×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Complex Sheet Metal Forming

Complex Sheet Metal Forming

Complex Sheet Metal Forming

(OP)
Are there any sheet metal gurus out there that could recommend how to form a C-Channel type arm rest with the front two-thirds of the channel angled downward approximately 8 Degs.  (Without any secondary welding operations.)

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

I think you'll need wrinkles.

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

(OP)
Yeah, I figured that would be the case.  Is there any good way to control wrinkling so that it looks natural?  (i.e. use the wrinkles to form a design in the sides of the part)

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

(OP)
This is going to be a progressive die run part.  We'll probably just have to experiment with a cheap and dirty die to see how bad the wrinkling is when we make the bend.  Maybe we can control it and still make it look nice.

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

Don't know how thick the sheet metal is, what the dimensions of the part are, total quantity to be produced, etc. but it may be possible to form tubing and then trim to get the c-shape. Lasers are doing incredible trimming on tubes and other shapes these days. You might want to consider forming a closed section.

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

Can you press your part from a flat plate then trim the flange. This way the forming would be in tension and you would eliminate the wrinkling.
B.E.

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

(OP)
I'm kind of between a rock and a hard place.  The problem is that, originally, the toolmakers said they could do it as a progressive die run part...now they're back pedaling.  So we're held to the original cost that we quoted our customer and we can't add any labor beyond the die run part.  (i.e. no welding or secondary operations.)

"Berkshire"  I may be able to do a drawing operation on the metal and trim the edges....it will probably end up being a secondary operation (or at least the part would need to be turned in the die).....as long as it's cheaper than welding, it might be worth a shot.  

Equally difficult will be trying to convince SolidEdge to make a sheetmetal part that looks like this.  Thank goodness for surfacing.



  

RE: Complex Sheet Metal Forming

Without knowing all the details, have you investigated roll forming these channels?

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources