Bent round parts

[Anonymous]

What does everyone find the easiest way to make a bent round part? I know the question seems like, whoa, Is this guy serious? Yes I am. There seems to be no way to create a bent piece of round and then make a flat out of it when clearly there are bent round pieces that can be found in industry everywhere. I even created a 1in square in which I swept to make a round thinking I would be able to unbend it. Not the case. So I guess my question is: How do I make a flat pattern in either sheet metal or standard out of round stock without having to create both the finished part and a dummy part that represents my flat?

Looking forward to the responses.

[Jon.Dean]

I may not have understood you fully, but what about using the Frame Generator?

You can create a sketch, define the curve you require and Frame Generator will bend the channel or square bar to follow it (see attached image).

[Jon.Dean]

Obviously using this method, you would not be able to flattern it.

[JDMather]

There was a workaround posted here years ago, but very limited, not robust - and it was a workaround.
If I get some time the next couple of weeks I might revisit this obvious problem.

[Anonymous]

Yeah that is the problem in general is being able to get the flat pattern The company I work for requires a flat for all bent parts to display the dev. length. The one solution that seems to work and requires the least amount of work is creating flat spots on the round and then using those flats to host a sketch with the appropriate bending dimensions.

[Anonymous]

Was it "Bending Angle Iron" on www.mcadforums.com ?

http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5356&hilit=bent+angle+iron

Mike

[Anonymous]

why dont you just tell them the developed length in the parts list, Volume/CSA

[Anonymous]

This is another case where Level of Detail in parts would help. Then you could use the Bend Part tool to bend a straight stock part, and then just suppress the feature in the unbent view in the drawing, and keep it all in one part file

And before anyone suggests using iParts for this, that will not keep it all in 1 part file and i t will result in extra folders, etc. iParts have their place but they are not the same as the concept of part level LODs.

FWIW, I use derived parts for this kind of thing:

the stock part saved unbent, in the purchased length, and has no notches or holes

then it's derived into another part and bent, drilled and cut to length as needed.

this allows us to start off with the same stock part again, and derive a new part with different bends, holes lengths

but you still end up with two part files, and it's still difficult to show bend locations

LODs for parts would be a huge help with this workflow (and others).

[Anonymous]

I always forget about LOD's I try to stay away from them with what i am doing due to the nature in which our assemblies are constructed. I do see this as a viable option.

[Anonymous]

just to be clear there is no such thing as LODs in parts.

I think I was a bit unclear about that in my other post.

but this has been a long standing request though, and would help with this if AD were to allow it.

[coreyparks]

This is how I have worked aroud this in the past.  Not quite round but really, really close.  Both these use sheetmetal to get the flat but only one is a true sheetmetal part.  Maybe this will help.

[blair]

Last summer there was an article on publishing Sheet-Metal into CC for Frame Generator. Either a Pod-Cast or on the web. I think Cohen "Inventor Evangelist". There was a couple of steps that needed to be followed.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Last summer there was an article on publishing Sheet-Metal into CC for Frame Generator. Either a Pod-Cast or on the web. I think Cohen "Inventor Evangelist". There was a couple of steps that needed to be followed.

---

ahhh, I forgot all about that!

Here it is:

http://ellipsis-autodesk.typepad.com/blog/2009/08/more-frame-generator-goodness.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ff9yIVNAa4

but I'm not sure this what the OP is asking about, is it?

I thought the issue involved things such round bar or tube steel being roll formed, and getting a drawing showing them in the formed and pre-formed state to be able to dimension cut length and show the bend locations, etc.

[IgorMir]

If it is a standard stock (pipe, squares) you need to bend and get the overall length of it - then dimension every segment of sketch (apply driven dimension if needed). In parameter DB create a user parameter and put the sum of all the segments length in there. Export this parameter and you are done.

For the sheet metal round bend profiles - you will have to wait untold period of time till the flat pattern will be developed enough to get you what you ask for.

Regards,

Igor.

[IgorMir]

Dimension every segment of sketch, which controls the pass for the profile, that's it. I didn't say it clearly in the original post, sorry.

Igor.