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SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5
3

SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

(OP)
Hi,
I want to create a full flange on the edge that starts from A and finishes at B (X direction).
Sheet Metal Advance Flange can't be applied (the edge is not liniar all over). How could I still create a flange,(other than Sweep along guide)?

Thanks.......

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

There's no way to create this using conventional NX Sheet Metal features.  It's going to have to be created along the lines of my attached example.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
UG/NX Museum:   http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

This is a straight piece, can you bend a curved flange? Like this shape ) when you looking on top of it?

Best regards,

Michaël.

NX7.5.4.4 + TC Unified 8.3
Win 7 64 bit

 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

One thing I see a lot of NX sheet metal users miss are all the creation options open to them. Essentially out of the gate you have (3) options. From what I have seen posted on the forums, everyone always starts with a tab. But you have Contour flange and lofted flange as well. My guess is since they are buried under pull downs, people don't realize they are there.

I created this part using two features, a contour flange 2x. Simple and easy to update. Channels, angles, anything really with larger radii that has to be rolled I always start with the contour flange instead of a tab and pulling a flange. More bang for your buck and more conrol IMHO.

Ryan

--
Ryan Gudorf
CAD/CAM Supervisor
Budde Sheet Metal Works, Inc.
305 Leo St.
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. 45404
Tel: 937.224.0868
Fax: 937.224.1356
http://www.buddesheetmetal.com


 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

(OP)
JCBCad, Ryan and John:

Great tip, great suggestion! Your part can be flatted as well!

Thanks a lot!

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

The biggest issue in your picture are the flanges inside the cutouts. They seem to be "straight" flanges but on that curved surface. NX sheet metal cannot handle that kind of feature and "flatten". Although you can model about anything, you cannot unfold everything.

Unless you have the piece of the Prog Die Wizard call "Analyze Formability-One Step". It will flatten about anything. Unfortunately into a disconnected, spline ridden, 2D flat pattern that is in no shape to send to a laser cutter or punch press. We use it for our more advanced unfolding scenario's but we have a lot of cleanup/redrawing to do in ACAD to make it work for the CAM system.

HTH,
Ryan

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

OK, I'll give Simon that one winky smile

Even I sometimes miss the secondary options.

Sometimes you can't see the Forest for the Trees.  

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
UG/NX Museum:   http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

The easiest thing I can see is organizing the toolbars by creation methods and then editing methods. Currently that is not the case and people think you have to start with a "tab". Which is not the case. I think Tab, Contour Flange and Lofted flange should be out there on the default toolbar, then secondary options grouped in puldowns afterwards.

I would say 80% of my designs start with Contour Flange.

Just my opinion..
Ryan

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

Takes about 2 minutes using Customize to make those changes and then save your Role and you're in business.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
UG/NX Museum:   http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

(OP)
Scuse me, what do you call Lofted Flange?
NX Sheet Metal has Flange and Advanced Flange...............

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

Go to...

Insert -> Bend ->...

...and you will see all of the Flange options.

Or you can just select the arrown next to the 'Flange' icon on the toolbar and you'll get the same options.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
http://www.siemens.com/plm
UG/NX Museum:   http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

(OP)
Thanks John,
I haven't  used Lofted Flange until today. I love it!

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

John,
Indeed I have my toolbars customized this way. However, I see other users that I deal with, customers and people on variuos newsgroups, and most of them think there is just the "tab" command as the initial feature creation method. When there are actually three. So I was just suggestiong that maybe the defaults should reflect this so people could understand that. Although proper training would also help.

That is the great thing about NX and 3D CAD systems. I myself have years in "flat to formed" layout/process scenario. With 3D CAD you can think "backwards" and model the finished part and arrive at the "flat" state. But I see numerous people start out with "flat" parts and constantly add bends to their flat patterns to get to the finished part. In that regards, they are missing out on the power of NX Sheet Metal.

Ryan

--
Ryan Gudorf
CAD/CAM Supervisor
Budde Sheet Metal Works, Inc.
305 Leo St.
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. 45404
Tel: 937.224.0868
Fax: 937.224.1356
http://www.buddesheetmetal.com

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

(OP)
Well said, Ryan.
I'm one of those who's thought that "Tab" is the only way to start a Sheet Metal bracket(as an example) with.
That's because the NX Sheet Metal was learned by self-training.

What are the three initial feature creation method? Tab, Contour Flange and Lofted Flange, wright?

Also, another issue:
"-But I see numerous people start out with "flat" parts and constantly add bends to their flat patterns to get to the finished part. In that regards, they are missing out on the power of NX Sheet Metal."

I am one of those that starts out with "flat" parts and constantly add bends to their flat patterns to get to the finished part.
What did you mean in this statement? How should I correct this? By using as many other Sheet Metal features as possible?

Thanks

 

RE: SHEET METAL FLANGE - NX7.5

The three initial creation methods are as you described. Tab, Contour Flange and Lofted flange. After one of those, then you can utilize the flange or hem, etc. commands for more options. I always evaluate what I am about to design and follow the best method of creation. If I can create a part with multiple bends (as in your example) with one contour flange, that is the way I go. Some would use a tab, then the flange command, another and another. That just seems like too much work to me.

AFA flat parts, then adding bends, all I can tell you is this. I have been doing 3D CAD modeling of sheet metal for 16 years and I can probably count on my right hand the amount of times I have used the "bend" or "add bend" command. I always utilize Tab, Contour Flange, Lofted Flange, Flange commands. Rarely if ever do I try and figure out the flat pattern ahead of time, draw it in the flat and "add bends" to get my final shape. It's just too much work that way. The sample I showed you achieved your part in two features that are easlily updated parametrically.

Of course making that part is a whole other nightmare with "straight brake" sheet metal methods.

Those (3) NX cretion tools are way more powerful than the Help files suggest (along with the simple flange command). I say play with them and ask around for help. I'd be more than happy to help you out with any questions you may have.

HTH,
Ryan

 

--
Ryan Gudorf
CAD/CAM Supervisor
Budde Sheet Metal Works, Inc.
305 Leo St.
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. 45404
Tel: 937.224.0868
Fax: 937.224.1356
http://www.buddesheetmetal.com

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