I have modeled a cone segment using sheet metal lofted bend and have no problem making flat pattern, flattening, or unfolding the part. However, after I unfold the part, Solidworks will not allow me to "fold" it back again. I am selecting the same flat stationary surface I used to unfold it so I do not understand what the issue is.
Attached is file. Please help!
Bob. Flattening is different than unfolding. I need to unfold the part in order to add holes to flat pattern. Then I must "fold" it back again. I can also flatten and unflatten. That is not the issue.
Sorry, I misunderstood your question...
I just added an unfold and a fold feature. I can get it to unfold and fold by using the bar at the bottom of the feature tree....
Oops just tried adding holes and it errors....
Now it works....I placed 3 holes in the unfolded state, then refolded it. Is that what you were wanting to do?
here is what I have...
Everyone thank you for jumping on this issue. This is my first time in this forum, how can I download the files you are sharing back with me? I do not show them in the thread?
Jake,,, That is quite an issue and I was not able to solve it without deleting the Lofted Bend, Making a spline for each profile and using the "Formed Option" in the lofted bend manager. I originally had this open in 2015 and use a fit spline then realized your for was an earlier version. Opened it in 2014 and there was not a fit spline command so I used a regular spline for each profile.
Attached is a 2014 file.
Edit:.. Just realized the material thickness is not correct and in an assembly the parts do match in the middle. May have to massage the splines.
"Opened it in 2014 and there was not a fit spline command so I used a regular spline for each profile."
Dennis,
Fit Spline is still a function in 2014, but is "hidden". I don't know why it was removed from the spline drop down, but it is under Tools->Spline Tools.
Your the man,,, Mike
No Dennis,
This is the man!
http://modernfarmer.com/2015/01/man-goat-walking-across-america/
Although if he was using 2014 instead of 2015, maybe I could have helped him out........
Hope you have a good weekend
Enjoy your weekend Mike. I'm going to take a break cuz I have a hankering for some goat's head soup. Better stop gatling.
On another note. I put some cut extrudes in my lofted part (between Unfold and Fold) and it seems to work just fine. Used simple hole, hole wizard and all kinds of stuff and can't get it to fail although I hammered on it pretty good. I know what Kenneth is cautioning about and have had issues in the past.
Are you using the hole wizard to create holes?
If so, don't. Use an Extrude-Cut
I was able to get this to work by picking the inside face on the right side to fold and unfold. By picking the outside face it would error out. Not sure why. Hope this helps.
Sorry, I read the rest of the comments and after adding the holes it errors out again. No luck.
Here is an assembly of your original and mine on top of each other. You can see there is no difference. Thank you Mike for letting me know that the fit spline was available in 2014. Sure works wonders. Bob's idea seems to work well. I tried to get it to fail but it would only fail if I suppress the cut or deleted it Strange brew.
It unfolded and folded back for me just using the flatten button in the sheet metal tools....I'm using 2015 SP4.0