Error Converting to Sheet Metal

[jeruedas]

Having issues with converting this solid shape to sheet metal. Not sure why it gives me the error of "Can't calculate body thickness......." The shape is a bit unusual, but I think it has flat surfaces. Any help will be appreciated.

[dan.banach]

Hi @jeruedas 

Thanks for posting your question. Instead of creating a solid and converting it, I used the Flange tool. Here is what I did.

1. I inserted the DXF on to a sketch
2. Deleted the other geometry
3. Clicked the Sheet Metal tab and set the Sheet Metal Rule to Inch and a thickness to .125"
4. Used the FLange tool to create the solid.

Attached is my f3d.  Hope this helps.

-Dan

[dan.banach]

Hi @jeruedas 

I also used the Flange Tool to convert the second profile to a Sheet Metal part. It's still flat but it's a sheet metal part.

Hope this helps.

-Dan

[jeruedas]

Hi dan.banach, Thanks for looking into my issue with the file. Not sure what happened with my file, it seems that you did not get the file I wanted to send to the forum. The object I need to flatten is this one in the photo. I am attaching here the correct DFX. Thanks again for your help. 

[dan.banach · Accepted solution]

hI @jeruedas 

Thanks for posting the new file. I believe this model won't convert to a sheet metal part because it doesn't have a uniform bend, this looks like it would be a formed part. To create a flat, I opened the file in Inventor and used the Unwrap command. You could also look at using an add-on such as Exact Flat Online.

Attached is the unwrapped file in a Fusion 360 format. It contains two solid bodies and a surface body as shown in the image.

Hope this helps.

-Dan

[jeruedas]

Hi dan.banach,

Thanks for your help. This works for me. The file I send you was an Emboss to an oval ball I designed, maybe in the process got twisted more than I want it. I design Sound Sculptures. I am attaching my rough sketch here. I am making it out of wood. I was planning in using my CNC to cut the Slit (what attaches to the ball), but it got impossible since I do not have a 5D CNC, I have what the company call a 4D CNC, that is a 3D CNC with a lathe feature. So I decided to make the patterns to make the hand carving easy. That is why I needed help with converting curves to flat 2D drawing. I cut the patterns in my CNC and use to draw the profile in the wood block. Very time consuming, but fun and old school, LOL.

Thanks again for your great help.