What is the best way to automate and get cut length/perimeter of sheetmetal part?

[pmydur]

What i mean is is it possible to use map key or tool kit or create a batch file so that whenever i open a sheet metal part and run a command it gives me perimeter of the part. which is basically cut length which will be used to calculate tonnage. Thanks!

[KenFarley]

That would be a pretty complicated geometric program, if you think about it. For one, it would seem you'd need to have a flat pattern state that you would subject to the calculation. Then, if you picked one of the "main" faces, you'd have to somehow sort out which of the perimeters to use (i.e. ignore holes, cutouts, etc). Or maybe you want all of those included, since they will also require time to cut...

On another note, I don't see how perimeter of a flat pattern can be used to calculate tonnage, a mass value. I could see how it can be used to calculate cutting time, but that's not the question, or is it?

[pmydur]

Thanks for your response. You brought up a good point. When i say cut length it includes all outside perimeter and length of internal features. If it is simple part you could do pick individual edges but if it is complicated part then it takes hours to pick edges one by one and get the length of a part. And it is my everyday job to calculate tonnage which needs cut length. I would like to know what are the option we could use in creo or if there is a mathematical way to find the cut length/perimeter of a sheet metal part. I hope i making sense. thanks for your response!

[TomD.inPDX]

Have you considered a subtractive method to calculate your odd shapes?

Still manual, but I'm thinking using merge(subtract) a simple envelope shape with the more complex refined shape.

The difference is a few simple calculations.

[KenFarley]

If you have a flat pattern, probably the simplest way to calculate the total perimeter would be

(1) Do an analysis to get the total surface area of the entire part. This is all surfaces, total model, whatever you want to call it. Let's call the result Atotal

(2) Do a second analysis for one of the flat faces on either side of the flat pattern. Let's call this one Aface.

(3) Calculate the total perimeter (length of all the edges of the part) using the sheetmetal thickness, which we'll call thkSheet. The calculation is simply

perimTotal = ( Atotal - 2 * Aface ) / thkSheet

That's assuming you want to know the perimeter of all edges of the part, like if you were going to be laser cutting the part completely out of a sheet and want to estimate the time per piece, etc.

If you wanted this type of thing to be calculated automatically, you might Save the two analyses as features, then use a relation to calculate the result for you, so if you make changes to the dimensions of the part the resultant perimeter will update, too.

[jhaston-3]

You can use the measure tool. Measure the surface area and then look at the summary of results ...

[rmcboaty]

you need to also account for the excess material for penetrating the thickness (with laser), areas, that can't be used etc.

check sigmanest, pronest, trunest software, if you want really exact results. 

if you have simple shapes, you can do the layout in autocad and get satisfactory results.

you can get approx. surface area easily, but with complex shapes it won't help you with estimating raw material for larger orders.

[Dan-Baker]

This is what we use to calculate the perimeter (including cut extrudes) of formed parts. Running Creo 7.0.7.0 

1. Add relation to Sheetmetal Start Models.

PERIMETER=(PRO_MP_AREA - (2*(PRO_MP_VOLUME/SMT_THICKNESS)))/SMT_THICKNESS

2. Mapkey that saves mass properties and regenerates the model to update the Perimeter Value..

mapkey ww @MAPKEY_LABELMass Prop Calc / Regen;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `appl_casc`;~ Command `ProCmdMmModelProperties` ;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `mdlprops_dlg` `MASS_PROPS_lay_Controls.push_Change.lay_instance`;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `mass_prop_dlg` `CalculateMPPush`;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `mass_prop_dlg` `OkPush`;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `mdlprops_dlg` `DlgClose_push`;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Command `ProCmdEnableAutoRegen` 1;~ Command `ProCmdEnableAutoRegen` 0;\

mapkey(continued) ~ Command `ProCmdRegenPart`;