NX Sheet Metal Flat Pattern

[Tuw]

Hi all,

I would like to ask is it possible to flatten the sheet metal part as shown in picture, using NX?

Thanks for your reply.

Regards,
Tuw

 

[Toost]

yes should be possible.
The picture shows "something" that doesn't have bend radius-es. This cannot exist in real life in sheet metal.
NX will respond to these sharp edges and try to create bend radius. Then unfold.
The convert to sheet metal feature requires that the model has a consistent thickness.

Upload the model and we can give it a try.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[capnhook]

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Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

[green]To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?[/green]

 

[Toost]

I had a brief look.
the first attempt to "Convert to sheet metal" fails. So I started thinking on why / where it fails.
To simplify that process, i used the "Split Body" feature in Modeling. I split the model into three pieces.
The tried Convert to sheet metal on each. I then found a number of features which probably are "difficult" to "convert to sheet metal" without further manipulation.
Example 1: See attached image, I can understand that NX doesn't know what to do with this geometry.

 

[RAGudorf]

I had a look at this model as well and I see a lot of sheet metal "no-no's" inside it. For one, the use of cylindrical extrusions, which I would assume are PEM nuts? Those all need to be separate part(s) in the file/assembly, not a connected extrusion. If this was brought in from another system you will have a lot of work ahead of you as all that needs removed and then you will probably run into issues where the original designer didn't get the thickness consistent. Cleanup Utility will help you with that, but first those PEM's/extrusions have to go. Nothing will clean up or flatten until those are gone.

HTH,
Ryan

--
Ryan Gudorf
CAD/CAM Supervisor
Budde Sheet Metal Works, Inc.

Windows 7 Professional x64 SP1
Solid Edge V20
NX8.5.1.3
TC8.3 in Testing
32 GB RAM, nVIDIA Quadro K4000

 

[Toost]

Example 2) this example is also probably difficult for NX to "understand". I did not manage to unfold this area. The little testing i did found that the simplest thing to do was to delete the "hem flange" completely. then probably add it back in NX.

Blend all "bends" , i used radius 1 on the inside and 1.8 on the outside. Before the "Convert to sheet metal".

I used Join Face in Modeling, because i see several unnecessary edges in the imported model. This probably makes life simpler for the Sheet metal app.
Probably this model could benefit from File- Export Heal Geometry

Regards,
Tomas

 

[Toost]

attachment #3, example of the unnecessary edges / faces. ( I changed the color)

 

[Tuw]

Thank you Tomas and Ryan for your advice. I will study on it.

Tuw