Hey all

     I have been asked by a few of my customers to create a sphere shape out of sheet metal.  I was wondering if anyone knows the best way to create this in Solidworks.  I have been messinga around with this problem for a few days now and cant really find a good way to create this effect.  I have a CNC plasma table and would like to leave it in as few of pieces as possible.  I am thinking the best way to do this is to create an "orange peel" effect to flatten the sphere out.  This image is similar to what I think is the best way to create the sphere.  After cutting this shape out I would then be able to bend and weld it into shape.

I will need to be able to have the sphere shape in Solidworks and then be able to flatten it out for locating mounting holes and other miscellaneous items.  Otherwise I would be able to just mathematically draw up the flat pattern simiallar to the image above and cut it out.

Please let me know if anyone knows a way to do this or has another ideas on a better way to create this shape.

Any feedback it very much apprechiated.

     Thank you

          Greg Reeves

          Southern Minnesota Fabrication Inc.