Unfold a non-symmetrical cone

[dklarz]

I've been working with SW since 2001 and have come up with a new problem for me. I have a cone with a "scallop" taken out of one side that I can't get to convert properly to a sheet metal part. I have taken the same cone without the scallop and converted with the insert bend command without a problem. As soon as I add the scallop, the process-bend feature fails. I've uploaded the "Split2" model for reference. Anybody know how I can get this beast to a sheet metal part that'll unfold?

Thanks, much appreciated - Dave

Contractin' Dave
Mechanical Design Engineer
25 years in the contracting world

 

[Updraft]

Dave,

The problem is the cut is not perpendicular to the surface of the cone, so the edge of the metal would have to be beveled to achieve the final shape. If you can make the scallop cut in the flat pattern then it will work and it will actually represent the order of operations.

I'm not the best one to show you how to fix this, but there are others on here much more experienced with sheet metal than me.

- - -Updraft

 

[Updraft]

Dave,

I tried a couple of things, but cannot load the file for you because apparently you are on an older version of SWX.

In order to make a cut normal to the surface of the cone I made a Lofted Cut using the bottom edge of your scallop cut as the control. This required two new planes made from a point at the bottom outer corners of your scallop cut and the Y-Axis. On these planes I put a square with the midpoint of a side coincident with the bottom edge and that side perpendicular to the profile of the cone. There is another square similarly constructed on the Right Plane. The guide curve is a 3D sketch of the bottom edge. Picking these three sketches in order of encounter and by selecting the similar corner of each sketch, and using the 3D sketch as the guide curve the lofted cut worked and I was able to flatten the cone. (See Scalloped Cone - Lofted Cut.jpg)

I also tried removing your scallop cut and flattening the cone then adding a cut between the Flatten-Bends1 and Process-Bends1 features. (See Scalloped Cone - Flat Pattern Cut.jpg) I get an error on the Process-Bends, but don't understand why SWX is choking on it.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

- - -Updraft


- - -Updraft

 

[Updraft]

Oops. Apparently can only load one file at a time. Here is the other.