Tongue & Grooves in sheet metal 4

[dsquared2d]

I'm an recovering AutoCAD user so bare with me.

In solidwords, I have my sketch which I've extruded, then inserted bend - converting it to sheet metal. The flatten works exactly how I want it to.

At this point how can I a tongue all around the outside edge of the part.

My sheet metal is .118" thick and I want a tongue around it at .060"thick by .060" wide. As if a table saw added the tongue when the piece was flat and so it's still there when I unflatten it?

Hope that made sense.

 

[MadMango]

You would have to rollback your Process-bends, add your cuts to create the tongue (wouldn't this actually be the groove?) on all 4 sides, then unroll the Process-bends.

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[dsquared2d]

Okay, this is where my problem is. I tried that, but it turns out funky.


Here's what I'm trying to get.. and if I insert bend half my part disapears.

http://www.toolless.com/SW/c-want.jpg

If I dont have the tounge I can add the bends and fold just fine..

http://www.toolless.com/SW/C-bent.JPG

If I unfold that and add my tounge.. like this,

http://www.toolless.com/SW/C-flat.JPG

it wont let me fold it back up.

Now, I'm just doing an extruded cut to created the toungs, maybe thats my problem.

Thanks for you help.


I havent even started to think about the grooves.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

No, the problem is that the Sheet Metal module in SolidWorks cannot not handle differing thicknesses of material in a part. The part has to be a constant thickness. This is a limitation of SolidWorks & most other solid model programs.
Any variations in thickness have to be created using normal SW features ... after & outside of the Sheet Metal scope of features.

As you have experienced, once the machined features are added the part is no longer a "true" sheet metal part & cannot be flattened unless the machined features are suppressed.



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[dsquared2d]

Thanks, I was afraid it might be something like that.

 

[ng89]

I have nothing to add other than to verify what CorBlimeyLimey is correct.

I definitely understand you frustration though.

 

[dsquared2d]

Is there a plugin that can handle non-standard sheet metal features?

 

[smcadman]

You can cheat this, but you cannot update it without deleting the rabbet and flat config. What you have to do is complete your sheet metal to it's final form. After all flanges, holes, etc. are complete, make a configuration of it (not a derived configuration). Now flatten the 2nd configuration.
You should have 2 configs, 1 formed, 1 flat.
Finally, add your rabbet cut BOTH the flat AND the formed config.

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/36/testsampleformed2rn.jpg

http://img240.imageshack.us/img240/5401/testsampleflat1mg.jpg

Flores

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Good workaround ... well done.


Making the best use of this Forum. faq559-716
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Helpful SW websites every user should be aware of. faq559-520