New to Forums & Inventor

Hello Everyone. I have never used any autodesk products before and am starting with Inventor due to my need to drive a WaterJet Cutter. Basically, here is my situation. I need to cut 6061 T6 Aluminum Sheet and 7075 T6 Aluminum Sheet. These will be used to make shields for Medieval Recreation. I have 2D sketches of the shields, but need to figure out how much material I need if my flat shield as a 3" arc in it from front to back. My first question is What search terms should by using to check the forums for this. If this can be answered here, then is this something that happens in my sketch? or after it has been extruded and how is it executed. Lastly, I need holes approximately every 2.5 inches around the outer edge. Is this something done in my sketch or after it has been made into a model.

Please ask me anything and If there is something I need to post then let me know and I will.

Welcome to the forum, the 2.5" holes can be placed using point on a 2d sketch on a 3d sketch then using the hole feature. The sheetmetal feature can work out flat patterns but I'm not sure that what you want can be done (not without seeing a picture or model to understand).

Shields_Heater.ipt

encl: Shields_Heater.ipt

Sketch 1 is a shield type

Sketch 2 is a shield type

Sketch 3 is a shield type

Sketch 4 is the proposed top down View.

All sketches are named and dimensioned.

I want to shape the shield so it follows the path of the top down view, and adjust the arc so the distance is 3" from arc apex to base axis. Thanks in advance.

by the way, since this site seems to be pretty versed with multiple CAD software packages, if there is a different one that is more appropriate to what I am looking for, please let me know. I still want to push the limits with Inventor but if I need something else as well then I should start learning. Thanks.

Search for information on Sheet Metal (flat pattern) and Curve Driven Patterns

Thanks, I will.

You do not have any cross sections or sketches along the center line of the shields. But regardles of that, you will not be able to flat pattern this part in Inventor. Because the bottoms of the shields are either pointed or rounded, the material would be deformed as it transitions from your radiused section down to the point of the shield. You couldn't manufacture this by simply bending or rolling. You would need to hammer, press, cast, mold, or use some other process to make these parts. You need to sketch the missing cross section to control the transition and model this part.

ecshclark: Thanks for the response but Im not sure what you mean. The item is a Medieval heater shield so the saggita from apex of the curve to base is 3 inches. Looking at the front of the sketch, the center from top to bottom along the mid line would be three inches away from you while it would progressively get closer towards the edges where it would hit 0. To make sure I am saying this right. When I say the apex and the base, I am assuming a top down view The top down view should be a wide upside down "U" all We currently manufacture the part by cutting it with shears and rolling it.

Start by drawing a line the distance from top to bottom then draw a line from the midpoint 3" long vertically . Now do a 3 point arc, using properties it will tell you the length of the arc, this is the true length for your blank sheet you really have to work backwards to a flat sheet, like wise as mentioned previously you do the same if you have a cross section curve also for the width. Have a search for English Wheel used to curve flat sheets in multiple directions a standard tool for car body builder guys.

BigAl: Thanks so much for this response. Its simple and step by step and exactly what I needed, An English wheel as far as I know is for compound curves. In this case it is just a single arc shield. Do you still think the english wheel over a standard roller?