Adding curvature to sheet metal with existing bends

[mhurdle27]

I am trying to update some 2-D drawings into 3-D models using Fusion 360 for ease of access to the metal supplier/bender company whom gives us the formed metal to the drawings. Most of the parts are straight pieces of sheet metal with some bends at the ends to make a "U-shaped" channel, which I have figured out using the bend feature in sheet metal. 

However, this one part I am converting has the same side U-shape side profile but the part is curved along the entire length of the part and I am not sure how to go about doing this...

When I try to use the bend function along the centre line, I get an error due to the other existing bends colliding with this new bend. I can take the flat piece and bend it along the centre line but when I try to do the other bends for the U-shape side profile, I get the same error...

I have also tried to extrude the part out from the curved top profile, but then I cant seem to bend the top and bottom edges outward to give me the desired U-shape channel side profile. 

Is there a feature in Fusion that I am missing? Or is doing this type of curvature not in the capacity of the bend feature or in the sheet metal design area at all? 

[davebYYPCU]

Not in Sheet Metal, but modelled as finished part is Sweep or Revolve.  

Might help.....

[g-andresen · Accepted solution]

Hi,

try this and follow the timeline

1. Create a simple sheet metal body with the desired profile.
2. unfold this body
3. connect the unfolded body to the target body > combine > target body = sheetmetal body
4. unfold the combined body
5. separate the bodies with Cut body

Screencast

günther

[mhurdle27]

This worked to model the part, thank you very much. 

However, I still have one concern which is now when I try to unfold the part, the side profile bends are not being consider as bends anymore? My main goal is to be able to show the 3-D part but also have the bend lines on a flat sheet of metal for the part supplier. Could this be related to which body/component is being attached to the other? Or does attaching anything to another override those previous bends and considers the already bent side profile as an unbended part? 

I'm sure I just need to mess around with the work flow, but if you have any ideas it would be much appreciated. 

Thanks again for the help.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@mhurdle27 wrote:

 My main goal is to be able to show the 3-D part but also have the bend lines on a flat sheet of metal for the part supplier. 

…but if you have any ideas it would be much appreciated. 

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Autodesk Inventor Professional - Contoured Roll

or

Autodesk MeshMixer - Unwrap.

But in any case, your part supplier should be able to figure out how to make the part from the finished form dimensions (which is what you should be giving them anyhow).  The finished form dimensions are the critical dimensions.