Lofted flange creation failed

[rckmayh]

Hi, I am using Inventor professional 2018 student version, self taught. I drew a hopper in sheet metal, using 0.125 SS. Its a replica of an actual hopper that I am working on. The aim of the project is to reduce the depth of the hopper and retrofit it to have a smaller outlet port.  When I tried creating the loft flange between the truncated hopper and the new port sketch I get a creation fault (as shown). I have tried several times but cannot figure out where I am going wrong. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Note: My apology if there is a solution for this issue already in this forum however I haven't found it yet.

[Thomas_Savage]

Hello @rckmayh

Do you have a drawing with sizes you need?

If so Personally i would start a new model with all sheet metal features.

You have not fully constrained Sketch 8 either.

If you have a drawing with sizes i will model this up for you with sheet metal features. So you can see how to create this part.

You can see from my printscreen other problems where the Lofted Flange comes to a point.

Thomas.

[rckmayh]

ok. Thank you for responding. I will send you a drawing with the dimensions shortly.

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@Thomas_Savagewrote:

Hello @rckmayh

Do you have a drawing with sizes you need?

If so Personally i would start a new model with all sheet metal features.

You have not fully constrained Sketch 8 either.

If you have a drawing with sizes i will model this up for you with sheet metal features. So you can see how to create this part.

You can see from my printscreen other problems where the Lofted Flange comes to a point.

Thomas.

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[TheCADWhisperer]

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@rckmayhwrote:

.... self taught. .....

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There are quite a few beginner mistakes in your design (starting with Sketch1).

Did you use the auto-dimension tool (if so, forget that you ever saw it).

Have you gone through the Tutorials?

I am busy this weekend - but will try to come back with constructive instructions sometime next week if someone else doesn't pick up this thread.

Edit:  Looks like @Thomas_Savage is on the case.

[Anonymous]

I think it's probably the radius on the corners of your profiles hanging it up.

The corners will end up with a radius if you start with pointed ones anyhow.

I'd probably start from new profiles that are full constrained as well.

See Screencast.

[rckmayh]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

No Problem,

Just remember that you can't make a flat pattern of a multi-body part, so you'll need to push the bodies to separate parts.

[rckmayh]

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@Thomas_Savagewrote:

Hello @rckmayh

Do you have a drawing with sizes you need?

If so Personally i would start a new model with all sheet metal features.

You have not fully constrained Sketch 8 either.

If you have a drawing with sizes i will model this up for you with sheet metal features. So you can see how to create this part.

You can see from my printscreen other problems where the Lofted Flange comes to a point.

Thomas.

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Please see attached dimensions for hopper. Material is stainless steel .125 thick. Should you need any other info please let me know. Thanks again.

[rckmayh]

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@Anonymouswrote:

I think it's probably the radius on the corners of your profiles hanging it up.

The corners will end up with a radius if you start with pointed ones anyhow.

I'd probably start from new profiles that are full constrained as well.

See Screencast.

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Thank you so much. I am going to go through each step in order to understand it and hopefully learn the technique.

[rckmayh]

Hey,

Thanks. I got this and understood exactly how you did this however please see the original hopper attached. This is what I started with. I was able to take measurements from the actual hopper to create it but I want to know, Using sheet metal ipt. could I have created this part as one piece using the lofted flange application and still somehow achieve the same press brake lines as shown, if I only had the inlet and outlet profiles (which in this cause are rectangles). What addition step would I have to take if I want the final outcome as attached. I am asking these questions as if someone had asked me to design this hopper with the press brake bends with the rectangular inlet and outlet. What would be the right approach?. I hope you can help.

Note: I had created this hopper from sheet metal ipt. but used measurements and the fold option. Funny after I folded it I couldn't get it to unfold.