Unrevolving Angle Iron That Was Created In Framework Extension: Pictures attached

[Drew]

Let me give you a quick background of this part and my requirement as someone may be able to provide insight.

I am creating an ethanol waste skid that includes a 1000 gallon tank:

The part that I am concerned with straightening can be seen in the attached pictures.

Although straightened is a correct term I really just need the revolved angle Iron to be: “un-revolved”.

I need to maintain the “L” structural shape as the fabrication company will be “rolling” the angle Iron. I want to provide them with a length that they can cut and roll and have a correct part.

Please be aware that I attempted this in a sheet metal part but was informed by PTC that a part cannot be un-revolved.

I then  attempted to convert this framework part to sheet metal and try the same un-revolve action but I couldn’t even convert it to sheet metal as I couldn’t figure out what the driving surface is.

So, I’m basically reaching a variety of dead ends.

Other than manually calculating the length  ,can  provide a correct, straight length of 4 X 4 X 3/8 angle Iron to a fab company using Creo 4.0?

Thank you and I hope we can find a solution.

[dschenken]

n/a

[BenLoosli · Accepted solution]

Show the finished shape and size and let your fabricator determine how to roll it for the final shape you have defined in your drawing. They have the expertise, if they do it enough.

Where I used to work, we had flat pattern views with a note that they were for internal use only. The bending process and tooling may need a slightly different flat developed length than what we used internally.

You are buying the finished rolled angle of xx.xx diameter, that is all you should be providing to your vendor.

[BenLoosli]

Creo sheet metal will only work with a press brake type of operation. Rolling a frame like you need is not an option for the software.

One option may be to just simulate the vertical leg of the angle and then you can 'bend' that by using a very small flat on one end with a 359.75 bend angle. That should get you close to the length needed for the angle. The bending of the actual angle will have a lot of compression on the horizontal leg, so not sure how that will change the calculation of the vertical leg.

[StephenW]

I agree with the other responses. The manufacturer should know how to calculate the material they need to provide your finished part. Even in sheetmetal, providing a flat of your finished part is risky if you don't know what manufacturing method the supplier will be using. If you supply a flat length requirement on your print and they follow that method and then the finished part is not correct, who is responsible for the error?

Just FYI, sheetmetal requires uniform thickness (in general) for it's operations. Angle iron is definitely not uniform in thickness (at the corner and at the ends).

[Drew]

Spoiler

Thank you for taking the time to respond.  From an "responsibility" standpoint, I agree and will be sending a formed rep in a drawing.  Now, my curiosity is purely from a "how to " in Creo standpoint as I am unable to straighten this model. Thank you.Again!

Drew

[KenFarley]

If you just want to have a "flat" part that is then made into a "bent" part, you could:

(1) Model the part as a straight "L" piece.

(2) Apply a toroidal bend to the piece.

This is kind of backwards from the method you were trying to apply, but it works.