Unfolding a 3D object

[cadkiller]

I found this.

Sheet metal parts are created by first defining or selecting a sheet metal style and then creating a basic sketch for the sheet metal part using the sketching tools. The Face tool is the primary means of converting the sketch into a sheet metal face. Faces can be offset, cut, bent, chamfered, and rounded. The Flange tool lets you create flanges automatically. The Hole tool is for drilling holes into the part, while the Flat Pattern tool can be used to unfold the part into a flat pattern.

[cadkiller]

A friend of mine created this routine called Wrapper.
He says he plans on creating a lisp file of it.
I will pass it on when I get it.
Here is a video he sent me.

[aledtaylor79401]

I'm trying to figure out how to unfold these stringers with your routine.
Can you give it a try and let me know if there is something special that i should be doing for it to work properly. Thanks a bunch it is greatly appreciated.

The lisp routine only works from Top View.

in Front View, rotate the staircase by 90 degrees. Draw two 3D polylines to define the upper and lower edges of the surface. Draw a rulesurf surface between them. Run pattern.lsp

I hope this helps

Aled Taylor
Design Engineer

[cadkiller]

Aled;

Thanks again for the lisp routine, it works like a charm. See attached images.

[shurd]

I tried using Aled Taylor's lisp routine for one section of a conical column... where the joints are not normal to the axis--hence a cone that is basically sliced at an angle at both ends, but I'm not getting very good results. I'm trying to draw a layout for CNC to cut the necessary 4 panels per section out of flat stock aluminum composite. I've already layed out my own plan based on taking 90 measurements per quadrant, but wanted to try using a program that would be much easier to use and not have to spend several hours plotting points.

I've attached a cad drawing of my 3d model with an exploded surface which I rule surfed and ran the pattern.lsp on. I ran the lisp routine from the "top" view, but not sure if my ruledsurf surface needed to be at a certain orientation as well. Also, would there be a way to give more points along the curve, instead of the obviously faceted results? I've also included (in green) the flattened pattern I believe it should look like, as I've calculated by hand.

I know this thread is super old... but if anyone is still around that could maybe give me a hint, I'd really appreciate it!

[paul_a_p699789]

I know this is an old thread but I am having trouble getting this lisp routine to work for me. If anyone has experience using it and is willing to share any help would be greatly appreciated