AutoCAD Inventor :: Export Flat Pattern To STP From Drawing?
Feb 5, 2013
I am trying to write an external iLogic rule that will export the unfolded model of a sheet metal part in a drawing from a rule triggered in the .idw. These drawings will contain only one model reference. The reason for doing this from the drawing are as follows:
1) The location of the resulting .stp file must be the same directory as the .idw file. our file structure does not co-locate these files so the drawing path is required to locate the .stp file.
2) The current Drawing Rev level is to appended to the .stp file name. We do not populate the Rev iProperty in the part.
I have scabbed together some code from verious deep dark corners on the internet and Have arrived at the code posted below, but It errors during the .stp file creation with the following:
Error Message:
Error in rule: STEP Export With Rev, in document: 4000401-02 Blank Pattern.idw
Unspecified error (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004005 (E_FAIL))
More Info:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException (0x80004005): Unspecified error (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004005 (E_FAIL))
at System.RuntimeType.ForwardCallToInvokeMember(String memberName, BindingFlags flags, Object target, Int32[] aWrapperTypes, MessageData& msgData)
at Inventor.FlatPattern.Edit()
at LmiRuleScript.Main()
at Autodesk.iLogic.Exec.AppDomExec.ExecRuleInAssembly(Assembly assem)
at iLogic.RuleEvalContainer.ExecRuleEval(String execRule).
I am trying to develop a macro that exports all flat patterns for sheet metal components. I haven't been able to get the following code to work. It give the error message "The document you are trying to save is not a drawing document"
Sub PublishDXF() Dim DXFAddIn As TranslatorAddIn Set DXFAddIn = ThisApplication.ApplicationAddIns.ItemById("{C24E3AC4-122E-11D5-8E91-0010B541CD80}") Dim oDocument As PartDocument Set oDocument = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument Dim oContext As TranslationContext [Code] .......
I have problem with Save As Command from Flat Pattern in Sheet Metal Mode. I want to export to DWG file from Flat Pattern to send this layout to our Laser Machine database.
I have created some curved straightening vanes to go inside a large square duct 90 degree elbow. Each vane starts with a 6" long straight section the its follows a fixed radius through 90 degrees. When I "unfold" the part the resulting face becomes two separate faces. When i right click to export as dxf i can only export one face or the other. How can I combine this into a single face to export?
I have a weldment which includes a sheet metal part called sPart. I want to show a detail of the flat pattern of sPart on the weldment drawing and still be able to balloon the flat as the part of the weldment. So I clicked to add base view and selected sPart from the Preparation dropdown list under the Model State tab of the Drawing View dialog box. The problem is I cannot find an option for using the parts flat pattern.
I have a part that we will cut out on a CNC plasma machine that will undergo a drilling operation. We create all the parts that will be cut on the plasma in the sheet metal environment because of the simple flat pattern export. Our plasma machine has the ability to scribe lines and also create center punch marks. It distinguishes between cut lines, scribe lines, and center punch marks by layer name. I need a way to get the center points of the drill locations into their own layer.
I have a simple sheet metal part that does not require explicit bend radii. We leave it up to the shop to fab this part up as long as it's final outcome is within tolerance. We don't normally include a flat pattern, simply because it could cause confusion when cutting a blank. I use the default bend allowance and bend radius, which gives the exact blank size and bend locations. But our local fab shop probably doesn't/won't use the correct tooling to provide the exact bend radius, so this will throw off the final outcome if the blank was cut using the flat pattern dimensions.
I can apply the flat pattern to my drawings, because there is some sheet metal components we have that require the flat pattern to show cut profile features.
I am trying to export geometry found in a flat pattern sketch overlaid onto the flat pattern.
Since I am creating the output file manually I gather the flat pattern boundaries and bend center lines for output to a file.
When I add flat pattern sketch entities to the mix they do not overlay properly. What matrix would I have to push the sketch entities through to get them to the same coordinates as the flat pattern?
I can't find a way to create multi flat patters in one part from a lofted sheetmetal part. Also, didn't the developers fix the 'can't make a flat pattern from a derived part'?
IV 2010 Suite Digital Storm PC: EVGA & Intel components Win 7 Pro 64 bit
My next challenge with my rolled cone bottom is to place an oval in the cone that will give the right edges for the lazer pattern. If I create the cut while in the formed shape the edges are not perpendicular to the face in the flat pattern. If I place the cut in the flat pattern, it is suppressed when the part is returned to the formed state.
In other packages I would unfold the part, place the cut, and then refold it retaining the cut. How do we deal with this situation here?
I want to make dxf files from a flatpattern with ApprenticeServer in a VB6 project. I tried this code but I get a Error 5 on the line :
oDataIO.WriteDataToFile sOut, strFilenaam
What's wrong?
Public Sub Maak_UitslagDXF_Appr(strFilenaam As String) Dim oApprenticeServerApp As New ApprenticeServerComponent Dim oPartdoc As ApprenticeServerDocument Set oPartdoc = oApprenticeServerApp.Open(strFilenaam)
It's my first time using sheet metal in a drawing and I can't figure out how to show flat pattern in the drawing. When I insert the base view into my drawing, the bottom to "Sheet Metal View" to "Flat Pattern" is shown, but it's ghosted out so I can't select it. Is there something I have to do in the part drawing in order to activate this feature?
So, I have an assembly with a sheet metal part and a lot of pressed studs, spacers, weld nuts. I'd like to do a flat pattern with these parts in it in order to give their positions to manufacture, because they have to be pressed and weld in flat pattern phase, before bending.
Is there any easy way to do this (instead of saving flat pattern as SAT and insert every components again)?
I have designed a hopper using the lofted flange command. It is a 24" sq going to an 8" diameter. I would like to apply the rip feature to make (4) separate sections for this hopper so that (4) separate pieces can be cut on a waterjet machine. I can make it so that only (2) flat patterns are required, (2) pieces cut for each.
Can this be done in Inventor 2011? Also, can you recommend a good book on Sheetmetal in Inventor?
I just got around to installing my subscription upgrade from INV PRO 2012 to 2013. I am having trouble getting sheet metal flats to show up in the idw's. The folded parts are visible, solid parts are visible, etc. The problem seems to be specific to flat patterns. I have attached a screen shot of a sample part.
When I hover the mouse over where the flat pattern should be, the red dashed box which usually encloses the view shows up, however it is tiny. Barely the size of the view label.
I'm having difficulty with a sheet metal part creating a flat pattern for it. The shape is an ellipse with the dimensions shown in the second picture. When I attempt to create a flat pattern it just shows the side of the part. The sheet metal defaults are correct for the part and it was ripped to created a base point for the pattern. I need to create a DXF for manufacture. I would just use the flat pattern it gives me and mirror it twice to create a pattern but it doesn't factor in the radius of the part. How to create a correct flat pattern for this item?
I was wondering if there is any possible way to flat pattern a coil. Attached is a picture of what I am trying to flat pattern. Its a quarter turn of a full coil.
I want to creat a flatpattern of an iregulary cut cylinder that was made in the standard .ipt world and is now converted into a sheetmetal. I want to "Unroll" the piece out so can see the shape of it as a flat piece. Picture of it is attached.
Any way of drawing an edge bend on a flat bit of copper so I can flat pattern it for the guys on the shop floor to make.
The problem comes with the edge bend, I have provided a picture of a simple bit of copper with various flat bends and a single edge bend. As the flat pattern shows to the right the edge bend is not flattered, This was drawn using a sketch the profile then using "face" . This is why I assume it does not work in flat pattern.
Is it possible to draw an edge bend with a command to allow it to flat pattern? if so which command and how?
I attached the iLogic code which is automatically creating dwg drawing (script borrowed from one of the discussion group users), also it creates 4 views. I`m just wondering how to add flat pattern ?
I can't get Inventor to create a flat pattern of the attached sheetmetal part. It's a pretty basic part, just five folds. I'm not getting any error issues - when I go to the flat pattern it just shows the folded part (picture attached).
I assume it has something to do with the way I folded it and the notches, etc. Inv makes to accomplish the fold. I'm using Inventor 2013 on Win 8.
I have a cone shaped part and would like to put a hole in the curved face. I would like have to hole square to the face in the flat pattern so it can be cut on the plasma table, is there a way to do this? I attached the part with holes in the approximate location.
Is there a feature on the latest series of inventor whereby you can automatically generate fold detail on the flat pattern , ie. fold up 45 degrees, eliminating mistakes. I am currently on Inventor 2008 so this feature could be on a new version.
I create custom sheetmetal styles from time to time via the API. It fails when the flat pattern has issues. Is there a way to determine if the flat pattern has errors/issues so I can delete it as required?
A colleague and I are working on a large assembly together, and we have received several .stp files from a customer (originally created in ProE), many of which are sheet metal that need to be unfolded and flat patterns made in drawings. The sheet metal default thickness has been changed to what the material thickness is. We have measured the edges on each side of and the radii of the bends, and they all appear to be consistently uniform. Yet, we get an error when trying to unfold or flatten the outer two bends. The customer sent us a flat pattern .stp file as well after letting them know we could not unfold the part, and there are many dimensions that we have to manually inserted to the drawing with the flat file because it does not have the bend information in it.
Is there something that we are missing to make this part unfold all the way?
In case my signature does not attach, I am running 2011 SP2, Windows7 Pro (SP1) 64-bit, 12GB RAM, Intel Xeon 3.07GHz, NVIDIA Quadro 2000 Inventor 2013 (SP2 Update 2), Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), SP1, Intel Xeon 3.07GHz CPU, 12GB RAM, NVIDIA Quadro 2000, Vault Basic 2013
