Wildfire 3.0 Sheet Metal

[genemoody]

Ello,

I have a terminal that I wish to model in sheet metal due to multiple forming operations. This terminal has three different thicknesses which there are bends on two of these thicknesses. I can model the part buy can't get any bends to take. Is there a way to bend a part like this?

Thanks, Gene

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[BrentDrysdale]

Hi Gene,
As far as I know you cannot do this in a sheetmetal part. Sheetmetal is
only really designed for single thickness parts that are bent or folded
(yes you can do forms but these to not drive material area).

You can use a work around where you make an assembly of subparts of each
thickness or transition. The subparts would each be one thickness and can
be made using sheetmetal and the transition made just as a normal "part".
Once you have these subparts with adjoining surfaces you can make a final
part which uses a solid surfaces copy (best to use Publish Geom in the
subparts) and merge these then solidify the surface model. You have to be
careful with your setup of those subparts to ensure that bending back their
bends gives you what you want in the final model. The final model updates
with any changes to the subparts and it is what goes out for toolmaking.

This same methodology works for parts that have a living hinge though
usually no sheetmetal is involved.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

*Brent Drysdale*
*Senior Design Engineer*
Tait Communications

[jnelson]

Brent is correct. You cannot do multiple thickness on (PRO/E) Sheetmetal parts.


Joel Nelson
PTC/USER Sheetmetal TC Chair

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[bhartwich]

You could model this part as a standard part, then create a family table version that shows the flattened state. Use relations and two curves to tie the leg size together, so if you lengthen or shorten one leg, the flat version will update automaticaly. We do something similar to this with square and rectangular tubing.