Inventor Sheet Metal Defaults

[jdavis97]

I have purchased the Inventor Flat Pattern DXF export program from the Autodesk exchange store, and, when using models I have created,  it has produced excellent results. The issue I am having is when a customer supplies models of their parts (for us to manufacture) that do not use my sheet metal styles (using the appropriate bend tables, k-factor, ect.), I cannot find a way to change the sheet metal defaults the customer used when creating the parts and change them over to mine to produce the part with the correct bend compensations in batch. 

Essentially, I am provided with a folder of Inventor (.ipt) models that were created using Inventor's sheet metal defaults, which are not close enough for what I need. Short of going into each individual file (in this case, several hundred) and applying our .styxml file, is there a way for me to change the sheet metal defaults in all files within a folder?

I feel like there is an easy way to do this, but everywhere I have looked thus far to find a solution/workaround has come up empty. This will be a major time consumption if I have to go in and do this manually. 

Thank you in advance, and I look forward to hearing your responses!

Jordan

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Is this about the need to change sheet metal rules and unfold rules in multiple sheet metal parts? You may be able to leverage Styles Library workflows to push the updated styles to individual parts. However, it depends on the required change. Please share an example that exhibits the requirement.

Many thanks!

[jdavis97]

Essentially, I have been provided a folder containing sheet metal parts modeled as .03125" thick stainless steel that use the default sheet metal unfold rules (see screenshot). 

I am then going into the file and applying the our sheet metal rules (the .styxml file).

This then gives me the option of choosing, using our unfold rules, the correct material (20 gauge stainless in this case.)

When I select the desired material, everything updates (the thickness of the material marginally changes to match the exact thickness of the 20 gauge, and it uses our unfold rules).

I can now save the file and export as a dxf (using the program I mentioned earlier).

My question: Can I automate going into each file, importing our sheet metal defaults, assigning the material type/thickness, and saving the file? From that point, I can load it into the program I mentioned earlier and have perfectly accurate flat patterns within minutes... not the days it would take me to do each of these steps manually in the several hundred files I have been provided.

I hope I have been clear in my explanation, and I truly appreciate any help anyone is able to provide. I have begun trying to incorporate Inventor more into my workflow as I am seeing some its more powerful features, but I seem to occasionally run into some road blocks when it comes to finding efficient ways of doing very repetitive tasks that I all but assume must be common in industry and Inventor is capable of automating. 

Thank you,

Jordan

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi! I think there is a way to do it. If you are familiar with Styles Library workflow, here is what you need to do.

1) Open a sheet metal part and save the sheet metal rules back to the Styles Library (if the latest style is there already, skip this step).

2) Install DrawingTools in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Autodesk\Inventor 20xx\SDK\.

3) Start up a new drawing and go to Add-Ins -> Batch Update Styles -> select the sheet metal files -> Ok.

The library styles will be pushed down to the parts. Please note that all styles (text, sheet metal, and lighting) will be updated.

Many thanks!

[jdavis97]

Thank you! That did exactly what I needed!