Flat Pattern Issues

[ROKCRLER]

Im working on lobster tail piping and noticed the flattened length is shorter than it should by by almost an inch.
I upgraded to SE2024 from SE2023, these issues did not happen in 2023. I failed to save my settings before upgrading so 2024 is fully OEM settings.
Are there bend settings in SE other than these i need to look at?

I created these parts with a surface sweep, then thicken then flatten all as separate bodies. I tried both inside and outside directions on thicken with the same results.

~Mo

[KennyG]

Thicken is not available in the Sheet Metal environment, so you must have started in Part. I think you need to explain the process you used to "flatten" it as there is a couple ways to do this and they are meant for different manufacturing processes.

[ROKCRLER]

Kenny, thanks for the reply.

The video was on 2023

When i start in SM, i create all the sketches and sweeps for the whole part having 4 - 8 sections.
After surface sweep, i add a SM body, transition to part, thicken, then flatten. I do this for each wedge (gores).

Here is the results done the same way. Top is 2024, bottom is 2023.

I hope this makes sense.

[KennyG]

You are using Blank Body to flatten the part which makes you pick one surface of the solid. You picked the inside surface which is going to have a radius of 3.35 since your sketch that created the surface was on the outside of the thickened solid. Blank Body does not use the solid which is why you have to specify the material thickness in the command and that is only used for calculating the material properties for stretching/shrinking as the metal deforms. Try picking the outside surface and your flat size will be more what you expect.

[ROKCRLER]

Kenny, thanks for your help..
Would you or anyone else mind drawing up the part to see if you get different results?
This part is a 7" diameter 30* elbow.
I don't recall having these issues with previous versions of SE, and since i don't do these often, i tend to forget which method i normally use.
Since I'm using community edition, i don't think you'll be able to open my file.

Here are the videos i referenced for these parts.



I did find Matts blog about surfacing which why i tried both inside and outside thickening but still get the flat pattern too short in length.

I did test drive Hypertherm's Design2Fab and holy cow that makes ductwork fittings a breeze. I am hoping I can whip them up in SE.