estebanoliveros Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 Hi group, I a have a solid shell, I have created it using the Shell command in a 3D Solid. I need to know if is possible to convert that shell in a sheet metal, to unfold it and then cut in a laser cnc machine. Please do not hesitate to ask me any question that you may have. Esteban. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift1313 Posted February 1, 2009 Share Posted February 1, 2009 esteban. I dont know if inventor can do that. I have done what you are asking in solidworks before. Hopefully someone with more knowledge on the subject can chime in. can i ask why you didnt model it using the sheetmetal application? Looks like it would be simple to model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estebanoliveros Posted February 1, 2009 Author Share Posted February 1, 2009 dear Shift, thanks for your answer. Really I am not an expert in Inventor. So seems to me that I do not include an important paragraph. "please, if someone can help me teaching it with sheet metal in inventor, any help will be welcomed" Esteban, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 "please, if someone can help me teaching it with sheet metal in inventor, any help will be welcomed" Looks like a trivially easy part, but you forgot to attach what you have so far. It would save some work for anyone willing to help if you at least attached the work you have done. I have done too many of these that turn into a game of 20 questions to get down to the real problem statement of the design intent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift1313 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Sheet metal is an easy process with that piece. I strongly suggest you look at the tutorials loaded as a first step. Explaining it here would be a second effort. I also would suggest you take a look at JD links. He has provided his valuable knowledge. If you work through these and still do not understand, or have a question a long the way we are all more than happy to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aardvark Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 This part (As far as I can tell from the pics) does not have any corner radii and all your edges intersect. So the simple answer is no. You cannot unfold this part. You could unfold this part after a lot of time is spent making gaps in your corners and adding radii but it would be simpler to redraw it in the Sheetmetal environment with the sheetmetal tools. You could probably do this part start to finish in about 2-3 hours if you have read the tutorials and have an idea of how to use the sheetmetal tools properly. As opposed to trying to fix what you have taking many hours to complete and having a really screwed up model to fix when changes need to be made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift1313 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 2-3hrs? i just drew this in 5 mins. To get the shape accurate you would need to use some sketches, i did this with all flanges and cuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevsmith Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 2-3hrs? i just drew this in 5 mins. To get the shape accurate you would need to use some sketches, i did this with all flanges and cuts. But shift. You are, "THE SOLIDWORKS DEMON" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift1313 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 inventor 10 my friend:) Seriously though Sheetmetal is very easy to use. If you want to spend a lot of time and work on corner reliefs and getting really tight edges it will take a bit longer. It all depends on the end product. I have a big hammer and can weld gaps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Mather Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 2-3hrs? i just drew this in 5 mins. I think David was referring to the OP attempting to fix up the original. Actually the original could be fixed up pretty quickly through the use of Derived Component Body as Work Surface and a bit of knowledge. But of course the OP might as well learn sheet metal tools. Attached my first attempt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aardvark Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Actually, I was giving a conservative estimate of how long it would take someone with little to no experience using the sheetmetal tools. Shift's example is about what I would expect someone's first attempt to look like. It would then take a while longer to figure out exactly what the reliefs and corners should look like to get a manufacturable part that meets the criteria of the OP's original design. I could have thrown something together in less than an hour that most likely would have been acceptable but I was trying to make no assumptions of the OP's skill level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shift1313 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I can see that. I had a guy who has never used any cad software before start with inventor sheetmetal and it took him about 6 hrs to get a usable drawing with a little instruction. I wasnt trying to say anything about the poster so i hope it didnt come off that way. I was only trying to show it takes very little time to get a rough part in front of you. The knowledge needs to be gained first through use of educational aids. I would never turn that drawing i posted into a part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.