OverLaping in solidworks

Hello, I am trying to get this piece to overlap itself{aluminum Venting
Pipe) and then try to unfold it using the flatten tool with sheet metal, but
i am haveing a problem with it. Can someone have a look and tell me what i'm
mdoing wrong.

Also i am looking at doing the same thing but using a spiral, the problem
with that is I can extrude the spiral does anyone know where i could get the
info to extrude a spiral.

Which way is beter for designing?
ftp://24.42.130.192:21

Thanks

 

Hi Mike-

It looks like the inner and outer radii in the small jog are not
concentric to each other. This will trip the program up with this
sort of bend - i.e. when there is a closed loop and a Arc-Arc
condition - the program does not know which profile to chase and since
the inner & outer are not "parallell" then it gags. Alternately you
might use a single profile open and use the base-flange insert, but in
my opition, you have the better of the two methods started (model +
sheet metal insert).

I made a change to the model and added the concentricity on the two
inner&outer sets of radii and was able to get a viable sheet metal
definition into the model.

Recently there was a question almost exactly like this one - check out
the model and "how to" at:

http://www.sheetmetaldesign.com/Cad-SolidWorks/Example11-Overlap-Round.zip

Also, for the tube the model below will show you how to make a spiral,
and it could be made into a tube by keeping the helix from tapering.
This model was done based on the Mike Wilson unfoldable torus. This
does use the dubious "lofted bend" so it is not the most lovable thing
on earth when it "unfolds".

This might help you (but no "how to" for this one, just blow by blow
"rollback"):

http://www.sheetmetaldesign.com/Cad-SolidWorks/Example8-LoftedPlusHelix.zip

Regards,

SMA

 

Hey thanks for the help, I got the first pipe done with the equal radii, but
I still can't figure out the spiral part. How can I make a spiral to
extrude. I been trying every thing to do this but still I am having no
success with it. even if I get this to work what is the better way to create
the pipe. once I do get the spiral to extrude can I get the dimension to
read it as the original circle. eg. if the spiral was made from a 3" circle
can I still get that dim once the spiral has been created and extruded.

 

Hi Mike,

Are you wanting to make a version similar to the pipe (shown above)
but without the little jog at the end? I.e. the same thing but with a
smoooth transition?

I think this is what you are after (your other post indicated this
possibly).

If so, I think we will need something similar, but whatever the sizes,
we will need one arc and a slightly larger arc that is
"thickness+cheating" larger than the base arc. Where you would
transition from the small to the large is a judgement call - I would
break-off the main arc 90 degrees from the "top".

If this is the case, we can make anther sample if it helps.

Regards,

SMA