Having Troubles Creating Flat Pattern

[kwon.bCHS]

I am a student working on a school, club project on Inventor 16'. My club is creating a grill that looks like a football helmet. I have a model of the grill as a sheet metal file, however I can't get the flat pattern to work correctly. This may be due to the fact that I started the project as a regular IPT and converted the project into a sheet metal file; consequently there are no physical bends. Do you need bends in order to make a flat pattern? Thank you for your time and advise.

[RvdVeek]

I looks like you are trying to make a flat pattern out of a double curved item. Basically Inventor can't create a flat pattern out of a double curved surface. You need serious sheetmetal software to create a deep draw flat pattern.
Otherwise provide a screenshot of your model or the part itself for further investigation.

Rob.

[jlucas]

Yes, in my experience you need bends to create a flat pattern. What you have may possibly work as a molded part or casting, but not as a sheetmetal part. It won't make the flat pattern. Inventor has difficulty with continuous curves such as what your are describing.

[jasonm.267422]

Crazy question (only because I have been victim myself)... Do you have the sheet metal Defaults set correctly?