Unfold Rectangle

The UnfoldRect command can be useful for creating flat sketches of curved walls and placing artwork on them. If your models have solids representing parts made of thin sheets bent in an arc, then you can find out the dimensions of the unfolded part if you mark it in the AVC Properties Palette as Sweep. But sometimes it is not enough to know the dimensions, but you need to construct an image of a part unfolded into a plane. There is no full Unfold command in AVC plugins, but you can do it in BricsCAD Mechanical. And if constructing an overall rectangle is enough for you, then the UnfoldRect command will help you do this.

The command starts the solid measurement procedure (SolSize command), and then builds a rectangle based on the obtained values ​​for the length and width of the part.

Other features of the program:

• A rectangle is constructed for any solids that were measured according to the LAY rules. Not just for sweeps.

• The length of the part is always plotted along X, and the width along Y, regardless of the location of the original part and regardless of its bends.

• You can select several solids at once. The program will build several rectangles under each other.

• You can select several lines or 2D curves and the program will construct one rectangle based on their overall dimensions. But only if not a single solid was included in the selection. This way you will get a dimensional rectangle for any figure.

• The name of the solid is transferred to the name of the rectangle.

• The program always runs in the current user coordinate system (UCS). Curves are measured in it and a rectangle will be constructed in its XY plane. But solids are measured according to the LAY rules, regardless of their position.

• The accuracy of dimensional measurements and the Sweep Measuring Method is configured in Common Options.

The command is included with AVC Pro. The command is not sold as a separate plugin.

The same rectangle for sweep-solid is built by the NC Preparation program in the Blank layer.

Write your wishes to optimize the work of this command for your needs: avc.programming@gmail.com

Operating procedure

Set up the precision of dimensional measurements and the Sweep Measuring Method in Common Options.

Set up the UCS (UCS) as you need to position the rectangle - it will be built in the XY plane.

Set the current layer, color, weight and line type - these will be used to create the rectangle.

Select a solid or multiple solids or multiple 2D shapes. Other objects accidentally included in the selection will be ignored. You can select both in the model and in the paper space on sheets.

Call the UnfoldRect command.

If nothing is selected in advance, the program will ask you to select.

The program will ask you for the insertion point of the rectangle. This will be the top left corner of the rectangle. If several solids are selected, the next rectangles will be located below, with a slight indentation.

There is no sorting of the solids; the order of the rectangles is random. To avoid confusion, it is recommended to make rectangles one at a time. If you need sorting or names of parts, use the LAY program first.

At the end of the work, the program will write the number of constructed rectangles on the command line.