Nesting Sheet Metal Flat Patterns

[John Eric Voltin]

Is there a simple way to layout a nesting pattern for a sheet metal flat
pattern. I can create an array of sheet metal parts in an assembly, but the
assembly and any corresponding drawing views become inaccesible when I
flatten the sheet metal part. I can also create a drawing view of the flat
pattern, but how do I create an array of 322 flat patterns in a drawing
view?

I have checked the help files, but found nothing relevant.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Richard Doyle]

Post by John Eric Voltin
Is there a simple way to layout a nesting pattern for a sheet metal flat
pattern. I can create an array of sheet metal parts in an assembly, but the
assembly and any corresponding drawing views become inaccesible when I
flatten the sheet metal part. I can also create a drawing view of the flat
pattern, but how do I create an array of 322 flat patterns in a drawing
view?
I have checked the help files, but found nothing relevant.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
--
- John
John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
512-633-0394

John,
Short of creating all 322 views, I can't think of a way to do this. Perhaps
you could save the drawing file out to (eek) AutoCAD and create the 2D array
from there.

Can you let your sheet metal vendor do the nesting with a third party
product?

Richard

[John Eric Voltin]

I suspect your suggestion of using AutoCAD will be the only effective
approach.

Most sheet metal shops have tools for doing this, but one I spoke with asked
if I could do it. I was able to quickly determine the proper layout using
an array of parts in an assembly, but this does me no good for generating a
drawing. I guess I could manually create a flat pattern (a part with no
bends) and use it to create the drawing.
--
- John

John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
***@agile-technology.com
512-633-0394

Post by Richard Doyle

Post by John Eric Voltin
Is there a simple way to layout a nesting pattern for a sheet metal flat
pattern. I can create an array of sheet metal parts in an assembly, but

the

Post by John Eric Voltin
assembly and any corresponding drawing views become inaccesible when I
flatten the sheet metal part. I can also create a drawing view of the

flat

Post by John Eric Voltin
pattern, but how do I create an array of 322 flat patterns in a drawing
view?
I have checked the help files, but found nothing relevant.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
--
- John
John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
512-633-0394

John,
Short of creating all 322 views, I can't think of a way to do this. Perhaps
you could save the drawing file out to (eek) AutoCAD and create the 2D array
from there.
Can you let your sheet metal vendor do the nesting with a third party
product?
Richard

[Corey Scheich]

What is wrong with making the array of the part from the flattened state
instead of changing it. or doing it in a different config

Post by John Eric Voltin
Is there a simple way to layout a nesting pattern for a sheet metal flat
pattern. I can create an array of sheet metal parts in an assembly, but the
assembly and any corresponding drawing views become inaccesible when I
flatten the sheet metal part. I can also create a drawing view of the flat
pattern, but how do I create an array of 322 flat patterns in a drawing
view?
I have checked the help files, but found nothing relevant.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
--
- John
John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
512-633-0394

[Richard Doyle]

Post by Corey Scheich
What is wrong with making the array of the part from the flattened state
instead of changing it. or doing it in a different config

I have got to start thinking before I respond.

John,
He's right, make the assembly using a flattened configuration of the part.
Then do your array and create the drawing from there.

Thanks Corey.

Richard

[John Eric Voltin]

This approach worked perfectly. Thanks.

Although you can easily reference the flat pattern by default when creating
drawing views, you must create a config with the bends suppressed in order
show the flat pattern in an assembly and making a corresponding drawing.

I'm not surprised that this newsgroup was able to make such a task simple.

Now I just need to get the drawing exported as a DXF.
--
- John

John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
***@agile-technology.com
512-633-0394

Post by Corey Scheich
What is wrong with making the array of the part from the flattened state
instead of changing it. or doing it in a different config

Post by John Eric Voltin
Is there a simple way to layout a nesting pattern for a sheet metal flat
pattern. I can create an array of sheet metal parts in an assembly, but

the

Post by John Eric Voltin
assembly and any corresponding drawing views become inaccesible when I
flatten the sheet metal part. I can also create a drawing view of the

flat

Post by John Eric Voltin
pattern, but how do I create an array of 322 flat patterns in a drawing
view?
I have checked the help files, but found nothing relevant.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
--
- John
John Eric Voltin
Mechanical Engineer
Agile Technology, Inc.
512-633-0394

[rocheey]

Post by John Eric Voltin
Although you can easily reference the flat pattern by default when creating
drawing views, you must create a config with the bends suppressed in order
show the flat pattern in an assembly and making a corresponding drawing.

Use the 'CreateFlatPatternViewFromModelView' call. The separate
configuration
will also allow you to tweak in geometry especially for manufacturing.

I played with nesting of Flat patterns directly inside of a
drawingdoc, simply for the benefit of knowing when a nested sheet
needed to be renested if/when a flat pattern on the sheet changed.

But a DwgDoc with 'X' amount of flat pattern views on it loads
significantly slower than a similar Dwgdoc with '3d' views on it.

Exporting as blocks (even dxfs read back in as blocks) could give you
a "middle of the road" functionality.

Post by John Eric Voltin
I'm not surprised that this newsgroup was able to make such a task simple.

Well, all but the nesting code was fairly straighforward. The nesting
is turning out to be a 'christer' haa haa.