Creating sheet metal flat patterns from multi body parts

[dinomyar]

I have looked at the steps specified to create the flat patterns from sheet metal parts in a multi body and I am not clear on some things. Is the only way to do this is to separate out each part in the multibody and make separate files from each one (with or without the assembly)? Then open each one, and create the flat pattern for it? Then save the flat pattern to a DXF file? Can I not create the flat pattern from the multibody itself without the additional files?

If the user changes one part in a multibody does every part have to be extracted to get the flat pattern changes? Can the base plane for the flat pattern be specified in the multibody itself, or does this have to be done in the separate file?

Can this be automated, as I am a developer with an add-in for extracting the flat patterns, without any user interaction? Does the separate files have to be kept, and if so do they automatically update when the original model Is changed?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Yes, indeed, when there is more than one solid body in a sheet metal part, the flat pattern is not supported within the sheet metal part. You will need to use Make Components command to push each solid to an individual part. Please take a look the following discussion thread.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/inventor-sheet-metal-flat-pattern-from-body-with-overr...

Many thanks!

[S_May]

HI @dinomyar,

zeigen sie uns bitte ein Bild!

[dinomyar]

My main question is can it be automated? I cannot find any way to run the make components command through the API, and it has to be without any user interaction.

[Thomas_Savage]

Hello @dinomyar

You can automate most of it through iLogic. I did this a few years ago. Took quite a while to set up though.

I will try find my old files to show you how i did it.

Thomas.

[dinomyar]

I looked through the iLogic help and I don't think it could work in a generic way that would work with every multi-body part created by every user in the world. This would have to be generic enough that any user could open up a part to manufacture, that was possibly created by some other company, and extract the flat patterns. This would also have to include the relevant information for each part to track during the manufacturing process, I.e Part numbers, material, thickness etc.

I also didn't see any way to extract the flat patterns from multi body parts, but that was probably deeper in the help than I looked.

If you do find your example and post it I will look at it to see if it can be adapted.