Unfold Complex Surface

[Anonymous]

Can anyone help here? I'm trying to create a flat pattern on the attached windsail. Surfaces have been generated using MODEL commands & a thicken offset command of 1mm. I've then converted to sheetmetal & set the default thickness. I know Inventor can have issues with parts created outside of the Sheetmetal environment!

Does anybody know of perhaps any add-ins or third party software that could possibly handle this?

i'm using Inventor 2018 btw. Thanks in advance Glen

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@jacques wrote:

Well, I tried this, input was a shape measuring roughly 1.2mX0.6m...

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I don't know where you get these dimensions?  (Image below shown in Meters - your original file.)

BTW - If I use the older technique - I get 2.685M x 0.997M

iProperties would seem to indicate that you have not installed the Updates for 2020.

Unwrap is new in 2020.

[jacques]

Interesting, I'll take a look at your post next week and see if we can replicate. As to the dimensions, your dimensions are correct.

[rjstrock]

That Meshmixer is garbage. I've only gotten it to unwrap something one time. I wish they would just add a decent tool to Fusion for flattening shapes. I do a lot of paint masks for automotive parts, and they always send me solid models that are convex. I always wind up having to cut and measure my own templates.

[JDMather]

@rjstrock 

This is an old thread - at the time it was started there was no Unwrap tool in Inventor.

Unwrap is an approximation.

You should post in the Fusion forum to let your preferences known about that software..

[amini.mhd94]

Hi

I have some surface like that, I followed your instructions but when I try to save as *.stl it says: "No valid solid bodies to output to STL file"

How should I fix this?

[kacper.suchomski]

A surface can be converted to a solid using the Thicken tool.

[amini.mhd94]

Yes, but Meshmixer can not unwrap it! When I try to unwrap it in meshmixer
the solid turns red.
In the video, the solid must not be visible.

[JDMather]

@amini.mhd94 

I no longer have access to Autodesk Inventor.

You will have to Attach example files here to get help from the experts.

[hfcandrew]

I've never NOT been able to unwrap something in Meshmixer. Sometimes you just need to remesh it first to a higher density. Can you attach your .stl

[johnsonshiue]

Hi @JDMather,

Another way to gain access to Inventor is to sign up Inventor Feedback Community (https://autode.sk/InventorBeta). The latest internal build is available in a virtual executable or an install-free browser-based environment or downloadable install package.

Many thanks!

[amini.mhd94]

The attached file is the part I want to be flattened

[JDMather]

@amini.mhd94 

Do you see it here?

Must use the web browser forum to Attach files, not email reply.

[amini.mhd94]

OK

[JDMather]

@amini.mhd94 

I do not see an Unwrap feature in the file that you Attached?

Hide the Solid Body.

Run the Unwrap command in Inventor (don't need MeshMixer for this).

Thicken New Solid if desired.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

@amini.mhd94 , what version of Inventor are you using? It looks like your file was last saved with Inventor 2016, the Unfold tool was first available in Inventor 2021 , so you might not have it in your version.

If you do have a Inventor 2021 or later, the Unwrap tool is located as shown:

[amini.mhd94]

I use 2016, it does not have unwrap tool, that's why I tried to unwrap it
by Meshmixer.

[JDMather]

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@amini.mhd94 wrote:
I use 2016, it does not have unwrap tool, that's why I tried to unwrap it
by Meshmixer.

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@amini.mhd94 

I was able to Unwrap in MeshMixer, not sure how long it took (several minutes, it was slow so I went to other work and came back).

Original curved surface and resulting unwrapped surface.

[amini.mhd94]

Nice!

But how?

I followed your instructions but when I try to save as *.stl it says: "No
valid solid bodies to output to STL file"

[JDMather]

@amini.mhd94 

Try File>Export instead and set the output to stl.  (That video was made years ago and the software has changed.)

[amini.mhd94]

I still get the same error