Thread: Flatten a 3D object as a "cut list"
View Single Post
  #7   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 28-01-2008, 10:17
Elgin Clock's Avatar
Elgin Clock Elgin Clock is offline
updates this status less than FB!
AKA: the one who "will break into your thoughts..."
FRC #0237 (Black Magic)
Team Role: Mentor
  
Join Date: May 2001
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: H20-Town, Connecticut
Posts: 7,773
Elgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond reputeElgin Clock has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Elgin Clock
Re: Flatten a 3D object as a "cut list"
From what I understand you basically want to use a sheet metal feature of the software if one is available. (I'm not an Inventor user, so I'm not sure)

With Lexan it is a little different than sheet metal, because you won't know the material's K-Factor*, but the good thing is of you overshoot how much material you are going to use, then trimming or sanding some extra off is not a big deal.


If you think of your project box as a cube, all you would need to do is "unroll" it to get the needed shapes.
There are only a certain amount of logical ways you would need to make your pattern so that it makes your desired shape at the end.
You could do something like this where the solid lines define the edges of your part, and the dashed lines is where you would "fold" or bend the lexan to make a box shape.


If you wanted to, just send me the .sat file of your part you want to bend, and I could throw it in SolidWorks sheetmetal feature, and give a pattern from the defined end result you want.
Or, if someone else knows of a sheetmetal tool in Inventor, that may work better.
Just PM me if you want to send me the file.

We've actually done bending of lexan before, (bad picture, but the cover on top with all the stickers is the lexan part) and it's a little tricky, so I'm wondering what tool you have available to you to do the actual bending?


*
Quote:
In Sheet metal engineering, the term k-factor has the following meaning:
During bending the inner surface of the bend is subjected to compression while the outer surface is subjected to tension. However there is a layer in between which is free from any forces and thus its length remains the same. This is called the neutral axis ( N.A ). The radius of this layer of metal is called the neutral bend arc radius ( NBAR )and is defined as the inside bend radius plus a percentage( K-factor ) of the metal thickness.
NBAR = BR + (T * K-factor)
The K-Factor ( K ) depends on the material, the type of bending operation (coining, air-bending), the ratio of the Bend Radius to the metal thickness ( R/T ) and is typically between 0.3 to 0.5. For most types of steels it is around 0.33 to 0.4
__________________
The influence of many leads to the individuality of one. - E.C.C. (That's me!!)

Last edited by Elgin Clock : 28-01-2008 at 10:24.