Inventor Sheet Metal

Hello,

Been out for a while, back for action!

I'm trying to make a sheet metal part in Inventor. What basic first steps should I be taking? Can someone advise me as to where the sheet metal defaults are?

Can I model a part that is made from sheet metal and then 'unfold' it?

Any and all input is appreciated.

Setup a new sheet metal part (you can use a standard part and then "Convert to Sheet Metal" but is better to setup your sheet metal template with standards if you know it is going to be a sheet metal part.) Set your defaults for thickness and bend parameters (must be drawn to exact thickness of material for the sheet metal commands to work, .120 will not create a flat pattern for .1196, this is probably where you are failing). Two ways to draw; 1: Sketch the actual end shape desired with correct wall thickness at .1196, Extrude, then Flatten. 2: Sketch flat with construction bend lines, Extrude/Face (same result just shows different in model tree can't tell any technical difference), *make Sketch visible* important otherwise you cannot use fold command, create folds on construction bend lines, then flatten. Both have their benefits and combining both methods can get quick results, also using Flange. There are a bunch of tutorials and videos online for this just start searching and click on everything remotely related.

Wow, thanks!! Let me process this and I'll reciprocate with something...

Watch this

He also teaches you how to pronounce Aluminium:thumbsup:

Awesome, thanks.

Please see attached picture which shows my issue. I sketch a flat pattern which I hope to fold into a box and pan style panel. I set up the thickness already in the sheet metal defaults. Please assist.

First thing, make the back Face.

If Face doesn't work you probably have an open profile, go into the sketch, right click on a visible line and select Close Loop, select all connected lines - make sure you are not selecting the construction lines as it will ask you to convert them to normal you might have to "Select Other..." if they are in line with each other, once closed a box should say "The loop has been successfully closed". After Face command make the sketch visible to select the construction lines for Fold.

Now I'm getting somewhere... (see photo)... I have to make a new sketch for each individual bend line?? In the photo I'm trying to bend but have no sketches! On that first leg there I had drawn two lines, where one was used to make the bend and the other 'consumed' by, but not used in, the process. I made the mistake at first of creating the sketch to include the bend construction lines before using the FACE command. Those lines were consumed as well, and were re-drawn in another sketch. So, for a part with 5 faces (or a face and four 90 degree bends, for instance) you will have 5 at least sketches. One for the main profile, which is then FACEd, and then 4 more, one sketch with one line each for each of the four bends. Is this correct?? All of this is using the second (2.) method proposed by kpyoung333. I will also try the first (1.) method as well when I have time, which will involve drawing the desired end shape in 3d.

By the way, thanks to gbradley for telling me to make the FACE.

Now I'm getting somewhere... So, for a part with 5 faces (or a face and four 90 degree bends, for instance) you will have 5 at least sketches. .. Is this correct?? ...

I don't think so, You should be able to do that with one sketch.

Just draw a simple shape for the face, and then bend the corners once the face has already been made.

Congratulations though, you are making progress.

You can do all of the profile edge lines and construction bend lines in one sketch. After you do the Face command in the part tree open the + symbol under Face, right click on the Sketch, select Visible. This will allow you to select the multiple bend lines needed instead of making multiple sketches.

Excellent Advice. I am working on this intermittently, I'll reciprocate with some more stuff... for now check out this 'box and pan' style metal panel that I made with a traditional IPT, utilizing extruded features, mainly. I've attached the file, feel free to examine it and offer any tips on my modeling process... Ultimately I want to get away from making the sheet metal shapes this way, and use the sheet metal functionalities.3D fascia-soffit PANEL.ipt

Start to get comfortable with the sheet metal environment. Here are two ways using fold and flange. Look at both step by step and see what is really going on. Both create very similar Flat Patterns. Make sure you have your material thickness setup correctly, 11ga is .1196, 12ga .1345 it will mess everything up and not bend correctly in the real world. Bit of good practice for Monday!

mattador1.ipt

mattador2.ipt

Thank you.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]59645[/ATTACH]It seems as if the files won't open... ..

KP's file may have been created with a later version of Inventor than the 2014 that you are using.

Ok, well I made a drawing in AutoCAD 2017 and then opened it in AutoCAD 2014. If KPyoung333 would send me the files at mattador04@gmail.com then I could learn more about this process.

Please send files!!!

So I got the files to open. I see that they are not .ipt format, but rather .stp. Why is this? In addition, I cannot see what steps were taken to create the part since the tree in the browser looks like this: Other than that, it looks really cool and I want to make one too! Please advise, I'm stuck again