We got this wonky lookin' part as a step file saved from catia, one of my coworkers was able to convert it to sheet metal but can't flatten it completely, or unfold one particular bend. I'm not sure what the problem is, can anyone help?
Also, if anyone happens to know some good thread here on importing a step file of a bent sheet metal part and converting it to sheet metal in SWX so that it can be flattened, it would be some great reading material for me.
Many thanks in advance!
Hey Will,
I was able to use the convert tool to get all of the bends working. Just use the Flatten feature in the commandmanager sheet metal tab. Take a look...
~Ben
I haven't looked at your file Ben, but from the screenshots all I can say is nice!
Thank you very much Benjamin!
I went through the convert properties and tried to repeat it on a freshly imported step file, picking the same faces as you did, but I get an error when I do it.
"The edge/face is not on the same side as the selected fixed face" or something to that effect.
I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. I even tried collecting all bends, and it gives me an error for that one specific bend that originally couldn't be unfolded. Lost
So here is all I did, open the file, delete the features until the surface body is remaining. Then RMB on the surface feature and choose Import Diagnostic and attempt to heal all. There will be a few remaining faulty faces, but this should form the solid body as shown in my first post. Then use the convert tool, pick the face and choose collect all bends
~Ben
Immediately lost on step one lol..
How did you "delete all the features until the surface body remained"?
When I open the step file, it says the owning feature must be unlocked so that healing is available... I guess I'm totally out of my element here, I'm very new to sheet metal.
Will,
I used your SOLIDWORKS part model for this example, not the STEP file.
~Ben
Ah I see. Ok I will try to repeat that process and see if I can replicate the results, using that file. I'm leaving for the day so I'll report back on monday.
I guess I'll have to do a little research on how to do this with the step file that I was provided with.
Will,, I don't think you will find much as how to do a feature recognition on this.. I did manage to do some offset surfaces of 0 on this. One surface I had to create. Some funny stuff going on here with this surface. I did attempt to fix the imported geometry with import diagnostics but quickly gave up on that..
Fix that surface, knit, thicken and then an insert bends.
Dennis,
I skipped fixing that surface that had an issue as I can't figure out how to. SWX won't let me use any heal options with this part for some reason. However, I did the knit surface, thickened it, and converted to sheet.
I did get one error in the process of picking bends when converting to sheet. When I picked the bend in the image below, it said "cannot change the radius of a pre-made bend" or something to that effect.
I clicked ok as it was the only option in the notice, and it selected the bend, allowed me to continue and convert to sheet. Finally I was able to flatten the part entirely. Except this happened...
Not entirely sure where I went wrong here lol
***!! EDIT: For some stupid reason I had the custom bend allowance set to BA, and it was like 3.9382824824. Zero clue as to how or why. Switched it back to K - .5 and problem solved. Part is flattened and correct in dimension. !!***
Will,, I don't think you will find much as how to do a feature recognition on this.. I did manage to do some offset surfaces of 0 on this. One surface I had to create. Some funny stuff going on here with this surface. I did attempt to fix the imported geometry with import diagnostics but quickly gave up on that..
Fix that surface, knit, thicken and then an insert bends.