Merge Faces configs

Hi group,

I'd like to develop two configurations: One with Flat Pattern option
of merge faces active and the other without. It seems that this is not
possible. Am I missing something?

TIA!

Dave

 

Add an unfold feature and collect all bends.
suppress it in the config you want the faces to be merged in
and use it instead of the flat pattern in the other config this will give
you the representation of a flat pattern without the faces merged. I don't
think it will automatically add new bends so it may require more updating
than if you were able to use the flat pattern alone.

or

Select a face of the flattened part insert a sketch
use the intersection curve tool
select the body from the feature tree.
this will give you an updating sketch of the whole flat patern
extrude it, link to thickness and make sure it is in the correct direction
now you have a body with merged faces. Simply supress this Extrude feature
in the config you want the surfaces to not be merged.

Corey

 

Thanks for the reply.


I'm probably missing something, but these techniques do not seem to
work for me. I'll try to be specific:

I'm using a macro: swBendsQu.swp generously contributed by a person of
this ng whose name I can not remember. It allows me to place bend info
on my flat pattern, but requires that merge faces option be disabled
for it to work. The flat pattern I actually output @1:1 must have
merged faces. The macro adds annotation to the drawing with arrows
pointing to the bend the annotation refers to. Unfortunately, when the
merge faces option is selected, the annotations lose their location
reference and are no longer associated with a bend.

As it is, I now:
1) Output the flat pattern to DXF with faces merged
2) Un-merge the faces and run the macro on the model
3) Run the macro on the flat
4) Merge faces
5) Correct location of dangling annotations

It seems the macro will not run on anything but the flat pattern.

 

The second method I explaind would do exactly what you want.
Your feature will be added after the flat pattern, and your flat pattern
will not have merged faces.
could you send me one of your parts and I will create an example off of it
if you don't understand my explianation.

Corey

 

If you are already using a macro, how about the
"FlatPatternFeatureData::MergeFace" call?

Short of that, you can try 2 derived Flat patterns.

1) With your 3d config active, open a drawing and create your first
Flat pattern view. Close the drawing without saving.

2) Go back to your model, and in your newly created flat pattern,
remove the "FLAT-PATTERN" string in the config name, and name
it something meaningful. (SW still seems to rely somewhat on
the magic "FLAT-PATTERN" string to identify a flat pattern.

3) Open a new drawing, and create your second (derived)flat pattern.

You may need to toggle back and forth between parent and child
with the "Merge faces" feature until each is correct.