Jf_unfoldtool.rb

[PeterCharles]

Many thanks to Jim Foltz for this ruby.
Using this with SketchUp I have been able to create a flat pattern of a part and save it as a DXF for sending to a laser cutter. The prototype part was pressed up today and was spot on!
Embarrassingly for some, they weren't able to create a suitable unfoldable model in Autodesk's Inventor.
So it's not how much the software costs is it.

[watkins]

Dear PeterCharles,

I imagine it was more the inexperience of the chap holding the mouse, as Inventor is pretty powerful.

Having said that, I still like using Sketchup, but anxiously await Inventor Fusion.

Regards,
Bob

[PeterCharles]

@watkins said:

I imagine it was more the inexperience of the chap holding the mouse, as Inventor is pretty powerful.

Don't think so, nobody could assist on the IV help forum. General opinion is IV is a bit lacking in the sheet metal department.

[watkins]

I would be interested to see the part if that were possible.

Regards,
Bob

[PeterCharles]

Of course you can.
The best Inventor advice I got was to start with the flat pattern and press it up!
I thought that rather defeats the object of creating a model and unfolding it.

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[watkins]

Dear Peter,

I do not understand why the help desk for Inventor would say that. I would construct the required finished item as a sheet metal component and then unfold at the end. Inventor has an unfold function to create the flat pattern after the part has been fashioned. Curious!

If you have a few minutes then take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NdE1xh_UrU

Regards,
Bob

[PeterCharles]

Well, I posted the problem on the ADSK Inventor help forum, but got no significant assistance. J D Mather asked me to post what I had got, but I got no reply. Using SU was so simple in comparison and the proof of the pudding is the "cock on" prototype

SU isn't just for designing buildings!