Solution tackles sheet metal design challenges

One of the big questions we continue to hear from customers using Inventor for sheet metal work is, Can Inventor unfold transition pieces? or Can Inventor unfold an elliptical cone? Sometimes my answer is yes, but many times my answer, unfortunately, is No. Inventor is not alone when it comes to this issue. Most if not all of the 3D modelers have this same issue when looked at right out of the box.

Now, this doesnt have to be the case. SPI Sheet Metal for Inventor, a third-party tool that Hagerman & Company, Inc. represents easily unfolds transitional pieces as well as your complex sheet metal shapes. The best part is that it works right inside of your Inventor session. This software is an add-on package from SPI. There are two separate modules that comprise this software. One is for standard sheet metal parts and the other is based around ducting-type pieces.

The SPI Sheet Metal for Inventor tool performs many of the same functions of standard Inventor, but takes it a step further and gives you better control of all aspects of a sheet metal part. SPI has an enhanced flat pattern generation tool that will unfold complex sheet metal parts in seconds. The flat pattern generated in SPI is ready to be imported into many of the different laser or CAM punch programs available today as well as press brake control systems.

With SPI for Inventor, the user can take any sharp-cornered Inventor parts, lofts or curved surfaces and easily unfold them without any issues. The bend allowances for flat patterns are created using k-factors, shortening values, tables or other attributes for the calculations.

The other tool available is SPI-Ducting for Inventor. This tool is used for the design and unfolding of complex, 3-dimension pipes and transitions. SPI-Ducting comes with a wizard based tool that allows you to select one of several pre-defined shapes. Then, all the user has to do is plug in the values he needs, and the part is created. After selection of the unfolding button, the flat is created and saved to a DXF file for use in your downstream applications.

If sheet metal parts are the bread and butter of your business, SPI for Inventor is an add-on product that cannot be overlooked. The tools and ease of use that it provides are a productivity enhancement that is invaluable for a company making sheet metal parts. For more information or a closer look, contact your Hagerman & Company, Inc. representative today.

Animation: SPI for Inventor
1. Circle to rectange transition
2. Cone
3. Small to large rectangular transition