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Flattening a 3D solid

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
amber_baysinger
1294 Views, 12 Replies

Flattening a 3D solid

I am drawing a column and I need to flatten out a section of it to get true size and shape to constructe a template.

Any help is appreciated.

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger

Your sketches are not constrained.

I recommend you start here.

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/SkillsUSA%20University.pdf

 

Then I would use the technique presented here (or something very similar)

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/How-to-draw-segment-elbow-90-degrees-and-create-Flat...

 

You should also install Service Pack 1.1

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=20442029&linkID=9242019


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Message 3 of 13
amber_baysinger
in reply to: JDMather

Thanks! I'll take a look. I also have a different take on what I need in another file. Would there be anything I could do to make it flattened to create a template? Thanks, again.
Message 4 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger

You were missing so many dimensions it is nearly impossible to figure out your design intent, but - check the Flat Pattern in this file.


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Message 5 of 13

In my last message I don't think that the file got uploaded. This is the exact piece that I need. I know there are no dimensions, to get the piece I needed I had to delete the constraints. It is the correct size however.

Message 6 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger


@Amber_troyer wrote:

....to get the piece I needed I had to delete the constraints.


I don't understand that workflow.


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Message 7 of 13

I can re-draw the part and show step by step what I did to get, would that help?

 

Message 8 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger

I think you will need to explain the design intent.

Looking at your model I personally have no confidence that I know what you are trying to achieve or that you are using the correct technique.  That spline looks like a bit of a mess to me.  Is the surface really a revolution?  What is the purpose of the empty 3D sketch?  Why isn't the circle in Sketch2 at the origin?

 

If this must be a Revolve rather than an Extrude - you will not be able to Flatten in Inventor.

You will need some 3rd party software (I have heard Autopol, but have no experience with it).

 

I suspect that spline could be replaced with a line and arc or multiple arcs and be well within whatever manufacturing tolerance you have.


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Message 9 of 13

Without doing the revolve I cannot get the desired shape, unless you know another way to go about it. I am "attempting" to draw a column for a water tower. This is the piece that meets the base of the container. I am wanting to create a template to cut the curved piece accurately, but I seem to be failing miserably. I have redrawn the piece keeping all the constraints; I have also included a screen shot of the original CAD drawing. Hopefully I am not a lost cause and maybe you can help point me in a better direction.

 

Thanks.

Message 10 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger

The blue geometry is a line, not a spline. (and it appears that it should be at centerline of the column which yours is not)

The yellow geometry is most likely an arc, not a spline (you can check in AutoCAD with the List command).

The column appears that it should be at an angle.

 

The file I attached earlier showed how to make a template that can be wrapped around the column to show where to cut.

It appears to me that you are concentrating on the wrong part of the problem.

 

If I understand the problem - this one should be pretty easy to figure out.

Can you attach the dwg here?

 

Are you not after something like this as a template that can be wrapped around the column?

Template.png

 

If so, the template could be "ripped" at the short side (as I did)  or the long side

 

Rip.png


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Message 11 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: amber_baysinger


@Amber_troyer wrote:

 I am "attempting" to draw a column for a water tower.

This is the piece that meets the base of the container.


 

This sounds like two different pieces to me?  (based on the files you attached)
Are you really trying to draw the column as it meets the base of the container, or are you trying to draw a piece that goes in between the column and the container.

 

When I get a chance - I will post a new file of what I interpret the problem to now be.

If you have any more information - be sure to supply it.


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Message 12 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: JDMather

I just realized that I made a mistake in my original solution.

But given the additional information I need to start over anyhow.


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Message 13 of 13

Yes, they should be two separate pieces. I guess that is what I was trying to do with the revolved piece, sort of cut out what I need and get rid of the rest. I did draw my column straight, but I angled the centerline of where the tank should be, which is where I took my measurements from. I have attached the dwg. Thank you so much for your help and patience with me. This is the first time I have drawn something like this in inventor.

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