I get that in the background as well. Never could figure out what the heck it is for. 

Just glad I could finally help someone out, lol. I haven't downloaded 2018 yet, so i wasn't sure if that option was still there.

In 2017 you can go to, file-options-options, and change the theme there it may be the same in 2018??

(I haven't downloaded 2018 yet)

Here is the final product. Had to do it old school. Took me forever.

On 5/26/2017 at 1:49 PM, Leigh @ Kodiak said:

Take a look at Onshape. It's free, and there is also a flatten add-in that is also free. 

 

https://www.onshape.com/videos/onshape-and-exactflat

I'll look into that when I get back to work on Tuesday. 

On 5/27/2017 at 0:06 AM, AMCNitro said:

Cant you use FlattenSurf chook?

I tried that, it made the surface square and didn't keep the profile shape.

It's just a profile tolerance of +-.030, so hopefully I can get it in the ballpark.

3 minutes ago, C^Millman said:

Almost impossible. With those joggles in there going to be real hard to make a flat pattern that doesn't need to be trimmed. I said almost, but not just plan on some trial an error until you get it correct. Best to make large and trim to size and call it a day. Let us know many hours you have in this. I would think 4 to 8 hours.

The flat pattern I develope will be used to make a blank die, so it at least needs to fall into tolerance after it is formed. 

2 minutes ago, C^Millman said:

I would old school it. I would go to a plane normal to the part to a view that gives me a good looking down prospective or top. Then I would draw grid lines and project them to the part. I would then start working with them to see what way gave mt the best ones to work on being flat. I could get close, but I would offset it 1/4 big to be safe and go form there. 

That is what I am getting ready to do, create a bunch of cross section arcs and work out the math for the flat length, the create points for a splines. 

3 minutes ago, jeff said:

Do you mean like a silhouette boundary?

I need to make a flat pattern that when formed will result in this shape without having to be trimmed.

2 minutes ago, mkd said:

I've done it in solidworks.....

I wish I had access to Solidworks.

Ok I need to make a flat pattern of this part. I usually don't have a lot of trouble developing flat patterns, however this one has me stumped. It is not a constant radius but more of a conical shape. Any assistance with this would be greatly appreciated. I do have a file can share if needed.

16 hours ago, Matthew Hajicek™ - Conventus said:

Where do you get Vilmill?

http://stackmaster.com/ 

Here is a link. It's a neat product, saves us a lot of time grinding off tabs. We do a lot of alum. sheet aircraft work.

6 minutes ago, JParis said:

So let qc fight with him......

Implied yes but they will likely want a dimension

Yep, send it up the ladder and tell them that you do not have enough information on the print to make a good part.

+1 to a vacuum fixture. Also try looking into Vilmill, it's a .010 thick heat activated adhesive fabric to help hold small parts in place on vacuum fixtures. In theory you cut through the alum. but not through the fabric underneath. 

I've learned to never assume what an engineer is thinking, every time I have it has come back to bite me in the a$$. I would ask him to add a center line or give a dimension.  

Use the Migration Wizard.

Just click the File and Migration Wizard.

I'll keep that in mind for the next time.

LOL. I don't know what you searched for but changing operation defaults is probably in the top 10 of most asked questions here at the forum.

I searched "operation defaults" and nothing came back.

Ok I must have something strange going on. I spent nearly an hour looking for that drop drop and could not find it, I restart X9 after seeing the reply here and its there. Maybe i just needed to wake up a little more, these early hours must be getting to me.

The company I work for just updated to X9. In the process of customizing to my particular liking I cannot find where to change the operation defults. I tried a quick search of the forum and did not turn up anything. I mainly program our 3 axis gantry routers for flat pattern alum sheet parts, so being able to set these defaults to what works best for these partiular machines is a great time saver. In X8 I was able to change them in the Control Definiton. So, my question is where can i change the operation defaults in X9. Attached is where they are located in X8.

I only have experience with the 3 Multicam 5000 routers we use to cut alum. sheet. Only use MDF for spoil board. Would love to tryout a Themwood. The service for Multicam was pretty good through our local distributer.

+1000 to ramp to depth on lead in.  We've got some idiots here that will do a 1 degree ramp contour around an 8 foot long part!  

When I was running our routers i was told by the programmer then that those machines were not able to ramp. He would plung the single flute router bit and had a 50/50 chance of snapping the tip off.

Do you have to ramp contour? Or do you cut full depth thru the material?

I ramp it to full depth on the lead in.

We rout 7075-O sheet all the time anywhere from .040 to .125. We use the 63-600 series of cutters from Onsrud (single flut upcut). Run them around 15,000rpm and 50ipm. Unimist Coolube in a spray bottle sprayed on the material before the cut works pretty well for us.

We use a local tool and die maker here in Wichita Ks. Friesen Tool Co. Inc, they don't have a website, but you find their info with a quick google search. They can make just about anything you need for a drill press or punch press.

Can you transform a transform op?

Yes you can. In the Type and Methods tab just make sure you have your transform op selected.