Trying to learn sheet metal ... no unconsumed sketches problem!

[agordon]

I am very familiar with F360, but I am attempting to solve a sheet metal problem (now s/metal in F360 yet).

I am attempting to "unfold" the shape below and get "No unconsumed sketches on the part".  I've searched in vain to find an answer, and watched several S/metal videos, but still don't have a clue how to proceed.

The Flange was exported from Rhinocad as a STEP file, and imported in Inventor Pro17.  I've attached the ipt file.

Appreciate any advice!

[mdavis22569]

I think you need to thicken it and make it a solid and not a surface

[Mark.Lancaster]

@agordon

When sharing files and posting, you should always indicate what version of Inventor this file was created with or last saved in..  In your case its Inventor 2017.  

Disregard what I just said..  I missed the part about importing it into Inv Pro 2017.  My bad.. 

Secondly as @mdavis22569 pointed out..  This is just a surface, its not a solid so Inventor Sheet Metal is unable to work with just surfaces.

[mdavis22569]

Happy dance ... I was right about something today ....

:smileyvery-happy:        

[agordon]

Thanks Mark (and MDavis).  I trying not to sound dumb as a rock, but I'm guessing I must be ... I have tried every link in the sheet metal tab to try and extrude the surface with no success (just lots of No unconsumed etc.!).

[Curtis_Waguespack · Accepted solution]

Hi agordon,

Look on the 3D Model tab as shown here. Also be sure to set the Distance to "Thickness" which is pre-named the parameter that the sheet metal file uses to determine the metal thickness.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[TheCADWhisperer]

Thicken, not extrude (same as in Fusion) and it is not on the sheet metal tab (same as not in Fusion  ).

Look on the 3D modeling tab.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Curtis_Waguespack

I will not comment on your highlighting but are you modeling "Pringles" (chips) now?   

[agordon]

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@Curtis_Waguespack wrote:

Hi agordon,

Look on the 3D Model tab as shown here. Also be sure to set the Distance to "Thickness" which is pre-named the parameter that the sheet metal file uses to determine the metal thickness.

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Worked like a dream!  Just got to try and work out how to unfold the darned thing!  (and it does look like a pringle!)

[Curtis_Waguespack]

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@Mark.Lancaster wrote:

I will not comment on your highlighting but are you modeling "Pringles" (chips) now?   

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That was supposed to be melba toast. I'm doing a Chex-Mix assembly for the weekend.

[PaulMunford]

Hi agordon. Inventor may not be able to unfold the part if is made up of undevelopable geometry.

I wrote an explanation in this post that you might find helpful?

https://graitec.co.uk/blog/entry/autodesk-inventor-sheet-metal-flat-pattern-success-every-time

[agordon]

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@PaulMunford wrote:
Hi agordon. Inventor may not be able to unfold the part if is made up of undevelopable geometry.

I wrote an explanation in this post that you might find helpful?

https://graitec.co.uk/blog/entry/autodesk-inventor-sheet-metal-flat-pattern-success-every-time

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Paul,  you are correct, the shape will not develop into a flat pattern, and after reading your blog (VERY helpful!), I think it fails because it is a partial sphere and so is curved in all directions and fails the straight edge rule.

I'm guessing that creating a sketch of the flange in inventor (it has a large concentric hole in finished form), and then (somehow?) projecting that sketch to the surface of the object drawn might have more success?  Or am I back in the weeds of a complex curved surface?

[PaulMunford]

Hi agordon,

I tried to extrapolate the curvature from your file, but it so far away from any of the origin planes as to be unusable 😞 (Perhaps if you moved it in Rhino and re exported?

Anyway - I have built a part in Inventor that is similar, take a look at how it's built - I hope that you find it useful?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[agordon]

Hi Paul, out of the office for a few days, so unable to thank you for your efforts.  I really appreciate you taking the time to show how a domed surface can be created in Inventor.  I'm learning alot about the SM commands: I now know a little more about the Contour flange one!

My goal with this post was to see if I could develop a flat pattern that could then be CNC machined.  I realize after posting a followup targeting the flat pattern issue that any shape with curves in more than one direction cannot be "flattened"!  Back to the drawing board ... perhaps, where I know how to do this! (the "orange peel" development process).

[PaulMunford]

No worries. Keep at it. Keep focused on the end goal, and let us know if we can be any help : D