Bending square tube and create flat pattern

[chris diver]

I am curious to know if it is possible to create a flat pattern of a bent piece of 30x30x2.5mm thick box section?

 

I have a part in an assembly that is a box section part. creating the part is easy as i just use the bend feature whilst modelling to create my desired bends. my draw back is when placing the part into a 2d manufacturing drawing i cant show a flat pattern style drawing to easily show my colleagues where the bends will start. I know that this is not a feature that available with bending .ipt's.

 

My work around at the moment is to create a 30x30 solid bar in sheet metal and bend/flat pattern it...so that i can show a flat pattern image. have also tried to shell this sheet metal work around, sweep a cut through it and unfold/refold...so that i have a model that resembles what i am after...but no success.

 

am i asking for something that can not be done...and therefore, live with my solid work around for manufacturing purposes?

 

thanks.

[Lazer]

Have you added a rip through the part? you wll also have to set the thickness in sheet metal to 2.5 in the sheet metal defaults tab.

[chris diver]

Thanks for the reply...had thought about this, but thought otherwise, as i thought what would happen is not only would it show a flat pattern of where my bends are...but it will also flat pattern out on all 4 sides of the square box section ( which is what i am aiming not to get ). Am giving the rip a go between jobs...its not working out for me, but will keep trying. thanks.

[JD Mather]

Can you attach your file here?

I think there is an example of this in the tutorials or samples.

[chris diver]

Part4.ipt

 

Box test bend is a part using box section from the content centre. part 4 is my solid work around.

 

regards.

box test bend.ipt

[JD Mather]

Am giving the rip a go ...

 

When you mentioned Rip, I was mislead on what you were trying to do.

Is your stock material out on the shop floor flat sheet or is it extruded or welded box?

 

The second problem is that two of the cuts are not perpendicular to the material thickness.

 

I suspect the best solution will be to model "as bent" and use a centerline sketch for the length in drawing (doesn't take into account bend allowance stretching - but since I suspect your ends are machined after bending - that should not be a significant problem).

The other possible solution might be to have the unbent stock and the Derive Component for the bent and machined finished part.

[chris diver]

extruded or welded box. by giving the "rip a go"...i was trying to rip on on of the sides that, although profiled, they are not bent..if that makes sense? Trying to use the rip tool on the faces that actually have a bend on them doesnt work ( for me ).

[chris diver]

RJG1010.00.pdf

 

Thanks for the info JD, i did not notice the second part of your reply.

 

I had gone with the option of placing a centre line in my drawing and giving ref information to positioning of the bends with regards to an overall material length. The box section is machined after bending, and as its a fabrication, its not such a major problem.

 

I will look at the derive component possibility.

 

thanks.