Sheet Metal Part
Sheet Metal Part
(OP)
When designing a simple one bend angle, is there an advantage in modeling it as a sheet metal part instead of just a part?
When was the last time you drove down the highway without seeing a commercial truck hauling goods?
Download nowINTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS Come Join Us!Are you an
Engineering professional? Join Eng-Tips Forums!
*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail. Posting GuidelinesJobs |
|
RE: Sheet Metal Part
I had a job designing stampings and hinges for a few years. Since all tooling was made by outside vendors, we rearely needed flat patterns, and there was little advantage in use sheet metal in most cases. Our tooling vendors would not accept customer-generated flat patterns because they had been burned too many times by erroneous blank dimensions.
Sometimes it would be necessary to unfold, cut, and refold parts to get proper geometry. In those cases, sheet metal was needed.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
RE: Sheet Metal Part
Also you will have the ability to add Design Library > Forming Tool features to a SM part.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
Insert
-->Sheet Metal
-->Bends
RE: Sheet Metal Part
RE: Sheet Metal Part
If other users do not know how to use SM, and your products are not SM, no point in using it (for now).
IMO, all of the users at your company learn SM. It has more advantages than not.
Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion
RE: Sheet Metal Part
I rarely start a part off in sheet metal. I usually intend to convert it, but this does not always happen.
Eventually, I decide to convert. I sit there and stare at it for a bit, and I decide how to rip it. Then, I do the sequence described by TheTick, above. Often, I flatten it and stress relieve the inside corners, and then bend it, again.
Your part should end up as sheet metal. Your fabricators may want to use your SolidWorks model.
JHG
RE: Sheet Metal Part
Anyways, back on the subject, I'd say that the advantages I can think of are
1)If you do need a flat pattern for whatever reason, it's already gonna be prepped for you if you modeled it in sheet metal.
2)It seems just as quick if not a tiny tiny bit quicker to model the part you're talking about in sheetmetal than a normal part (I do have a part template with the sheetmetal feature set up though).
RE: Sheet Metal Part
Your manager may be referring to starting in sheet metal so you may need 3 parts (with similar features) to figure out the smallest part file possible.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
RE: Sheet Metal Part
RE: Sheet Metal Part
RE: Sheet Metal Part
it's definitely a different train of thought than just layer caking a part together. most of my suppliers dont want unfolded views so i dont include them in the prints anymore.
SW2008 Office Pro SP4.0
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
2.2GHz, 2.00GB RAM
QuadroFX 3700
SpacePilot
RE: Sheet Metal Part
I think that I can conclude that there is no reason to make a part sheet metal unless you need a flat patter for it.
If anyone can think of another reason you might want to make all of your parts sheet metal, please let me know.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
But to answer your question:
Note: Both of the above 'reasons' can be achieved by other means. One of the benefits of SW is that there is usually several ways of creating a part ... but that can also be one of it's shortcomings.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
I was just making a statement that I could not find an advantage to use SM for simple parts as my new manager had suggested.
As always, thanks for lending your expertise to the issues brought up in the forum.
RE: Sheet Metal Part
By doing it with solids you have to constantly look at your bend table handbook and input in the radii during sketch mode. then if it changes you have to edit several different sketches.
As someone mentioned already, if you cannot unfold your part because it will collide with itself then it is worthless and cannot be manufactured... what's the point.
SW2008 Office Pro SP4.0
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
2.2GHz, 2.00GB RAM
QuadroFX 3700
SpacePilot
RE: Sheet Metal Part
SW2008 Office Pro SP4.0
Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
2.2GHz, 2.00GB RAM
QuadroFX 3700
SpacePilot