"BEND IT LIKE CREO" (SHEETMETAL) CREO CHALLENGE #8

[bbrejcha]

I love learning which is probably why I teach classes.  I first learned the basics of sheet metal as a kid racing motorcycles with my dad. Whenever we crashed and something broke on the bike, the challenge was to quickly fabricate a new sheet metal bracket or mount to place properly whatever had bent. We had to be back on track for the next heat race. At the motocross track, resources are limited. Often with only a vise and an adjustable wrench maybe a grinder and a vice we are making brackets & bending other brackets to accommodate mangled geometry. My dad took the time to explain the basics sheet metal so sheet metal is personal for me. Stretch, flat patterns, grain direction & Aluminum cracks where steel bends without tearing, Everything in racing is a learning opportunity. Those early lessons taught me the value of resourcefulness, problem-solving and understanding the fundamentals of sheet metal which leads me to this challenge. 

Here is a great dad joke. "Why do you have a grinder in your motorcycle race trailer?", dad says perplexed.

Son replies, "because I can't fit a Bridgeport" 

Today, as designers and engineers working in Creo, we have access to fabrications centers, job shops and in-house brake press machines. If you've not used the Creo Sheetmetal module before now is your chance. It's available in every Creo license so there's no problem with licensing or access. Also, I plan to offer a sheet metal lunch and learn to get you started.  Sept 3rd. These photos/screen grabs below are from my 25+ years of teaching Creo Sheetmetal classes at Design Engine.  

Bend It Like in Creo – The Sheet Metal Edition

Are you ready to bend your modeling break press muscles? This month, we’re diving into the Sheet metal mode in Creo. One of the most powerful (and fun!) tools you already have access to with your standard license.

We’re providing you with a set of 4 Photos/Screen grabs for the Sheet metal parts to recreate in Creo. Each one presents a unique modeling scenario, from basic wall and bend creation to more advanced reliefs and flattening challenges. As we leverage parent child relationships, size is not explicitly important because the Creo geometry can be so flexible.  If you would like a step file of any of the geometries just ask.

Your mission:

• Rebuild each part in Creo using the Sheet metal mode. * Maybe there are other techniques that one can use that would stimulate discussions. 
• Ensure each part can flatten without errors
• Apply thoughtful design intent and parametric structure for ease of modifying parametrically. 
• Ensure the extreme flexibility / modifiability Creo is known for.
• Describe your thought process

How to Participate:

• Model each part in your version of Creo using the limited screen grab or image below.
• Share:
  
• Upload your .prt files Zipped. Name it appropriately so we know what version of Creo you used.  cowling900.prt for Creo 9.0 makes sense. 
• Screenshots of the model and flat pattern.
• Describe using notes about your thoughts, approach or tips you discovered.

No judging. No pressure. Its fun and a great way to practice, learn, and share with fellow Creo users.

 Why Join?

• Sharpen your Sheetmetal skills.
• Get inspired by how others model the same part.
• Be part of a collaborative, creative learning experience.
• Learn something new.
• Get us all thinking and promote intelligent discussions. 

1.  Simple Sheet Metal Parts fitting together within an assembly  *Sheet Metal Enclosure

Features: A single flange with a few holes and simple reliefs. Ends in a clean flat pattern.

A great starter part for beginners: focus on flanges, corner relief, bend, and flat tools in Creo Parametric.

The flat pattern view verifies it regenerates and flattens perfectly. A secondary challenge for this assembly might be to ensure the parts always puzzle together. Change one Skel part and the piece parts update. For example I might use top down design skeleton part to drive the two geometries. 

2. Intermediate Part  *Spare Tire Mount

Features: Multiple bends, unbend/bend operations, holes in patterns, notches. At the end, the model is flattened. Include drawing annotations showing material thickness and bend allowance, essential for manufacturability. This level demonstrates real-world practices: planned bends, hole patterns, and overall intent. The pattern on this part may be more challenging that at first understood.

3. Complex Housing Assembly (Single Sheetmetal Part) *Aluminum Rear Seat Support Cowling 

Features: More walls, cutouts, tabs, notches, perhaps light louvers or stiffeners. Shows the full power of Creo’s Sheetmetal flattening. This type of part highlights how Creo handles intricate bends, and flattening over complex geometry without errors.  There are a number of methods for approaching all geometries including this one. 

4. Extra Credit: Multibody Sheetmetal with Flat Assembly Export *Desk Lamp

Showcases Creo 11+ multibody Sheetmetal capability: multiple bodies in one part file. One might apply Boolean, split, or trim operations between bodies, create independent flat states, and manage everything via the Flat Pattern Manager. Great for advanced users: assemble layered components or hybrid configurations, then generate individual or assembly-level flat patterns using the multibody workflow.  One challenge is to have the geometry flexible for changes in front of marketing & have the sheet metal part be laid out with one sheet metal part. Another challenge may be to establish the flattened state onto  a sheet so not to be wasteful of metal scrap.

5. Extra Credit: Multibody Sheetmetal *Guard Rail

Showcases Creo 12+  This particular guard rail design helps slow a moving vehicle with the crutch factor.  Consider using Mulitibody can be helpful to maintain proper hole alignment with the two parts.  There are other challenges in this assembly that you will notice as you try to create the geometry. 

Bart Brejcha bart@designengine.com

[kdirth]

Here is my submission for part #1 done in Creo+.

[bbrejcha]

Exciting kdirth!   I tried to look at it but I'm in Creo 11 at the moment. You must Be in Creo12.0  did you use points or sketched lines to get the holes to line up?  Sketched lines are how I teach people to do it the past few years.  Does it flex w/out fail?  Ill dig into it tonight.   Im hoping you try some of the others.

bart brejcha designengine.com

[kdirth]

Used a skeleton to define the outside.

Holes were a bit of an afterthought and location could have been included in the skeleton.  But they are tied to a plane and the outside of the skeleton.  This was my first time actually starting with a skeleton model.

I have not flexed the skeleton, but believe is will not fail.

You will also see that I provided some clearance to account for a small amount of manufacturing tolerance.

[kdirth]

So, I did try to change the dimensions and had issues with the references updating.

I changed the constrain scheme a little and it now updates if I enter the sketch and update the references.  I did not have to change any of the references, yet I still had a failure due to the dimension change.

I have seen this issue many times since we updated to 7.0 and is obviously still an issue in 12.0.  Are there any settings that I can change to get Creo to update the references without manual intervention.

[kdirth]

OK, last submission:

• Lamp one version out of single piece of sheet and one in two pieces later is also more robust for easy modifications
• Guard rail built for modification.

 

[bbrejcha]

kdirth - Ill download this model tonight. I'm curious if you have two Solid Bodies in one model, did you use points so you can adjust the striation of the boundary like we did in the lunch & learn last week.  Notice the top of the boundary is not tangent.   Being picky but looks great!  

Bart Brejcha

Designengine.com 

[kdirth]

Forgot to add the top and bottom curves to the transition.  I did not add points to adjust the striation of the boundary.

Here is an updated zip.

[Dale_Rosema]

Did you use specific dimensions from the example? Or did you just make the part fit together with whatever dimensions?

[bbrejcha]

No need for specific dimensions.

What I really want to see is two parts that fit together seamlessly, where changing one updates the other.  Everything updates after regeneration in the assembly. The OVERUSED word we hear often that comes to mind is robust, though I’ve also heard people say resilient more lately. That’s exactly it: models that hold up under change.

I’m excited for people to experiment, get close with a good first try.  Push yourself to be more efficient, stress the model dimesons.  Try building the assembly and subsequent models before my Lunch & Learn tomorrow at (Wednesday Sept 3rd @ Noon ET, then afterward, take a second pass to refining or redo your model with the technique's shared.   if your model don't quite hold up, or celebrating because your model is already strong and resilient like mine. Either way, it’s a win-win: you learn something, PTC gets to showcase just how powerful Creo really is, and together we prove that success comes from building models that thrive on modification.

I always say, “It’s not about how fast you can model something but how fast you can change it twenty times.” Imagine saying that to your manager, marketing or designers changing it in Realtime while they watch and nothing fails.. That’s when Creo truly blows me away: its ability to be ridiculously robust.

Maybe that’s why PTC has me moderating these challenges.  They want my raw enthusiasm to be infections to everyone. 

At the end of the day, I’m simply excited to get you excited. I want my energy to be contagious, so you can share in the absolute enthusiasm I have for Creo.  

No need for specific dimensions.

What I really want to see is two parts that fit together seamlessly, where changing one updates the other.  Everything updates after regeneration in the assembly. The word that comes to mind is robust—though I’ve also heard people say resilient more lately. That’s exactly it: models that hold up under change.

I’m excited for people to experiment, get close with a good first try.  Push yourself to be more efficient, stress the model dimesons.  Try building the assembly and subsequent models before my Lunch & Learn tomorrow at (Wednesday Sept 3rd @ Noon ET, then afterward, take a second pass to refining or redo your model with the technique's shared.   if your model don't quite hold up, or celebrating because your model is already strong and resilient like mine. Either way, it’s a win-win: you learn something, PTC gets to showcase just how powerful Creo really is, and together we prove that success comes from building models that thrive on modification.

I always say, “It’s not about how fast you can model something but how fast you can change it twenty times.” Imagine saying that to your manager, marketing or designers changing it in Realtime while they watch and nothing fails.. That’s when Creo truly blows me away: its ability to be ridiculously robust.

Maybe that’s why PTC has me moderating these challenges.  They want my raw enthusiasm to be infections to everyone. 

At the end of the day, I’m simply excited to get you excited. I want my energy to be contagious, so you can share in the absolute enthusiasm I have for Creo.  

The Link to sign up for the L&L  https://design-engine.com/lunch-learn/   please introduce yourself in the beginning.  I'm excited to meet people also. 

Bart Brejcha designengine.com

[kdirth]

I used my own dimensions for the overall size that I felt were reasonable.

[kdirth]

Here is my submission for part #2 done in Creo+.

Patterns were a bit difficult in sheetmetal.  I found that it worked best for me to create a leg to pattern then join all 4 legs with a planer.

[kdirth]

Here is my submission for part #3 done in Creo+.

As @tbraxton mentioned earlier, starting in sheetmetal is not always the easiest way to create a sheetmetal model (and capture your design intent).  Here I started with a surface that I thickened and converted to sheetmetal.

[bbrejcha]

I will be offering a Creo Sheetmetal Lunch & Learn at noon on Wednesday Sept 3rd   Id like to conduct a basics of Creo sheet metal presentation then open the floor for questions   Sign up now so you get the reminders.  

As part of this PTC Learning challenge on the PTC community forum #8 SHEETMETAL I am offering this Lunch & Learn to offer a head start for those who want to participate in the Challenge.   Pass this URL around to your coworkers.   SEPT 3rd Noon ET

https://design-engine.com/lunch-learn/

[tbraxton]

#2 Spare tire mount geometry

Using sheet metal mode is often not the most efficient method to create geometry in Creo Parametric. Many geometries are more readily modeled in part mode. All users should be aware of the option to convert models to sheet metal parts.

About Converting to a Sheet Metal Part or Body

Creo 9 model posted. This model uses part conversion to get the flat pattern in sheet metal mode.

[Michael]

An excellent point you raise. It’s often simpler to model as a part features and then convert to sheetmetal. 

[pausob]

Here's my go at Problem #1

(mostly) everything is defined by the sketches and parameters in the 1st half.

The model seems robust to changes, although multiple regenerations are required if the sheetmetal thickness is redefined.

[bbrejcha]

The dimple / form is a great idea and cool.

Bart Brejcha http://www.designegnine.com

[pausob]

Here's my submission for #2 - though without suggested bend/unbends and notches: