Sheet metal, help making a unique bend

[4thAxis]

I have a sheet metal strip I want to follow the edge of this bent sheet metal, but I can't figure out how to bend it around the curve while keeping the width of the strip relatively the same. I could sweep the cross section of the strip, but I am guessing that will make it impossible to create a flat pattern. it may be impossible anyway.. the angle of the existing strips relative to the body need to stay as they are. file attached.

 

 

[cadman777]

I can't read your ipt files w/my older version of Inventor.

Do you have customer drawings in pdf or some generic 3d model file format like STEP or IGES?

[JDMather]

 You need to Derive this into two separate files.

Most of you sketches are not fully defined?

[IgorMir]

There are couple of ways to get it done. As Jeffrey has pointed out - you will need to derive the base model into a new file and create the strips in there. One at a time.
In the attached files (IV2020 format) I have mimicked the design. In your case - it could be easier to create the stripes, I think. But anyway - the top stripe is created using combinations of Sweep and Loft. The bottom one is using Sweep only.

The bottom stripe is unholdable by Sheet metal FP. The FP for the top one can be created using Unwrap tool.
Cheers,

Igor.

[cadman777]

Now I see what you want to accomplish.

From my experience it's impossible to make an unfoldable sheetmetal flatbar strip that follows the edge of that sheetmetal part. The reason is because the flatbar strip would be multi-dimensional, which won't unfold.

The way the guys would do it in the shop is with flame and hammer.

I'd get them a strip that's close to what it should be, and then they would work it to fit the curvature and get it close to right but it wouldn't be perfect. The only way to get it perfect is to press-form it which would deform the flatbar strip.

My first attempt would be to make this flatbar flange like Igor says.

Or you can do it the hard way using surfaces, and then thicken them as a Stitched unified surface.

[IgorMir]

If a face of the strip is parallel to the Origin plane (for example) - then you could try this way. Please see the attached IV2020 files.

Cheers,

Igor.