Flexible Printed Circuit #3

[DanBovinich]

I thank you all for helping me with the FPC question a few days ago. That design failed because the FPC can get damaged so easily. We are making a new design now, Iteration #3.

I am using SW 2021, sheet-metal feature. This design MUST flatten. Attached, is my start, but can't figure out how to advance the modelling. Every time I try, the "flatten feature" ~ it fails. I've tried, Base flange, tab, edge flange, combining bodies, loft, etc.

Attached are three crude sketches of what I'm trying to achieve. The Flexible printed circuit will have an adhesive tape on it, so that we can apply it like a "sticker" to the battery enclosure (beige colored model).

Also attached is the part I started. There are some profile sketches in it. Nothing has to be exact. I just don't know if this can be done in SolidWorks. I'm hoping there are some really good "sheet metal" SolidWorks designers in this forum. I am only mediocre at best.

Thank you for any help you may give me.

[Frederick_Law]

It works the same as the other.
Just sketch the radius.

Or use Inventor

[Frederick_Law]

If there is a taper/draft on the casting, it'll be more challenging.
Might need to use "surface flatten".

[AlexLachance]

Why not just create the sketch and then create a sheetmetal from the sketch? If you start it off and it unfolds, then from there you'll be able to figure out what's causing you to not be able to unfold.

Make sure to have your extruded cuts in "normal cuts"

P.S. Sorry can't open, I'm on 2019

[DanBovinich]

Hi Alex,

I was able to do it, but scrapped my method. I made the FPC as a very wide piece, with a front profile. I then did an "unfold", cut away what I didn't need, add some more bends, "folded" it and it worked. YAY!

If you think SolidWorks can do it, it probably does....