NX11 Flat Pattern? 2

[Kenja824]

Some of the guys here quite often need to take car body parts and make flattened out views of them for templates. This used to be done in ALL APPLICATIONS - SHEET METAL - FORMING/FLATTENING... Then you could go to Menu - Tools - Flat Pattern.

Was this a customer thing given to us or was this a part of NX9? If it was a standard part of NX9, can someone tell me if it is available in NX11?

 

[Toost]

It's feature that has been retired ... , it wasn't always correct, but it always flattened every object.
I do not think that it existed in NX9 ,i think it was retired before the ribbon bar UI or ?
It has been replaced by "several" features, ( the licenses and the NX version will matter...)
There is the "Fabric flat pattern" , which is more or less the same feature as the mentioned one.
the Flat Pattern feature in the Sheet metal app. Very limited as soon as you try something beyond straight edges.
In NX9 there is a "analyze formability one step" feature, which will unfold anything, hopefully more correct than the retired feature.
In NX11, there is a new "Flattening and Forming" that also should unfold anything, it is way simpler and faster to use than the "analyze formabilty one step" feature.
Use the command finder.

Regards,
Tomas





Regards
Tomas

 

[jerry1423]

I am working in NX11 on a sheet metal part that was constructed in NX8.5
It has the FLAT PATTERN at the end of the model tree.
I am trying to add a small cut-out to the sheet metal part and the flat pattern fails, when it shouldn't.
I am worried after reading this thread; Will I need to recreate this entire part ???


Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11

 

[Kenja824]

To my knowledge anything done with it in the past hasnt failed. It just makes it a lot tougher for everyone to not have the same function available now. They have had to learn to do it differently through flattening and forming and using Wave Link Geometry.

However, we tend to blow out the parameters here (which I dont like) so everything is a dumb solid body. If you dont need the parameters and are okay with just a solid body to work with, removing parameters would probably allow you to do what you need rather than recreating the part.

Menu - Edit - Feature - Remove Parameters

Personally I would only do this if I felt there wasnt another choice as I like having parameters to work with. But they are in no means necessary.

 

[jerry1423]

Thank you, I may need to go the "dumb solid" route too.
I don't like it either but it is the best way to go right now.

Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11

 

[cowski]

Will I need to recreate this entire part ???

If your model was built in the sheet metal application and uses the sheet metal "flat pattern" command, then I'm 95% sure the answer is no.
Based on Kenja824's other, recent posts; I think he is referring to a hybrid flattening command that used to be available in the modeling application but has since been replaced. The sheet metal application's flat pattern and flat solid is still available for use.

I'm no sheet metal expert, but the "normal cutout" command should work. If the cutout crosses a bend line, you may need to "unbend", create the cutout, then "rebend" the flange. A screenshot of your part may get some comments from the real sheet metal experts...

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[Kenja824]

Thanks Cowski
Sorry Jerry

I let my eyes slide right past the fact you said sheet metal and just assumed it was on the same situation. cowski is definitely correct. We had a function that allowed us to flatten solid body parts that GM gives us for product. It was done in modeling instead of sheet metal.

 

[deedub777]

If you raise an IR with GTAC and upload the file, they can look at it and provide a solution for you. Make sure you mark it sheet metal->flat pattern and it will go to the right team.

 

[jerry1423]

Thanks to everybody for the input

Jerry J.
UGV5-NX11