How to make a shape mapped completely on a round contour?

[Toybuilder]

I have a project where I need to wrap a shape onto a cylindrical surface, but am having difficulties doing so.

To simplify the discussion, I've create an example case.

Let's say that I wanted to decorate a coffee mug with a Christmas tree shape. I can create this tab as a starting point:




I then try to sketch-bend the tab to wrap around the mug. Let's say the mug surface radius is 50 mm. I can't do it:



This is the top view:


If I reduce the radius to 40 mm, I get a partial bend:


If I then incrementally increase the bend angle, I can progressively bend more of the tree...


But if I exceed the limits of the material, I cannot do the bend anymore:



With this simple symmetric shape case, I should be able to solve the bend angle and radius values to get me to be able to fully wrap the tab. But it's tedious, and it would be harder for a shape that does not have a simple symmetry. Is there a way to accomplish what I am trying to do, where curving the surface can extend past the material?

 

[idslk]

Hello Toybuilder,

first create the "mug" (use a small straight tab and then a nearly 360 flange), then unfold, create your sketch on the unfolded sheet, extrude cut (or boss...) and rebend.

Regards
Stefan

 

[Toybuilder]

Hello Toybuilder,

first create the "mug" (use a small straight tab and then a nearly 360 flange), then unfold, create your sketch on the unfolded sheet, extrude cut (or boss...) and rebend.

Regards
Stefan

View attachment 34930

Thanks. That was what more or less what I first tried. But the final rebend doesn't work.


Hmmm, you have extrude cut in your history -- but I only have cut?!?

 

[idslk]

 

[idslk]

Hello Toybuilder,

should work with cut as well...
but goes through the complete sheet thickness...
with extrude cut you can define the depth of the cut.

Regards
Stefan

 

[DavidJ]

Try circle - circle lofted flange as the starting point for the 'mug'

 

[Toybuilder]

Try circle - circle lofted flange as the starting point for the 'mug'

View attachment 34938

Thank you DavidJ. That did work.

I would love to understand better how this works versus the approach that idslk and I have tried using bends, where it fails if there is no material present outside of the bend?

 

[Toybuilder]

Put a little differently, if I wanted any arbitrary shape to be curved as if it has been through a sheet roll bender, is the lofted flange the only way to do it, or is the tab+bend approach viable and I'm just missing something? Thanks again!

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

Here is an old tutorial I did that should help you out.

https://www.alibreforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-wrap-text-around-a-cylinder.9059/

 

[Toybuilder]

Ah! So it's sort of a cheat which uses something resembling feeding strips to allow the rebend operation to work, and then trimming the strips off at the end!
It doesn't work with only one strip -- as you pointed out on your tutorial, you need both strips!

 

[NateLiquidGravity]

Exactly. As seen in the link it works with disconnected sections of the text too.