Twisted Flat Bar

[dhmtb]

NX 5.0.5.3. Has anyone got an alternative method for creating twisted flat bar? I have tried Swept, but I can not get the twist to look correct. I have also used Bridged Curves with Mesh Surface - Ruled and then Thicken. It looks a lot better. Can Sheet Metal produce a flat pattern? I have had no luck with converting to sheet metal and flattening. I will probably 'fudge' the flat pattern view in Drafting. Thanks.

 

[cowski]

How about this (see attached file)?

The twisted section was created with 'through curves'. I added curvature constraints to the first and last (only) sections and picked the perimeter faces of the extruded sections when prompted. You can move the sections further apart or closer together (within reason) and it will update.

I do not use the sheet metal module so I have no idea if it will be able to flatten it or not.

File is in NX2 because that is the version I am currently using, you should be able to open in later versions.

 

[ewh]

I was able to accomplish it with Swept (between two blocks), using two opposing Bridge curves as my guides. As with cowski, I don't use sheet metal, so I don't know if it will flatten or not.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]

 

[hudson888]

The result that you probably want would be achieved using sweep with a guide curve as the axis of twist and a section then using an angular law, linear method with the parameters representing angles along the length of the guide. Note that the guide may be straight or curved, but if your twisted bar comprised staight and twisted sections that you later want to join with tangency than you may need to use a more sophisticated law function in the sweep to help maintain that tangency at the ends of the twisted part.

By all means post the model if you're still unsure or have a different requirement than we're able to guess at thus far.

Cheers

Hudson

 

[dhmtb]

Thanks, ewh's way is the way which is most easily explained for me as I know little about surfaces.