AutoCad 3d question (using inventor 2010)

[modular93fox]

What Im trying to do is flatten a "loft"-ed part. I should have saved my design instead of closing it but imagine a back yard deck, and it has a 4x4 on each corner, and then a roof... not hard, but to add some pazaz to it, we cut some right angle triangles out of some 2x8 and put them on the 4x4 at the top, so it looks cooler
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autocad 2010 aint got nothing on that... anyway its like that on each side of the deck. and what i lofted was between the 2 "triangles" and put a rail to define the shape i want. basically it looks like a cone. Exactly what I wanted to do in 3d, but i could not flatten the lofted part to a pattern i could print and transfer to some white translucent plastic. Trying to rough do this by hand would be a super frustrating.
Anyway, do you know how to flatten a lofted part.

tonight i will re do my drawing and post up a real picture in 3d..
thanks,
clint

[modular93fox]

I tried to make the wood parts wood and the clear part clear but I failed. Im sure you get the idea... still cant figure out how to flatten the dang "loft" part...
thanks,
clint

[Samckitt]

I can do it easily in NX (Formerly Unigraphics), but no idea in AutoCAD. Send me an IGES, or DXF of it & I can flatten it for you.

[astroracer]

If you give me the dimensions I can create a sheetmetal part in NX that I can unfold. I can give you a flat pattern off that.
Mark

[Samckitt]

Mark, You use NX also? Cool.

[modular93fox]

wicked cool guys, it seems i probally was breaking sheet metal rules... still cant figure it out so I will take measurements on the actual length of the triangles sunday.
thanks,
clint

[astroracer]

Mark, You use NX also? Cool.

Hi Scot,
Yea, I've been running UG (NX) since 1993. Started on Version 9 and am now running NX5 at work.
Mark

[Samckitt]

Hi Scot,
Yea, I've been running UG (NX) since 1993. Started on Version 9 and am now running NX5 at work.
Mark

I started on V9 as well back in 92, I am now using NX6, 7, 7.5. I work for the company that produces it so I need to know it all.
Scot

[LateNight72]

just make a new sketch and cut (via; extrude) the triangles off.

[modular93fox]

I dont follow.. so i have the 4x4 in the picture, the 2 triangles. what do i extrude/cut? i have to make the loft, but when I do, I cannot flatten it.

[modular93fox]

still cant figure it out. i'd like to "do it myself" that away I can learn how to do it.. dang this stuff is hard when you have no training.

thanks,
clint