We are using sheetmetal to model flexes here which works well if I want a flat pattern of just the flex but I'm looking for a way to make an assembly configuration that shows the flex flat with adhesive, etc assembled in the correct location. I'm using family tables to do this substituting the flat state instance for the flex in the flat assembly instance but the connectors don't move with the flex because there is no inherent geometry on the flex where the connector goes. Typically we are mating to the flex surface and offsetting from a coordinate system but that offset isn't valid when the flex is unbent. Here's a simple example of what I want with the master asm on the left and flat on the right:
I thought I could tackle this with axes or datum points but these always seem to stay in the original position when the flex is unbent. I made a sketch, projected it onto the surface and used that to make a point. The projected sketch moves with the surface but again the point stays in it's original position. I also tried making a point along a curve that went along the bent flex but again, the point stayed in its original position when the flex was unbent. I also tried making extruded surfaces to assemble to that wouldn't be part of the solid geometry but again they didn't move with the unbend. I finally got what I needed by making a very small hole and assembling the connector to that but that is super kludgy...
Any ideas how to assemble components so they will follow when the underlying component is unbent without adding geometry? Any help highly appreciated - I feel like I'm just missing something. Probably a cabling license but that's not an option...
Abby