Help with unfolding a solid model?

[Rob B]

I have a sheet metal pulley cover that I have drawn in MC. In Solidworks, can't you unfold a model to get the correct 2d drawing to have the part laser burnt. I have Solidworks here but don't know anything about using it. I tried to open my MC solid in Solidworks using parasolid and step formats. I couldn't get either one to open in SW.

Can you guys give me some pointers on how to import my MC solid into SW, and how to do the unfold feature.

If not I can put the solid on the ftp site and someone could unfold the part for me.

 

Thanks

Robert

[gcode]

Rob .. to unfold a solid in SW, it must be crated in SolidWorks..

You don't mention what version of SW you are using.. if its an older version, you are probably

exporting too new a parasolid version from Mastercam..

Go into Settings/Config/Converters

and dial down the "SaveAsParasolid" setting to a lower number.

[dgriffiths]

Rob,

 

If you have the FeatureWorks module with Solidworks you can convert your parasolid file into a sheetmetal part and unfold it after feature recognition runs. Post the file to the ftp and I can help you out with it if you would like.

[Rob B]

G,

I'm using SW2004. i saved my drawing as a iges file and was then able to import the solid. But as you have said about the drawing not being created in SW, I can't get it to flatten. Could you help with this file so I can get it quoted. Here is a pic of it.

Thanks

Robert

[dgriffiths]

Rob,

 

If you can email me the iges or post it on the ftp I would be more than happy to flatten it for you. HTH

[mchin-pilot]

Hi Rob,

 

This is fairly a simple part and has got linear bends 4x

It can be done in mastercam or Autocad just by drawing method by principaly keeping the Neutral Plane at 33% from the internal side and calculate the length of arc .

 

Linear lengths remain the same , the only effect of change in dim is at radii only

 

Draw it up manually and you will get the unfold.

 

Good point of this is you will have control to fix n tweak later if you do by construction method.

 

Oke

[Rob B]

Thanks fro the info. guys. I got real busy this afternoon and wasn't able to work on the part anymore. I have been putting off learning SW. Looks like it time to start playing around.

 

Dgriffiths,

I'll send you a copy tomorrow when I get to work.

Rob