Need help with adding text to a surface of a spiral container. Can you use sweep?

[johnday29]

I have added a photo of my project and the container is shown along with the spiral body that I used to sweep along when I extruded my container body.  I would like to add text by cut along the outside surface of this container along one of the faces.  Is there anyway to do this?

 

[jhackney1972]

You need to attach your model so the forum users can assist you. Also, you need to define "one of the faces"? 

[johnday29]

What file format did you want?

[johnday29]

along the blue highlighted face

 

[jhackney1972]

You did not attach your model?  If you do not know how, open the model, select File -> Export and save to your hard drive.  Then use the Attachment section in the forum post to attach it.  It should be a .f3d file.

[johnday29]

Here is the file. Thanks

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

The basic idea is to create a new sheet metal body just inside the surface of the main body to create your text on.  The reason is a that a sheet metal body can be unfolded, text added to it, and then refolded to make curved text.  I really had no method of locating the text except trial and error.  It is locked in place, at this time, but by removing two sketch constraints, can be moved.  If you Edit the sketch, last sketch in the timeline, you can change the text to anything you like within a reasonable length.  The extrusion, just after the sketch, determines how much the text sticks out of the main body.  To finish off the model, I should have combined the sheet metal body and the container body but I did not so you could see what I did.  The Screencast is a quick run through of the process and I have attached your modified model with a different name.

[jhackney1972]

The basic idea is to create a sheet metal body, which can be unfolded, and text added to it then refolded to make curved text.  This sheet metal body is buried just inside the outside surface of your model.  I will attach your modified model with a different name.  In the Screencast I quickly go through the steps to create the text.  If you Edit the last text in the timeline you can change the text to anything you desire within reason.  To make the text stick out further from the container, edit the extrusion right after the sketch.  I should have combined the sheet metal body into the container but I did not to allow you to walk through the timeline for understanding.

[jhackney1972]

You could also add an Appearance to the sheet metal body to make the text show up better.

[wmhazzard · Accepted solution]

Working from what @jhackney1972 did, I came up with a way to locate the text a little better. Basically I made a body that I used to cut the sheet metal body so you can accurately place the text. You can follow the timeline to see what I did. 

[johnday29]

You are both rock-stars.  Thanks again for all the help this probably saved me days of extra research that was already not yielding much!!!!

Thanks again!

[johnday29]

While I am still having a hard time wrapping my brain around this, as I have never used the sheet metal tools, I was wondering if there is a way to make the text cut into the container vs protrude from the container.  I have played around with the files you shared but have had no luck getting it to cut vs join.  Thanks again for all the help you have been a true life/time saver.

John

[wmhazzard]

There might be a better way but this how I would cut the letters in. Basically what I wanted to do is split the surface of the container and then offset the faces of the letters in to cut. What I had to do to get that done was to edit the extrude that put the letters onto the sheet metal body and instead of join, I used cut, and cut into the sheet metal body, but not through. 

Then I created an offset surface, at zero offset, of the grooved area around the letters, then used the new ruled surface tool to extend the letters as surfaces. This part is a little tedious as you have to do one letter at a time. I then could split the surface of the container with the letter surfaces and offset the letters inwards. 

 Autodesk is working on an emboss tool which will eventually make lettering much easier.

[johnday29]

So I am trying to recreate this from scratch but I must be missing a step. I have the new sheet metal body but can't figure out how to unfold it.  When i go to the unfold command it wants me to select a stationary entity and a bend but I cant find either that are selectable.

[johnday29]

Ok, I finally got the unfold and can now recreate what the original 2 helpers did, going to luck at the cut files now, thanks again.