UFVF wrote:

I was trying to post the original IGES of the skin here but it seems to not be able to be loaded.

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It is really very simple once you know the tricks of converting imported geometry to Fusion Sheet Metal.  I suspect that @jodom4 was thinking stl rather than igs.

If you are on Windows OS machine - then right click on the *.igs file and select Send to Compressed (zipped) Folder and then you can attach the resulting *.zip file here.  Not sure how that is done on a Mac OS.

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

Sorry, I am a bit of a dim wit. The files came as zip files, I should have thought of that first up.

Here they are.

Kind Regards

Ian

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

I also found I can provide these as step files too.

Kind Regards

Ian

[ianhughes7UFVF]

Hi

Sorry to bother you again. You seem to have a good idea on how to deal with the rolled skin problem I have.

I am keen to convert these to DXFs so that I can create a set of aluminium skins, as there are no local suppliers of these other than in the States.

I was wondering if you could look at the files and see if you can direct me on how to exactly make them able to be unrolled and saved as dxfs so that I can then work on them to be laser cut.

Initially I was going to print them scaled in paper so I can use them as check templates for the frame I am working on.

I hope you can help.

Kind Regards

Ian