sheet metal toturial v5

Welcome to this PTC Training Class

Prior to using the training materials in this course, you must read the information in the following pages. This information explains how to:

Use the training materials most effectively Download the exercise files and configure your computer for the class Position the application windows and navigate within the exercise

instructions

How to Use this Course

The information in this Web based course is organized into modules which are comprised of topics. Each topic is divided into one or more of the following sections:

Lecture - The lecture portion is comprised of the following:o Concept - This section contains the initial introduction to the topic

and is presented in the form of a slide with audio.o Theory - This section provides detailed information introduced in

the Concept. Demonstration - This is a recorded video that demonstrates the procedure

lab. Labs - There two different types of labs that you will use in this course:

o Procedure - Procedures provide step-by-step instructions on how to complete the topic within Pro/ENGINEER. Procedures are short, focused, and simple labs that cover the specific topics to which they apply. Not every topic has a Procedure as there are knowledge topics that can not be exercised.

o Exercise - Exercises are longer than procedures and are typically more involved and use more complicated models. Exercises may be specific to a topic or may cover multiple topics, so not every topic will have an associated exercise. You may also have Challenge exercises and Project exercises, which are more involved and are used to review a broader range of information.

The first module is typically a process module. In the process module, you are introduced to the generic high-level processes used during the course and after the course is completed. This module also typically contains an exercise.

Most courses also have a project module, which encapsulates the knowledge gained in the course. The project will contain one or more exercises that provide the process steps, but remove much of the detail from the procedure, task, and detailed step levels. Thus students are encouraged to remember or reuse the information provided in the course.

Note that not all courses have process or project modules.

Before Performing the Exercises

The exercises are performed on your installation of Pro/ENGINEER software. Make sure that the version of Pro/ENGINEER that corresponds to the course you are taking (e.g. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0) is installed on your computer before continuing. Contact your administrator to ensure that you have the proper license to the Pro/ENGINEER software modules required to complete the lab exercises in the course you are taking.

PTC does not provide Pro/ENGINEER software for Web-based Training or Virtual Classes.

Installing the Pro/ENGINEER model files

1. Download the model files.o Locate the appropriate link from the Lab and Demo Files download

page to download either the Commercial or Training Edition lab files. Unless you are working on Student Edition or Training Edition Pro/ENGINEER software, you will need the Commercial lab files.

Save the zip file to your desktop, or your preferred location.2. Extract the zip file to a location on your hard drive.

o If you do not have Winzip installed on your computer, you can download an evaluation copy from www.winzip.com.

o Double-click on the zip file to open it.o Click Extract, and specify a plain drive letter (for example, C:\ or

D:\ ). The C:\ drive is used for this example, and in the exercise

instructions.o Make sure the Use folder names option is checked, as shown below.

o Click Extract and close WinZip when finished.3. Browse to the folder created by the zip file.

o For example: C:\users\student\WF5_Update

Creating a Special Startup Command for Pro/ENGINEER

1. If Pro/ENGINEER is already running, exit before performing the steps below.

2. Locate the Pro/ENGINEER shortcut (from the Start menu or your desktop).o Right-click the shortcut and select Copy.o Right-click on your desktop and select Paste Shortcut.

3. Right-click the newly pasted shortcut and select Properties.o If necessary, select the Shortcut tab.o For the Start in: field, type (or paste in) the full path to the course

folder. For example: C:\users\student\WF5_Update

4. Start Pro/ENGINEER using the newly configured shortcut.o It is VERY IMPORTANT that you start Pro/ENGINEER this way so that

the required configuration settings are applied prior to starting the exercise

Using the Exercise Instructions

Positioning the Exercise Instructions and Pro/ENGINEER windows

Resize the instructions to approximately 3" wide. Resize the Pro/ENGINEER window to approximately 3" narrower than the

default. You can position the Pro/ENGINEER window so it spans to the far right of

the screen if you wish.

Position the instructions on the left of the Pro/ENGINEER window as shown in the following figure. This will enable you to easily view the instructions window while working.

It is recommended that you maximize the amount of working area on your screen by setting your monitor to the highest resolution setting, for example 1600x1200.

Running the Procedures and Exercises

To make the labs as concise as possible, each begins with a header. The header lists the name of the lab and a brief scenario. The header lists the working directory, the file you are to open, and the initial datum display.

An example of a Procedure is shown below, but Exercises follow the same general rules:

The following gives a brief description of the items highlighted above:

1. Procedure/Exercise Name - This is the name of the lab.2. Scenario - This briefly describes what will be done in the lab.3. Close Windows/Erase Not Displayed - This indicates that you should close

any open files and erase them from memory. Click theClose Window icon until the icon is disabled and then click the Erase Not Displayed icon and click OK. These icons have been added to the left side of the main toolbar.

4. Folder Name - This is the working directory for the lab. Lab files are stored on a module by module basis. Within each module, you will find subdirectories for each lab. In this example, Extrude_Features is the working directory. To set the working directory, select the folder from the browser, right-click and select Set Working Directory

5. Model to Open - This is the file to be opened from the working directory (extrude.prt for example). In the browser, right-click on the file and select Open. The model could be a part, drawing, assembly, etc. Also, if you are expected to create a model, you will see Create New here.

6. Datum Display Setting - The initial datum display is shown here. For

example, means that you should display datum planes but not display datum axes, datum points and datum coordinate systems.

Before beginning the lab, set the icons in the datum display toolbar to match those shown in the header.

7. Task Name - Labs are broken into distinct tasks. There may be one or more tasks within a lab.

8. Lab Steps - These are the individual steps required to complete a task.

Other items of note for labs:

Saving - Saving your work after completing a lab is optional, unless otherwise stated.

Erasing models from memory - You should always erase models from memory when a lab is complete.

There are several conventions used when working with Pro/ENGINEER:o The "picks and clicks" are shown in Bold.o Text that you type is shown in Bold.o Icons and their names are shown inline with the text.o Names of models are shown in CAPS.o Keyboard keys are shown in CAPS.

Procedure: Student Preface — Using the Header

ScenarioIn this exercise, you learn how to use the header to set up the Pro/ENGINEER working environment for each lab in the course.

Topic1_Folder extrude_1.prt

1. Step 1. Configure Pro/ENGINEER to ensure the system is set up to run the lab exercises properly.

Perform this task only if you are running the labs on a computer outside of a training center, otherwise proceed to Task 2.

2. 1. Extract the zipped class files to a root level drive such as C: or D:.

The extracted ZIP will create the default course folder path automatically, such as C:/users/student/course_folder.

2. Locate your existing Pro/ENGINEER shortcut.

Copy and paste the shortcut to your desktop. Right-click the newly pasted shortcut and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab and set the Start In location to be the same as

the course folder, for exampleC:/users/student/course_folder.

3. Start Pro/ENGINEER using the newly configured shortcut.

The configuration files specific to the course are loaded. The default working directory is set to the course folder. You can then

navigate easily to the module and topic folders.

1. Step 2. Close all open windows and erase all objects from memory to avoid any possible conflicts.

1. Notice the two icons indicated in the header.

2. Click Close Window from the main toolbar as necessary until the icon grays out.

3. Click Erase Not Displayed from the main toolbar.

Click OK if the Erase Not Displayed dialog box appears.

1. Step 3. Browse to and expand the module folder for this procedure and set the folder indicated in the header as the Pro/ENGINEER working directory.

1. Notice the folder indicated in the header.

2. If necessary, select theFolder Browser tab from the navigator.

Click Working Directory to view the current working directory folder in the browser.

Click Folder Tree to expand it from the bottom of the navigator. Navigate to

the users/student/Course_Folder/Module1_Folder/Topic1_Folder by clicking the + next to each folder.

3. Right-click the Topic1_Folder folder and select Set Working Directory.

4. Click the Topic1_Folder folder to display its contents in the browser.

Alternatively you can use the cascading folder path in the browser to navigate to the topic folder, and then right-click and select Set Working Directory from the browser.

1. Step 4. Open the file for this procedure and set the initial datum display according to the icons shown in the header.

1. Notice the lab model is specified in the header.

Double-click extrude_1.prt in the browser to open it.

2. Notice the initial datum display is specified in the header.

Click Plane Display to enable their display.

Click Axis Display to disable their display.

Click Point Display to disable their display.

Click Csys Display to enable their display.

3. You are now ready to begin the first task in the lab:

Read the first task. Perform the first step. Perform the remaining steps.

Remember to perform all the above tasks based on the header contained in subsequent procedures.

This completes the procedure.

Introduction to the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire Sheetmetal Design Process

Module Overview

In this module, you learn about the sheetmetal design process that is typically used to build a sheetmetal model in Pro/ENGINEER. The process is supported throughout the course modules and again followed in a course project.

This module also introduces you to some of the basic sheetmetal features that can be used to capture your design intent for a sheetmetal model.

Objectives

After successfully completing this module, you will be able to:

Create a primary flat wall as the base feature for a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal design.

Create some simple secondary walls. Add a predefined notch and a predefined form to a sheetmetal model. Create a flat state for a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model design. Create a drawing of the formed and flat state of a sheetmetal design.

Procedure: Process Exercise

Objectives

After successfully completing this exercise, you will be able to:

Understand the basic process used when modeling sheetmetal designs in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire.

Create a primary flat wall feature to use as the base feature for a sheetmetal design.

Create secondary flat wall and flange wall features. Create notch and form features. Create a flat state for a sheetmetal design. Create a drawing to detail both the formed and flat states of sheetmetal

design. Create a bend order table and add it to a drawing along with associative

notes.

Create automatic ordinate dimensions for the flat state of a sheetmetal design.

ScenarioIn this exercise, you create an enclosure for an electronic device that contains walls, bends, notches, and forms. You will create the model, add a flat state and a bend order table to it, and then create a drawing to document both the formed and flat states of the model.

Process Create New

1. Step 1. Create a new Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model.

1. Click New from the main toolbar.

2. Type ENCLOSURE in the Name field.

3. Select Sheetmetal as the Sub-type in the dialog box.

4. Click OK to create the new part.

1. Step 2. Create a primary flat wall 200 mm x 100 mm x .5 mm thick.

1. Click Flat from the feature toolbar.

2. Right-click anywhere in the main display area and select Define Internal Sketch.

3. Select the TOP datum plane from the model tree as the Sketch Plane reference.

4. Verify that the Reference field defaults to the RIGHT datum plane and that the Orientation field defaults to Right and clickSketch.

5. Right-click and select Rectangle.

Sketch and dimension a rectangle, as shown. Click Done Section .

6. In the dashboard for the primary flat wall, type 0.50 in the thickness field and click Complete Feature .

7. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.

1. Step 3. Create a secondary flat wall with a trapezoidal shape.


2. Zoom in and select the lower edge on the right side of the model as the reference for the flat wall.

3. Select Trapezoid from the Shape drop-down menu to override the Flat default.

4. Double-click the wall height dimension, type 50 and press ENTER.

Alternatively, you can drag the drag handle to a height of 50.

5. In the radius field type 2.0 and press ENTER. The model should now appear, as shown.

6. Click Complete Feature from the dashboard.

1. Step 4. Create a secondary flange wall with an 'I” profile.

1. Click Flange from the feature toolbar.

2. Zoom in and select the lower edge on the front of the model as the reference for the flat wall.

3. Press SHIFT and select the surface as shown to select the surface loop.

4. The surface loop appears, as shown.

Double-click the 0.50 Inside dimension, type 5.0, and press ENTER.

5. Double-click the wall height dimension and type 50 and press ENTER.


1. Step 5. Create points and pattern them to use as references for notch features.

1. Rotate the model approximately as shown in the figure.

2. Click Datum Point Tool from the feature toolbar.

3. Select the surface, as shown.

4. Right-click and select Offset References.

5. Press CTRL and select datum planes TOP and FRONT from the model tree as the offset references.

6. Double-click the vertical dimension and type 20.0 and press ENTER.

7. Double-click the horizontal dimension and type 25.0 and press ENTER.

8. Click OK from the DATUM POINT dialog box.


10. Right-click PNTO and select Pattern.

11. Select the 25 dimension, and press ENTER to accept the default value of 25.00.

12. Type 3 as the number of pattern members in the first direction, and click Complete Feature from the pattern dashboard.

1. Step 6. Create three sheetmetal notch features using the points you created in the previous task as references.

1. Click Punch from the feature toolbar.

2. Select CIRC_NOTCH_20MM_W_TABS.GPH and click Open.

3. Verify that Advanced reference configuration is enabled and click OK from the Insert User-Defined Feature dialog box.

4. In the User-Defined Feature Placement dialog box, notice that the first SURFACE reference is selected and select datum plane RIGHT from the model tree.

5. Select the second SURFACE reference and select the FRONT datum plane from the model tree.

6. Select the POINT reference, and select PNT0 from the model.

7. Select the Adjustments tab. Select Direction: EXTRUDE_1 and click Flip.

8. Click Accept Settings .

9. Right-click Group CIRC_NOTCH_20MM_W_TABS in the model tree and select Pattern.

10. Click Complete Feature from the pattern dashboard to create a reference pattern.

1. Step 7. Create a sheetmetal punch form feature.

1. Click Punch Form from the feature toolbar.

2. Click Open Punch Model from the dashboard.

3. Select BOSS_FORM.PRT and click Open.

4. Select the Options tab in the dashboard.

Click in the Excluded punch model surfaces collector. Press CTRL and select the three surfaces, as shown.

5. Select the Placement tab, and select the first reference from the form model.

6. Select the second reference from the sheetmetal model.

7. Click Plane Display to enable their display.

8. Click New Constraint from the placement tab. Select the FRONT datum plane from the form model and the TOP datum plane from the sheetmetal model. Select Mate as the constraint type.

9. Click New Constraint from the placement tab. Select the RIGHT datum plane from the form model and the RIGHT datum plane from the sheetmetal model. Select Mate as the constraint type.

10. Click Plane Display and Point Display to disable their display.

11. Drag the offset handle to 30 as shown.


1. Step 8. Create a flat state of the model to use later in a drawing.

1. Click Edit > Setup from the main menu.

2. Click Flat State > Create from the menu manager.

3. Accept the default ENCLOSURE_FLAT1 name for the Flat Pattern instance by pressing ENTER.

4. Click Fully Formed from the menu manager.

5. When prompted to select a reference for the Fixed Geom element, select the flat bottom surface inside the box, as shown.

6. Click OK from the dialog box to create the flat state.

7. Click Show > ENCLOSURE_FLAT1 from the menu manager to preview the flat state of the model.

Note that the form feature was not flattened automatically. You will need to complete this task manually in the next step.

8. Click Flatten Form from the sheetmetal feature toolbar.

9. In the FLATTEN Feature Creation dialog box, click Form > Define.

10. Select the top surface of the form feature, as shown.

11. Click Done Refs from the menu manager and click OK from the FLATTEN dialog box to complete the Flatten Form feature.

12. Click File > Close Window from the main menu.

Note how the form is not flattened in the original model. This is because the Flatten Form feature was added in the ENCLOSURE_FLAT1 file when you had it open. The feature was added as an item in a family table for the model and was set to Yes in the instance and No in the generic.

1. Step 9. Create a bend order table.


2. Click Bend Order > Show/Edit from the menu manager.

3. When prompted for a plane or edge to remain fixed while unbending/bending back, select the surface shown.

4. When prompted to select a bend to add to the current sequence, select the bend surface on the left end of the model, as shown.

5. Click Next in the menu manager.

6. When prompted for a plane or edge to remain fixed, select the flat surface, as shown.

7. When prompted to select a bend to add to the current sequence, select the bend surface toward the back of the model, as shown.


9. When prompted for a plane or edge to remain fixed, select the large flat surface, as shown.

10. When prompted to select a bend to add to the current sequence, select the bend surface near the front of the model, as shown.


12. When prompted for a plane or edge to remain fixed, select the flat surface, as shown.

13. When prompted to select a bend to add to the current sequence, select the bend surface on the right end of the model, as shown.


15. When prompted for a plane or edge to remain fixed, select the large flat surface, as shown.

16. Click Done in the menu manager.

17. Click Info in the menu manager to review the finished bend order table.

18. When you are finished reviewing the bend order table, click Close to close the information window.

19. Click Done/Return > Done/Return from the menu manager.

20. Click Save from the main toolbar and click OK to save the model.


1. Step 10. Begin creating a new drawing to document the formed and flat state for the ENCLOSURE.PRT.


2. Select Drawing as the type, in the dialog box.

3. Type ENCLOSURE_C_DRW in the name field.

4. Click OK.

5. The New Drawing dialog box appears. Notice the default template is set to a0_drawing.

Click Browse in the Template area of the dialog box.

Note that there are two Browse buttons in this dialog box. You need to click the lower one in the Template section.

6. In the Open dialog box, select PTC_C_DRAWING.DRW and click Open.

7. Click OK from the New Drawing dialog box to create the drawing.

8. The Select Instance dialog box appears. Select The generic instance and click Open.

The drawing is be populated with views and dimensions. In a production drawing, the next step would be to “clean up” the placement of the dimensions and add any other drawing elements needed to document the model. Since this is just an educational

example, you can leave this sheet as is and move on to the next task.

1. Step 11. Continue the drawing creation process by adding a second sheet to document the flat state of the model.

1. Select the Layout tab in the Drawing ribbon.

2. Click New Sheet from the Document group.

3. Click Drawing Models from the Document group.

4. Click Add Model from the menu manager.

5. Select ENCLOSURE.PRT from the Open dialog box and click Open.

6. Select ENCLOSURE_FLAT1 from the Select Instance dialog box and click Open.

7. Right-click anywhere in the display area and select Insert General View.

8. When prompted to select CENTER POINT for a drawing view, click in the center of the display area.

9. In the Drawing View dialog box, select the TOP model view name.

10. Click Apply.

11. Select Scale from the Categories menu.

12. Select Custom Scale and type 1.0 as the Custom Scale.

13. Click Apply.

14. Select View Display from the Categories menu.

15. Select No Hidden as the Display Style.

16. Click OK to complete the drawing view.

1. Step 12. Add the bend order table, bend notes, and auto ordinate dimensions to the drawing.

1. Select the Annotate tab in the Drawing ribbon.

2. Click Show Annotations from the Insert group, and select the view.

3. Select the Datums Tab from the Show Model Annotations dialog box.

Click Select All to select all the Datum Axes.

Note the appearance of the bend axes for each of the bends.

4. Select the Note Tab from the Show Model Annotations dialog box.

Click Select All and de-select Note_7 that indicates the datum points.

Click OK.

Note that the bend notes are associative. The note leader for each is attached to the corresponding bend axis for each bend.


6. Click Auto Ordinate Dimension from the ordinate dimension flyout in the Insert group.

7. When prompted to select one or more surfaces for ordinate dimension creation, click and drag a box around all of the surfaces in the drawing view, as shown.

8. Click OK in the Select dialog box.

9. Click Select Base Line from the menu manager and select the far left edge of the model's geometry, as shown.

Note the resulting ordinate dimensions.

10. Click Select Base Line from the menu manager and select the bottom most edge of the model's geometry, as shown.

11. Click Done/Return from the menu manager.

In a production drawing, the next step would be to “clean up” the resultant ordinate dimension and keep only the ones you needed to document the model. However, it is generally more convenient to have Pro/ENGINEER create the ordinate dimensions for you and then to delete the ones you do not want, as opposed to creating each of the ones you do want individually.

1. Step 13. Save the models and erase them from memory.



3. Click File > Erase > Not Displayed > OK to erase the models from memory.


Sheetmetal Model Fundamentals

Module Overview

Before exploring the different aspects of sheetmetal modeling in depth, it is necessary to understand some of the fundamentals of how sheetmetal models are handled, calculated, displayed, and created in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire.

Objectives


Understand the thickness of a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model, and how it is calculated from a driving surface.

Describe how the wireframe display of a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model's driving and driven surfaces are displayed.

Define, understand, and change developed lengths in Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model designs.

Control developed lengths with a K-factor, Y-factor, or a bend table. Create new sheetmetal models in part or assembly mode. Create a new sheetmetal model by converting a solid model into a

sheetmetal model.


It is important to understand some fundamental characteristics of the Sheetmetal mode in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire.

Constant thickness Driving (green) and offset

(white) sides Formed or flat Developed length

Formed StateWireframe Display of Driving (Green) and Offset (White) Sides

Flat State

if you prefer to read Lecture Notes, Click here

https://precisionlms.ptc.com/content/coach_cp_2af45f95-d5e2-44f1-b06f-f92114b62c26/TRN-2240/module_02/SheetmetalModelFundamentals/concept_01/book01.html


Sheetmetal models are solid parametric models that have a constant thickness throughout. Therefore, they do not accurately represent real world models that undergo deep drawing forming operations or other manufacturing processes that involve large amounts of plastic deformation of the material during formation.

Sheetmetal models have a driving side and an offset side. When displayed as a wire frame, the driving side of the model is shown in green and the offset (or driven side) is shown in white. The side surfaces of sheetmetal models are formed only after the driving and offset surfaces have been regenerated. You can see and example of this in the figure on the lower left of the slide.

Sheetmetal models can be displayed in either the formed design state (bent into the final shape used in the design) or the flat state (unbent to show the "blank" of metal needed prior to bending). An example of the formed state is shown in the figure on the upper right side of the slide, while an example of the flat state for the same models can be seen in the figure on the lower right side of the slide.

Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire can accurately calculate the developed length of most bends in a sheetmetal model. This enables you to design the model in its formed state. If you unbend it later to form the flat state, you can apply the developed length to each of the bends in the model so that an accurate flat model can also be generated for manufacturing.

Best Practices

Because of the general thinness of a sheetmetal part, you should select flat surfaces as references when placing a feature. If a flat surface is not applicable, edges are more convenient than side surfaces. When you orient a sheetmetal part, the first selection must be a planar surface or a datum plane and the second selection may be an edge. This is contrary to orienting non-sheetmetal solid parts (where it is recommended that the second reference be a surface instead of an edge). Edges are often references in sheetmetal models.

Understanding Developed Length

Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire can automatically calculate the developed length of most sheetmetal bends.Developed Length (Bend Allowance) can be determined by:

System Equation (Y/K Factor) Provided Bend Tables (soft, medium and hard materials) User-defined Bend Tables Entered Value

Applied to whole part or to individual features as necessary.Before Bend

N is the Neutral Axis

L = (π/2 x R + y x T) θ/90

L= Developed Length R = Inside Radius T = Material Thickness θ = Bend Angle (measured as angle of deflection) y = (π/2) * K K = δ/T

After Bend


Defining Developed Length

Accurate developed length calculations (often referred to as bend allowances) enable you to capture your design intent in the solid model while also developing a precise flattened model that manufacturers can use when developing the actual product. Physical sheetmetal parts are often manufactured by taking a flat piece of sheetmetal material and bending it into the finished part. This final shape is often referred to as the developed or formed model. When you bend or form a piece of sheetmetal, the material on the outside of the neutral bend axis stretches while the material on the inside of the neutral bend axis compresses. The neutral bend axis itself remains the same before and after the bend because it is neither stretched nor compressed. You can account for this material behavior by establishing appropriate material descriptions and formulae for accurately calculating the bend allowance. It is very helpful to be able to provide the manufacturers of your sheetmetal models with the overall dimensions of the flat stock (often referred to as the blank) that they need to begin the manufacturing process. Pro/ENGINEER can create a blank that incorporates the developed lengths of the formed mode into the flat model.

Calculating Developed Length

The developed length of a bend depends on the thickness, bend radii, bend angles, and other material properties (principally the hardness of the material). The developed length calculation compensates for stretching in the area of a bend.

The developed length of a bend is determined in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire using one of four methods:

System Equation (default) Entered Value Provided Bend Tables User-defined (Customized) Bend Tables

Bend Tables are covered in a separate topic.

System Default Equation

By default, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire uses a default bend formula to calculate the developed length that uses y-factor or k-factor values.

The equation, shown in the figures here, is stated as L = (π/2 x R + y x T) θ/90 Where: L = developed length. R = inside radius. T = material thickness. θ = bend angle (deflection angle, in °) and y = y-factor.

Note that the bend angle is measured as the angle of deflection, and not the inside angle. For example if a flat wall section was bent 30°, the bend angle (θ) is 30°, not 150°.

The y-factors and k-factors are part constants defined by the location of the sheetmetal material's neutral bend line which is largely based on the hardness of the material. The k-factor is a value that expresses a parameterized location of the neutral bend axis. It is calculated as k = δ/T. In the figure, you can see that δ is the distance away from the inside radius where the neutral bend axis lies. Therefore, a value of k = 0 would indicate that the neutral bend axis is on the innermost surface of the bend, while a value of k = 1 would indicate that the neutral bend axis is located on the outermost surface of the bend.

Both the k-factors and y-factors increase as the hardness of the material increases. Therefore, harder materials have larger developed lengths than softer materials.

The y-factor is calculated with the equation y = k * π/2. The default value for the y-factor is 0.50.

Entered Values

https://precisionlms.ptc.com/content/coach_cp_2af45f95-d5e2-44f1-b06f-f92114b62c26/TRN-2240/module_02/UnderstandingDevelopedLength/concept_01/book01.html

https://precisionlms.ptc.com/content/coach_cp_2af45f95-d5e2-44f1-b06f-f92114b62c26/TRN-2240/module_02/UnderstandingDevelopedLength/concept_01/book01.html

Procedure: Understanding Developed Length

ScenarioExplore various methods of controlling the developed length of a sheetmetal bend.

DevLength widget.prt

1. Task 1. Examine and modify the developed length of a bend by changing the y-factor.

1. Right-click the FIRST WALL feature in the model tree and select Edit.

Note that the value for the developed length of the bend is currently 4.14 (highlighted in red in the image).

2. From the main menu, click Edit > Setup > Bend Allow > Y-factor > Enter.

Type .70 when prompted to type a new y-factor and click Accept Value .

3. When prompted, click Yes to confirm full part regeneration.


Note that the value for the developed length of the bend is now 4.54 (highlighted in red

in the image).

1. Task 2. Unbend the model and measure the length of the flat model.

1. Click Unbend from the feature toolbar.

2. Verify that Regular is selected in the menu manger and click Done.

3. Click Unbend All > Done > OK.

4. From the main menu, click Analysis > Measure > Distance. Select the edges shown in the figure (highlighted in red) as the From and To references.

Note the resulting distance of 71.5416.

5. Click Accept to close the Distance dialog box.

1. Task 3. Override the calculated developed length with a user-defined value and measure the length of the flat model again.


2. Select the 4.54 DEV.L dimension, right-click and select Value.

3. Type 5.12 and press ENTER.

4. Click Regenerate to regenerate the part.

5. Click Analysis > Measure > Distance from the main menu. Measure the distance between the same two edges you measured in the previous task.

Note that the distance measured is now 72.1200. This is because the user-defined value for the developed length of the bend is now being used to drive the flat length of the model instead of the y-factor calculated value.



8. Click File > Erase > Current > Yes to erase the model from memory.


Creating a New Sheetmetal Part in Assembly Mode

There are three methods for creating a new sheetmetal model. One method is to create a new sheetmetal part in Assembly mode.

Creating a New Component in an Assembly

if you prefer to read Lecture Notes,

Creating a New Sheetmetal Part in Assembly Mode

You can create a new sheetmetal model in Assembly mode. When you are working inside of an existing assembly,

you can click the Create Component icon to open the Component Create dialog box. Once in the Component Create dialog box, you must then select the Sheetmetal radio button, type a part name, and click OK. The Creation Options dialog box appears,

and you can select the Copy from Existing radio button and then browse for the template file you wish to use.

Procedure: Creating a New Sheetmetal Part in Assembly Mode

ScenarioCreate a new sheetmetal part in Assembly mode.

NewInAssembly machine.asm

1. Task 1. Create and assemble a new sheetmetal part in the MACHINE.ASM.

1. Click Create Component from the assembly toolbar.

2. In the Component Create dialog box, select Part as the Type, if necessary, and select Sheetmetal as the Sub-type.

3. Type front_enclosure in the Name field and click OK.

4. In the Creation Options dialog box, verify that the Copy From Existing radio button is selected.

Note that the default template in the Copy From field is for a solid part not a sheetmetal part. While in Assembly mode, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire does not discriminate between solid and sheetmetal parts. Therefore, you will select a sheetmetal template in the next step.

5. Click Browse and double-click the templates folder.

6. Select PTC_MM_KG_SEC_SHEET.PRT from the Choose Template dialog box and click Open.

7. Verify that the dialog box appears, as shown, and click OK to create the new sheetmetal part.

8. Right-click in the graphics area and select Default Constraint, as shown.

9. Click Complete Component to finish assembling the component.

10. Right-click the new FRONT_ENCLOSURE.PRT sheetmetal part in the model tree and select Activate, as shown.

Note that once the new FRONT_ENCLOSURE sheetmetal part has been activated, the Sheetmetal icons appear in the feature toolbar, indicating that the part is both a solid part and a sheetmetal part.


12. Click File > Erase > Current > Select All > OK to erase the model from memory.


Creating a New Sheetmetal Model in Part Mode

There are three methods for creating a new sheetmetal model. One method is to create a new sheetmetal part in Part mode.




You can create a new sheetmetal model in Part mode. You can click the New icon, select theSheetmetal radio button and type a part name. You can then either click OK and use the default sheetmetal template part or you can clear

the Use default template check box, click OK, and then browse for the sheetmetal template part you want to use. Note that you can use the template_sheetmetalpart config option to specify the default template

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Procedure: Creating a New Sheetmetal Model in Part Mode

ScenarioCreate a new sheetmetal model part.

NewInPart Create New

1. Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal model.


2. Select Part as the Type, if necessary and select Sheetmetal as the Sub-type.

3. Type bracket in the Name field.

4. Clear the Use default template check box.

5. Verify that the dialog box appears, as shown, and click OK.

6. When the New File Options dialog box appears, verify that mm_kg_sec_sheet appears in the Template field.

mm_kg_sec_sheet is in the Template field due to the template_sheetmetalpart config setting. This config option is set to the exact path and filename that you designated for sheetmetal part templates, in this case ..\..\templates\mm_kg_sec_sheet.prt. This template part is pre-configured with, among other things, default datum planes and a coordinate system, layers, and parameters.

7. Click OK to create a new sheetmetal part using this template.

Note the presence of the sheetmetal options in the Part toolbar on the right side of the screen. This is one way to know you are in a sheetmetal part.

1. Task 2. Explore some of the entities that are in the part as the result of using the MM_KG_SEC_SHEET.PRT template part.

1. In the model tree, click Show and then Layer Tree and note that several layers have already been created.

2. From the main toolbar, click Tools > Parameters and note the presence of three parameters.

3. Click Cancel to close the Parameters dialog box.

The layers and parameters exist in the new sheetmetal part because the MM_KG_SEC_SHEET.PRT was used as a template. All of these entities (and others) existed in the template file and were copied into the new file.




Converting a Solid Model to a Sheetmetal Model

There are three methods for creating a new sheetmetal model. One method is to convert a solid model to a sheetmetal model.




You can convert an existing solid model to a sheetmetal model in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire. You can clickApplications > Sheetmetal from the menu bar. The menu manager appears with the SMT CONVERT options. You can then select Driving

Srf and select the driving surface if the model is already a constant thickness, or you can select the Shell option and specify which surfaces to remove and create

a shell model with a constant thickness. Once you complete either of these steps, the FIRST WALL feature will be added to the model tree and you will have

access to the Sheetmetal menus and feature icons.

Once you have converted a solid model to a sheetmetal model using this technique, you can employ additional sheetmetal features to help create a

developable part. A developable part is typically defined as a sheetmetal model that can display in its flat state and is capable of being manufactured. The most common tool that you will use for this job is the Conversion feature, but you can

use any sheetmetal features to create a developable part.

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Procedure: Converting a Solid Model to a Sheetmetal Model

ScenarioConvert a solid model to a sheetmetal model.

Convert convert.prt

1. Task 1. Convert a solid model to a sheetmetal model.

1. Examine the features in the model tree.

The model currently consists of a default datum coordinate system, three default datum planes, and two extrude features.

2. From the main menu, click Applications > Sheetmetal.

3. When the SMT CONVERT menu manager appears, select Shell.

4. Press CTRL and select the two hidden surfaces on the back of the model, as shown in the figure (highlighted in red).

You will need to either query select these surfaces or rotate the model so that you can select the surface directly.

5. Click Done Refs to finish the feature.

6. When prompted for a thickness, type 1.0 and click Complete Feature .

1. Task 2. Examine the converted model.

1. Examine the features in the model tree.

Note the addition of the FIRST WALL feature. Also note that the Sheetmetal mode icons have been added and the Solid mode icons have been removed in the feature toolbar on the right.

2. Rotate the model to examine the surfaces that have been removed from the back of the model.

Creating Primary Sheetmetal Wall Features Module Overview

A critical building block for every sheetmetal model is the creation of a primary wall feature. Since it is the first sheetmetal feature in a model, it does not need to reference any other sheetmetal features. It also sets the thickness of the entire sheetmetal model.

In this module you will explore a number of different methods of creating primary walls. You will also learn about how these primary wall types can be created after an initial primary wall exists. These walls are called unattached walls.

Objectives


Understand the difference between primary and secondary walls Understand the difference between attached and unattached walls. Create flat primary walls. Create extruded primary walls. Create revolved primary walls. Create blend primary walls. Create offset primary walls. Understand other less common types of primary walls.

Understanding Sheetmetal Wall Features

A wall is any section of sheetmetal.

Primary Wall — No References Secondary Wall — Attached Along Red Edge

Two Unattached Primary Walls Secondary Wall Merged at Both Ends


Sheetmetal Walls

Sheetmetal walls are the main method of adding solid geometry to a sheetmetal model. They are similar to the Protrusion feature in normal, non-sheetmetal solid Pro/ENGINEER models. There are two main types

of walls that you can create in sheetmetal models: primary wall and secondary wall features.

Primary Walls

Primary walls are sheetmetal wall features that do not need to reference existing sheetmetal features. They

are always the first sheetmetal feature in a sheetmetal model: they form sheetmetal geometry which other sheetmetal features can reference. None of the sheetmetal features except for the primary wall

features are available until a primary wall has been created.

You can continue to create primary walls after an initial primary wall has been created, but these walls are created as unattached primary walls and can later be attached to existing sheetmetal geometry.

Secondary Walls

Unlike primary wall features, secondary wall features need to reference existing sheetmetal geometry. Typically the first step in creating a secondary wall is to select an edge of an existing sheetmetal wall to which you will attach the secondary wall.

Attached versus Unattached Walls

By definition, secondary walls are attached walls — as the name suggests, they are attached to an

existing wall. However, since primary walls can be created without referencing any other existing sheetmetal geometry, it is possible to create more than one primary wall in a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal design.

One such example can be seen in the figures on bottom of this example: the first wall was created

as a primary wall (marked #1 in the figure), and then another primary wall was created (marked #2 in the figure). A secondary wall flange wall (marked #3 in the figure) was then attached to wall #1

(shown by the green arrow) because the top edge of the wall #1 where the green arrow is was selected as a reference for the wall.

This secondary wall (#3) is later attached to wall #2 with a merge feature along the edge where the

red arrow is shown. Once wall #3 is attached at both ends, the geometry becomes one continuous

piece of sheetmetal geometry and other useful sheetmetal features (such as the unbend feature)

can be applied to it.

This type of approach is often useful in top-down designs where the location of some geometry is

known and other geometry is needed to “bridge” between these known locations.

Creating Flat Walls

A flat wall is a planar, unbent section of sheetmetal.

Completed Flat Wall

Flat Wall Icon Location


Primary Flat Walls

Primary flat walls can take any flat shape because you either select or create a closed sketch that defines the extents the feature. You can use the Flat icon for this type of feature, and it is located in the feature toolbar.

Procedure: Creating Flat Walls

ScenarioCreate a primary flat wall sheetmetal feature.

Flat blank.prt

1. Task 1. Create a primary flat wall feature.


2. Click References from the dashboard and click Define.

3. When the Sketch dialog box appears, select the TOP datum plane from the display area or from the model tree as the Sketch Plane reference.

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4. Verify that the resulting default for the Sketch Orientation reference is the RIGHT datum plane and that the Orientation field is set to Right.

5. Click Sketch to start Sketcher mode.

6. Sketch and dimension the geometry in the Sketcher window, as shown.

7. Click Done Section to leave Sketcher mode and return to the dashboard.

8. Type 1.50 in the thickness field on the dashboard, as shown.

Note that the thickness set for this wall will modify the value of the thickness parameter (SMT_THICKNESS), which controls the thickness of the entire sheetmetal part. Editing the first wall feature will display the thickness dimension since it is the first wall feature in the sheetmetal model.

9. Click Complete Feature .

10. From the main menu click View > Orientation > Standard Orientation.




xtruded Sheetmetal Wall Features

You can use the Extrude tool to create a primary wall feature.

Competed Extruded Primary Wall


Extruded Sheetmetal Wall Features

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An extruded wall is created by taking a sketch you create and extending it normal to the sketch plane. This creates a surface to which you can add sheetmetal thickness to the inside or outside. You can use the Extrude Tool icon for this type of feature, and it is located at the top of the feature toolbar.

Procedure: Extruded Sheetmetal Wall Features

ScenarioCreate a primary extruded wall sheetmetal feature.

Extrude beam.prt

1. Task 1. Create a primary extruded wall feature.

1. Click Extrude Tool from the feature toolbar

Note that the tool has automatically been set to Solid .

2. Click Placement from the dashboard and click Define.

3. When the Sketch dialog box appears, select the FRONT datum plane from the display area or from the model tree as the Sketch Plane reference.

4. Verify that the resulting default for the Sketch Orientation reference is the RIGHT datum plane and that the Orientation field is set to Right.

5. Click Sketch to start Sketcher mode.

6. Sketch and dimension two lines in the Sketcher window, as shown.

7. Click Done Section to leave Sketcher mode and return to the dashboard.

8. From the dashboard, click Options and select the Add bends on sharp edges option.

9. Type 5.0 in the Radius field and verify that the dimension side is set to Inside. The Options menu appears, as shown.

10. Type 500 in the dashboard depth field and type 3.5 in the thickness field. The dashboard appears, as shown.






Revolved Sheetmetal Wall Features

You can use the Revolve tool to create a primary wall feature.

Completed Revolved Wall

Revolved Wall Icon Location

Revolved Sheetmetal Wall Features

A revolved wall is created by taking a sketch you create and rotating it about an axis. This creates a surface to which you can add sheetmetal thickness to the

inside or outside. You can use the Revolve icon to create this type of feature, and it is located in the feature toolbar.

Procedure: Revolved Sheetmetal Wall Features

ScenarioCreate a primary revolved wall sheetmetal feature.

Revolve collar.prt

1. Task 1. Create a primary revolved wall feature.

1. Click Revolve from the feature toolbar.

You may need to locate the icon on the flyout menu, as shown.

2. Click One Side > Done.

3. When prompted for a SKETCHING PLANE, select the FRONT datum plane from the model tree. Click Okay from the menu manager to accept the direction of feature creation.

4. When prompted for a reference for sketching, click Default from the menu manager.

5. Sketch the two lines, the arc, and the centerline, as shown. The vertical centerline acts as an axis of revolution and as a dimensioning reference for the revolved diameter dimensions.

6. When you finish sketching and dimensioning the geometry, click Done Section to leave Sketcher mode.

7. Click Okay from the menu manager to accept the direction of thickening, as shown.

8. Click 360 > Done from the menu manger to define the angular rotation of the section.

9. Click OK from the FIRST WALL feature creation dialog box to create the feature.





Blend Sheetmetal Wall Features

Multiple sections can join together to create a Blend Primary Wall feature.

Completed Blend Primary Wall Feature

Blend Wall Icon Location

Blend Sheetmetal Wall Features

You can create a blended wall by connecting two or more sketched sections together. This creates a surface to which you can add sheetmetal thickness to

the inside or outside. You can use the Blend icon for this type of feature, and it is located in the feature toolbar. There are three different methods you can use to connect sections: parallel, rotational, and general. See the Sheetmetal help files for Blend walls or the Part help files for Blends and Non-parallel blends for more information on creating these types of walls.

Procedure: Blend Sheetmetal Wall Features

ScenarioCreate a sheetmetal Primary Blend Wall feature.

Blend funnel.prt

1. Task 1. Create a Blended Primary Wall feature.

1. Click Blend from the feature toolbar.


2. Verify that Parallel, Regular Sec, and Sketch Sec are selected in the menu manger and click Done.

3. Verify that Straight is selected in the menu manger and click Done.

4. When prompted for a SKETCHING PLANE, select the FRONT datum plane from the model tree. Click Okay from the menu manager to accept the direction of feature creation.

5. When prompted for a reference for sketching, click Default from the menu manager.

6. Sketch a circle and make its diameter 120. Right-click and select Toggle Section to go to the second section, as shown.

7. Sketch a second circle with a diameter of 20. Right-click and select Toggle Section to go to the third section.

8. Sketch a third circle with a diameter of 10.

9. When you finish sketching and dimensioning the geometry, click Done Section to leave Sketcher mode.

10. Click Okay from the menu manager to accept the direction of thickening, as shown.

11. When you are prompted to type a DEPTH for section 2, type 75 and click Accept Value .

12. When you are prompted to type a DEPTH for section 3, type 75 and click Accept Value .



15. Click Save from the main toolbar and click OK.

16. Click File > Erase > Current > Yes.


Offset Sheetmetal Wall Features

You can use surfaces to create an offset wall feature.

Completed Offset Primary Wall

Offset Wall Icon Location

Offset Sheetmetal Wall Features

An offset wall is created by specifying an existing surface, and the direction and distance you wish to offset. This creates a new surface to which you can add

sheetmetal thickness to the inside or outside. You can use the Offset icon for this type of feature, and it is located in the feature toolbar.

Procedure: Offset Sheetmetal Wall Features

ScenarioCreate a primary offset wall sheetmetal feature.

Offset case.prt

1. Task 1. Create a primary offset wall feature.

1. Click Offset from the feature toolbar


2. When prompted for a surface to offset from, select the surface, as shown.

3. When you are prompted for an offset distance type 25.0 and click Accept Value .

4. Click Okay to accept the direction of material addition, as shown.

Note that other items are available in the FIRST WALL feature creation dialog box (such as the Offset Type and Thickness) for which you will be accepting the default settings.





Sheetmetal Wall Sketching Tools

The Thicken option is available in Sketcher mode for sheetmetal features.

Before Thicken After Thicken

The Thicken Sketcher Tool

Sheetmetal bends are often formed on a break where the sheetmetal is bent over a specifically sized die to form an inside radius. Since the inside radius of the bend is set by a specifically sized die, it is important to the design intent of a model. As a designer, you may run into situations where the sketch you are creating is dimensioning to an outside diameter.

An example of a sketch where this may happen is shown in the first figure. The design intent for this model is to create the sheetmetal thickness to the right of the sketch, dimension all bends as 5.00 mm inside radius bends, and to dimension the right most vertical member to the far side of the thickness. The weak (gray) dimensions do not match this design intent.

You can use the Thicken Sketcher tool to incorporate the correct dimensioning scheme (and hence the correct design intent) into your features. It creates a set of construction entities that are offset from the geometry you have sketched. You can select the side and distance to which the offset occurs, and this in turn sets the direction and thickness of the solid sheetmetal geometry.

The most useful aspect of this set of offset entities is the ability to dimension to them. You can dimension the inside radius of a sketch even if the geometry you have sketched is the outside radius. Furthermore, you can dimension to offset entities in order to match the dimensioning scheme of your feature to the design intent of your model. An example of this is shown in second figure. The offset entity is used to create an inside radius 5.00 mm dimension and the 29.00 mm dimension. Both of these dimensions belong to the offset entities created by the Thicken tool.

Best Practices

Outside radius dimensions that are left as weak dimensions prior to using the Thicken tool will change to weak inside radius dimensions after you use the Thicken tool.

Procedure: Sheetmetal Wall Sketching Tools

ScenarioExplore some sketching tools that are unique to sheetmetal models.

SheetSketch brace.prt

1. Task 1. Create an extruded primary wall feature with an existing sketch, but re-dimension the sketch to match your design intent.

The design intent for this model is to create a brace that is 25 mm thick and uses bends that have inside radii dimensions all equal to 5 mm. You will discover that the existing sketch that currently uses these dimensions does not have the correct design intent (due to the material thickness of the sheetmetal) and will need to be re-dimensioned.

2. 1. Click Extrude Tool from the feature toolbar3. 2. Select Sketch 1 from the model tree.4. 3. From the dashboard, click Solid .

5. 4. From the dashboard, click Placement > Unlink > OK to convert Sketch 1 to an internal sketch.

6. 5. Click Edit from the Placement tab to start Sketcher mode, as shown.

Note the presence of the weak 25.00 and 5.00 dimensions in the sketch.

7. 6. Once in Sketcher mode, right-click in the display area and select Thicken.

You can also click Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken from the main menu.

8.

9.

10. 7. Click Flip from in the menu manager to flip the arrow to the right. Once the arrow is facing right, click Okay from the menu manager.

11. 8. If necessary specify a thickness of 2.0.12. 9. Click Accept Changes to accept the thickness.

Note the addition of the offset construction line representing the thickness of the sheetmetal material. Also note that the weak 5.00 dimension has automatically moved to the inside radius and is now 3.00.

13. 10. Select the 3.00 dimension, right-click and select Modify.... Type a value of 5.00 in the Modify Dimensions dialog box and

click Regenerate Section .

11. Click Normal Dimension and select the thickness line and the vertical reference line to create the 29.00 dimension, as shown.

12. Select the 29.00 dimension, right-click and select Modify.

Type a value of 25.00 in the Modify Dimensions dialog box and click Regenerate Section .

13. Click Done Section to complete the sketch and leave Sketcher mode. Type 100 for the depth in the dashboard and clickComplete Feature .

14. Click View > Orientation > Standard Orientation from the main menu.




Advanced Primary Walls

There are many less common but often useful types of primary walls.

Variable Section Sweep Swept Blend

Helical Sweep From Boundaries Blend Section to Surfaces

Advanced Primary Walls

In addition to the most common types of primary walls, there are quite a few less common but often useful types of primary walls:

Variable Section Sweep — A variable section sweep creates a primary wall feature by sweeping a section along the selected trajectories and simultaneously controlling the section’s orientation, rotation, and geometry along the trajectory. In this example, the trajectories used to create the wall are shown in red while the section is shown in blue.

Swept Blend — A swept blend creates a primary wall feature by sweeping along a trajectory while simultaneously varying the cross-section from one user-defined cross-section to the next. In this example, the trajectory used to create the wall is shown in red while the sections are shown in blue.

Helical Sweep — A helical sweep creates a primary wall feature by sweeping a section along a helical (corkscrew-like) trajectory.

From Boundaries — The From Boundaries option creates a primary wall feature by enabling you to create a surface by specifying curves that the surface will pass through in one or two directions. From this surface the offset surface is created and the sheetmetal material is added. In this example, the curves used as boundaries in the first direction are shown in red while the boundaries in the second direction are shown in blue.

Blend Section to Surfaces — The Blend Section to Surfaces option creates a primary wall as a blend that goes from a sketched section to a selected surface or surfaces and is tangent to that selected surface. In this example, the blend section is shown in blue, the surface it attaches to is grey, and the resulting primary wall is shown in transparent purple.

Blend Between Surfaces — The Blend Between Surfaces option creates a primary wall feature that is a smooth surface between two selected surfaces. In this example, there is no figure for this primary wall creation method.

Blend from File — Imports a blend from an .IBL file. In this example, there is no figure for this primary wall creation method.

Blend Tangent to Surfaces — The Blend Tangent to Surfaces option enables you to create a blended surface tangent to surfaces from an edge or a curve. This surface then becomes the driving surface for a sheetmetal primary wall. In this example, there is no figure for this primary wall creation method.

Creating Sheetmetal Secondary Wall Features

Module Overview

Once you have created at least one primary wall in a sheetmetal model, you can begin creating secondary walls and attaching them to the model. In this module, you will explore a number of different methods of creating secondary walls.

Objectives


Understand the general characteristics and types of secondary walls. Create secondary flat walls. Create secondary flange walls. Create secondary extruded walls. Create secondary twist walls. Create secondary extended walls. Create secondary merge walls. Understand and create partial and overextended walls. Understand and apply the different types of relief to walls when necessary. Understand and use the different dashboard options that are available for

flat and flange walls.

Understanding Secondary Walls

Secondary walls are dependent on at least one primary wall.

Flat Flange

Extruded Extend

Twist Merge

Secondary Walls

You can create secondary walls by referencing at least one primary wall. A secondary wall is always a child feature of the primary wall it references.

You can create any primary wall type as a secondary wall. In addition to the primary walls, there are six other wall features that can ONLY be created as secondary walls:

Flat — You can create a secondary flat wall using the Flat icon (as opposed to a primary flat wall that is created using the Flat icon). You create it by referencing the edge of an existing wall and then using a modifiable predefined shape (rectangle, trapezoid, L, or T) or a user-defined sketch. You use an open sketch that is attached to the referenced edge to define the shape of the wall. You can specify the angle of the attachment as well as the radius of an optional bend.

Flange — A flange wall takes a commonly used predefined shape, a common hem shape, or user-defined shape and “sweeps” it along a

trajectory of referenced edges. You can create it using theFlange icon. Extruded — The extruded wall is very similar to a flange wall. For this type

of secondary wall, a single straight edge is selected to act as an extrude

direction and a sketched section is created that follows along this edge to create the sheetmetal geometry.You can use the Extrude Tool to create this type of wall.

Extend — An extend wall lengthens an existing wall. You can extend the wall from a straight edge on an existing wall to either a planar surface or a specified distance. You can use the Extend Tool to create this type of wall.

Twist — You can create a twist wall by selecting a straight edge on an existing planar wall. It is formed by extending the wall and twisting it around an axis that typically runs through the center of the wall (although a different point on the wall can be specified. The distance of extension and degrees of twist are specified by the user.

Merge — The Merge Wall tool combines two or more unattached walls that are tangent and touching each other into one contiguous wall. You can use the Merge Walls icon to create the feature.

Unattached Primary Walls

As mentioned, you can create all of the primary wall types as secondary walls. Typically, you create a primary wall as an unattached wall after the initial primary wall has been created in the model. For example, you can create the side walls of a sheetmetal model before knowing what the middle section will look like.

This is similar to the use of separate parts in assembly mode, where you have parts of the model that are completely separate from other parts of the model. However, eventually these unattached primary walls need to be attached (with the Merge Wall tool) to the primary wall in order to have a valid sheetmetal model, for example, a single contiguous piece of sheetmetal in the a part model.

Once the unattached wall has been attached via the Merge Wall tool, it comes a child of the Merge Wall feature. Since it is dependent on another wall feature, it becomes a secondary wall.

Creating Secondary Flat Walls

Secondary flat walls are planar walls that are attached to a straight edge of an existing wall.

Rectangle Trapezoid

L T

Secondary Flat Walls

You can create a secondary flat wall by referencing a straight edge on an existing wall. You can then specify a number of different elements that determine the final configuration of the flat wall.

Predefined Shapes

First you should specify the overall shape of the wall. The wall will always be created as an open loop sketch that is attached to the referenced straight edge. You can select a predefined sketch shape or define the sketch yourself.

You can select from the following predefined shapes:

Rectangle Trapezoid L T

Modifying Predefined Shapes

You can modify a predefined shape in a number of different ways.

Drag handles — You can right-click in the display area and select Edit Shape. Drag handles appear on the model that enable you to click and drag the shape to a new location while the preview geometry updates in real-time.

Modifying dimensions — You can double-click any dimension and specify a new value for it.

Sketch mode — You can take the predefined geometry into Sketch mode and manipulate it there. You can delete, modify, or create new entities in Sketch mode to create a shape that matches your design intent. The only requirement for the sketch is that it is an open loop with the open ends of the sketch terminating at the edge you referenced for attachment.

Wall Angle

You can also control the angle of the wall from 0 to 180 degrees. A 0 degree wall inserts the wall parallel to the existing wall. You cannot use a negative angle or an angle greater than 180 degrees to make the wall angle reverse its direction. Instead you must select the sheetmetal edge on the opposite side of the edge you selected as the attachment reference.

Procedure: Creating Secondary Flat Walls

ScenarioCreate a secondary flat wall that starts with an L shape and ends with a user-defined custom shape.

Flat blank.prt

1. Task 1. Create a secondary flat wall.


2. Select the edge on the top-left side of the model, as shown.

Alternatively, you can preselect the edge first and then click Flat .

Note that the Rectangle shape has been selected by default.

3. Select L from the Shape drop-down list in the dashboard, as shown.

4. Double-click the 2.00 Inside dimension and type 5.0 and press ENTER.

5. Click the angle drag handle and drag the wall to a 110 degree angle, as shown.

6. Drag the drag handle for the taller side of the L wall to a value of 40, as shown.

7. Click Shape from the dashboard and edit the height of the shorter side of the L wall to 20 and press ENTER.

8. Click Sketch from the Shape tab to start Sketch mode.

9. Click Circular Fillet and create the fillet, as shown.

10. Modify the fillet radius dimension to 10.0 and click Done Section to complete the sketch.

11. Click Complete Feature from the dashboard to complete the feature.





Using Flange Walls

A flange wall is a folded sheetmetal wall that is attached to straight or swept edges.

I

Arc

S

Z

Open

FlushedC

Duck

Flange Walls

A flange wall is a folded sheetmetal wall that is attached to straight or swept edges. You select an edge or a set of adjacent edges (they must form a continuous path) to which you will attach the flange wall. You can then specify the profile of the wall as well as other dashboard options.

Flange Wall Profiles

There are three basic types of flange wall profiles.

Frequently Used Shapes — The frequently used shapes that are available as predefined geometry are the I, Arc, and S shapes.

Hem Shapes — The hems that are available are: Open, Flushed, C, Z, and Duck.

User-defined shapes — Similar to secondary flat walls, you can start with predefined geometry and then start Sketch mode and manipulate it there. You can delete, modify, or create new entities in Sketch mode to create a shape that matches your design intent. The only requirement for the sketch is that it is an open sketch with one end terminating at the edge you referenced for attachment.

In all cases, care must be taken not to use angles, bends, or geometry that would cause the flange wall to double over itself. If this happens, the geometry can not be formed and the yellow preview geometry will stop being generated.

Flange Wall Dashboard Options

In addition to having the dashboard options that are common to both secondary flat and secondary flange walls, you can also set the following options that are specific to flange walls:

Length — By default, Pro/ENGINEER creates the flange wall from the start to the end of the edge chain you select for attachment. If you want either end of the wall to stop short of or extend beyond the selected chain, you can use the Length option on the Flange Wall dashboard. There are three setting for either end of the wall:

o Chain End — When this option is selected (it is the default setting), the wall begins (or terminates) at the end of the chain you selected for attachment.

o Blind — Using the Blind option, you specify a positive or negative linear distance where that the wall terminates relative to the chain end.

o To Selected — The To Selected option enables you to have the wall terminate at a piece of geometry that you select. Points, curves, planes, and surface are references that you can select to set the extents of the wall on either end.

Miter Cuts — The Miter Cuts option (selected by default) adds miter cuts in areas between intersecting tangent wall segments. You can specify the width and offset of the miter cut, as well as whether or not to keep all deform areas. Below is an example of geometry with these miter cuts (shown by the black arrows in the figure on the left below) . The figure on the right is the same flange with the Keep all deform areas option selected.

Miter Cuts Miter Cuts with Deform Areas

If you decide to disable the Miter Cuts option, the yellow preview geometry will not be available in situations where the geometry intersects itself.

Edge Treatment The Edge Treatment options (shown below) enable you to specify how you would like walls placed on adjacent non-tangent edges to behave where they meet each other.

Open Gap Blind Overlap

Procedure: Using Flange Walls

ScenarioCreate a flange wall that uses gap edge treatments and miter cuts.

Flange blank2.prt

1. Task 1. Create a flange wall.

1. Click Flange from the feature toolbar.

2. Select the bottom front edge, as shown.

Note that the I profile has been selected by default.

3. From the Shape drop-down list in the dashboard, select Open.

4. Click Placement > Details from the dashboard.

In the Chain dialog box, select the Rule-based radio button followed by the Complete loop radio button.

Click OK in the Chain dialog box to close it.

5. Select I from the shape drop-down list in the dashboard, then click Shape > Sketch from the dashboard.

6. Click Sketch from the Sketch dialog box to start Sketch mode.

7. Click the 3-Point / Tangent End Arc and Line icons to create the sketch, as shown.

8. When you have modified the dimensions, as shown, click Done Section to complete the sketch.


10. Click Edge Treatment from the dashboard. Verify that Edge Treatment #1 is selected and select Gap from the Type drop-down menu. Type 2.00 for the gap dimension and press ENTER.

11. Repeat the above step for Edge Treatment #2 and Edge Treatment #3.

12. Click Miter Cuts from the dashboard and type 2.00 for the gap dimension and press ENTER.





Using Extruded Walls

You can use the Extrude tool to create extruded walls to handle special modeling requirements.Extruded Walls

For non-circular bends Constant thickness

o Thickness set by primary wall No automatic bends No automatic thickness side No automatic attachment

o Merge Wall tool necessary for Elliptical Bend Example

attachment

Wrong side Thickness

Invalid Attachment

The Extruded Wall

Flat and flange secondary walls enable you to automatically add a bend at the attachment edge. However, if you use flat and flange type walls you can only add constant radius type bends. If you need to create an elliptical or any other non-circular type bend, you can use the Extrude Tool in sheetmetal to create such a wall. An example an elliptical bend wall is shown in the top figure of this example.

You can also use the Extrude tool to create an extruded sheetmetal wall. All extruded solid features will be the same thickness as the rest of the sheetmetal walls in the model.

In addition to creating sheetmetal walls, you can also use the Extrude tool to create solid cuts and surfaces in your sheetmetal model.

When you use the Extrude tool to create a sheetmetal wall, Pro/ENGINEER requires you to specify the attachment details. You must add any necessary bends in the sketch, make sure that the material is added on the correct side of the extruded section, take care of any tangencies that are necessary for the feature, and integrate the new extruded wall feature into the existing primary walls using the Merge Wall tool. Some example of thickness being added to the wrong side and an inappropriate attachment to the existing walls are shown in the figures in this example.

If you create partial or overextended walls using an extruded wall, you may also need to create datum features to use as starting or ending reference points.

Best Practices

In most cases, unless you have a special need that requires the Extruded Wall tool (such as an elliptically shaped bend) it is far easier to use a flange type wall attached along a single edge to generate this type of geometry.

Procedure: Using Extruded Walls

ScenarioCreate an extruded wall.

Extrude extrude_blank.prt

1. Task 1. Create an extruded wall.

1. Click Extrude Tool from the toolbar.

2. Right-click anywhere in the display area and select Define Internal Sketch.

3. For the sketch plane reference select the small surface near the bottom of the model, as shown.

4. Accept the defaults for the reference plane by clicking Sketch in the Sketch dialog box.

5. Click 3-Point / Tangent End Arc and Line to create the sketched entities, as shown. Dimension the entities, as shown, and then click Done Section .

6. Click Remove Material from the Extrude dashboard to de-select it.

The above step directs Pro/ENGINEER to create a solid from the sketch instead of a cut. Note how the yellow preview geometry appears.

7. Click Change Thickness Side .

Note how the wall preview has now flipped to the “correct” side of the sketch.


9. Drag the depth handle to drag the depth of the extruded wall to 50, as shown.

Note that although you have overextended the wall beyond the attachment edge, the extruded wall geometry did not stay attached beyond the point of overextension. Instead, it continued creating the shape exactly as it was sketched.

10. Click To Selected from the depth option drop-down menu.

11. Select the vertex as shown, for the depth reference.





Wall Dashboard Options

Wall dashboard options enable you to fully capture your design intent in Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal walls.

Placement Shape/

Profile Offset Relief Bend

Allowance Properties Thickness

Side Bend/No

Bend Bend

Radius I/O Bend

DimensionOffset: None Offset: Add to

Part EdgeOffset:

AutomaticOffset: By

Value

Dashboard Options Common to Secondary Flat and Flange Walls

Several dashboard options common to secondary flat walls and secondary flange walls are available to enable you to fully capture your design intent in a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model. Consider the options in the list below and how they might relate to capturing your design intent:

Placement — The sketch (for flat walls) or the edge chain (for flange walls).

Shape/Profile — The shape or profile used to build the wall. Shape is for flat walls, profile is for flange walls.

Offset — The Offset option enables you to decide how far to offset the newly added geometry from the attachment edge. By default, this option is disabled and the wall is added to the geometry as though the sketch was connected to the attachment edge for flat walls and common profile flange walls (specifically, the I, Arc, and S profiles). If you are adding a flange wall using a hem profile, the wall is added as though you were using the Add to Part Edge setting detailed below.If you activate the offset option by selecting the Offset wall with respect to attachment edgecheck box, you will have three settings available:

o Automatic — This setting offsets the new wall and trims the wall it is attached to so that the new wall's furthest extent aligns with the old location of the attachment wall's edge.

o Add to Part Edge — This setting appends the new wall to the attachment edge without trimming the wall to which it is attached.

o By Value — This setting enables you to offset the wall a specific distance by using a drag handle or adjusting the numeric offset value.

An example of each offset setting can be seen in this example. The existing wall displays in gray and the new wall that would result from each of the offset options displays in transparent yellow.

Relief — Pro/ENGINEER offers a number of different types of relief. For partial secondary flat and partial secondary flange walls (walls that do not extend to the end of the referenced edge or edge chain) five different types of bend relief are available: No relief, Rip, Stretch, Obround, and Rectangular. For secondary flange walls that use an edge chain that consists of non-tangent entities, five different types of corner relief are also available: No relief, V Notch, Circular, Rectangular, and Obround.

Bend Allowance — Using this dashboard option enables you to set the bend allowance for the wall to an allowance specific to the feature instead of using the default bend allowance for the entire part.

Properties — The properties field enables you to specify the name of the feature. There is also an information tool which enables you to gather information about the feature you are building.

Thickness Side — The Change Thickness Side icon on the dash board enables you to change the thickness of the sheetmetal material to the other side of a sketch plane for flat walls, or to the other side of the sketch for flange walls. The practical application of this can be seen in the two figures below. The existing wall that a new flat wall is attached to displays in gray, a purple dot represents the edge of the existing wall referenced for attachment, and the sketch plane for the flat wall displays in red. Note that all of this geometry is exactly the same in both cases. The only difference occurs when the thickness of the wall is added to one side of the sketch plane versus the other. If your design intent is to have this model fit inside of something, you would likely use the Thickness Inside option. If your design intent is to have this model fit over the outside of something, you would likely use the Thickness Outside option.

Thickness Inside Thickness Outside

Bend/No bend — The Add Bend tool in the dashboard enables you to add a sheetmetal bend to a wall, or to add the wall without the bend

exactly as the sketch profile would create the geometry. Note that this option is not available for hem type flange walls profiles. It is only available for the Open, Flushed, C, Z, and Duck profiles.

Bend Radius — The Bend Radius field enables you to specify the bend radius from the dashboard.

Inside/Outside Bend Radius Dimension — You can click the Inside

Radius or Outside Radius icons to toggle between dimensioning a bend using the inside or outside radius. Pro/ENGINEER defaults to an inside radius.

Procedure: Wall Dashboard Options

ScenarioExplore some of the dashboard options available for secondary walls.

Dashboard options.prt

1. Task 1. Edit the definition of the Flat 1 feature.

1. Right-click Flat 1 in the model tree and select Edit Definition.

2. Enable the addition of an edge bend by clicking Add Bend from the dashboard.

3. Click Inside Radius from the Radius Dimension Type drop-down list to dimension to the inside of the radius.

4. In the radius dimension field, type 5.0 and press ENTER.

5. Click Change Thickness Side from the dashboard and note how the thickness of the sheetmetal moves from one side of the sketch plane to the other.

Thickness OutsideThickness Inside

1. Task 2. Explore the different offset options.

1. Select the Offset tab from the dashboard.

2. Select the Offset wall with respect to attachment edge check box.

Note the appearance of the offset drag handle.

3. Right-click the offset drag handle, as shown.

You can select the Offset option from this menu or from the dashboard panel.

4. Select Add to Part Edge.

Note how the feature is added to the existing wall without consuming any of it.

5. Right-click the offset drag handle again and select By Value. Drag the drag handle for the offset dimension (currently 7.00) to 3.00 below the attachment edge, as shown.

1. Task 3. Change the bend allowance for Flat 1 to a feature-specific Y-factor.

1. Select the Bend Allowance tab from the dashboard and select the A Feature Specific Set Up check box.

2. Select the By Y Factor radio button, type .57 and press ENTER, as shown.

This bend allowance is specific for this feature (using a Y factor of 0.57) regardless of how the bend allowances are calculated in the rest of the part.






Using Partial and Overextended Walls

Partial walls are walls that do not extend to the end of the referenced edge or edge chain.

Partial/Overextended Wall Definitions Creation Methods Bend Relief

Full Wall

Overextended Wall Partial Wall

Partial and Overextended Wall Definitions

By default, Pro/ENGINEER creates full walls when you create a new secondary flat or secondary flange wall. A full wall is a wall that attaches to the entire edge or edge chain that you reference for attachment when building the wall.

Partial Walls are walls that do not extend to the end of the referenced edge or edge chain. Overextended walls are walls that extend beyond the end of the referenced edge or edge chain. Pro/ENGINEER enables you to build partial and overextended walls so that you can fully capture your design intent in sheetmetal wall features.

Methods of Creating Partial and Overextended Walls

It is possible to create partial walls for both secondary flat walls and secondary flange walls.

Flat Walls — When creating secondary flat walls there are three ways to create a partial or overextended wall:

1. Change a standard shape's dimensions such that it starts and/or ends along the attachment edge somewhere other than endpoints.

2. Use drag handles to drag the start or end points of a standard shape such that it starts and/or ends along the attachment edge somewhere other than endpoints.

3. Sketch a custom shape with its ends dimensioned or constrained such that it starts and/or ends along the attachment edge somewhere other than endpoints.

Flange Walls — As discussed in the “Using Flange Walls” concept you can use the following icons to control where a flange wall begins and ends along an edge chain that it is attached to:

Trim First End Trim Second End

Trim First End To Reference Trim Second End To Reference

Use First End Use Second End

Note also that all of these techniques can be used to create partial or overextend a walls.

Adding Bend Relief

When you create a partial secondary wall that includes a bend at the attachment point, it is possible that the bend will extend back into the existing attached wall. Additionally, when you create an overextended secondary wall that includes a bend at the attachment point, it is possible that the bend will extend into the existing attached wall. You may need to specify a bend relief so that Pro/ENGINEER knows how to transition from the existing wall to the partial secondary wall.

Typically no relief is needed when both ends of a secondary wall terminate at the endpoints of the attachment edge.

There are five different settings you can use to provide bend relief for a secondary wall when necessary: No relief, Rip, Stretch, Obround, and Rectangular.

Procedure: Using Partial and Overextended Walls

ScenarioCreate a new partial flat wall feature that is overextended on one end.

Partial partial.prt

1. Task 1. Create a new partial flat wall feature that is overextended on one end.


2. Select the edge on the bottom-left side of the model, as shown.

3. Drag the drag handle near the top of the screen down to 5.00. Drag the drag handle near the bottom of the screen down to 7.00.

4. When the model appears, as shown, click Complete Feature from the dashboard to complete the feature.

1. Task 2. Change the order of Flange 1 in the model tree and change the length options such that it becomes a partial and overextended wall.

1. Select Flange 1 from the model tree and drag it below the Flat 1 feature you just created, as shown.

2. Right-click Flange 1 from the model tree and select Edit Definition.

Note that the length options for the ends of the flange wall are currently set to Use First

End and Use Second End .

3. Drag the drag handle near the top of the screen down until the wall is 15.00 inside the edge of the wall it is attached to, as shown.

Note that the length option for the first end has automatically changed to Trim First

End since you dragged it to a new location.

4. Click Trim Second End To Reference from the Second End Length Options drop-down list.

5. Select the side surface of the overextended edge of the flat wall, as shown.





Understanding Relief

Bend reliefs and corner reliefs are often necessary when creating secondary walls.

No Bend Relief Rip Bend Relief Stretch Bend Relief

Rectangular Bend Relief Obround Bend Relief

No Corner Relief V Notch Corner Relief Circular Corner Relief

Rectangular Corner Relief Obround Corner Relief

Types of Relief

There are two primary types of relief available for secondary walls:

Bend Relief — Relief added when a bend meets a wall. Corner Relief — Relief added where multiple non-tangent adjacent

walls fold next to each other.

Bend Relief

Often the creation of partial secondary walls results in the new wall either extending into the wall it is attached to (for partial walls), or the wall it is attached to extending into the new wall. In

these cases, it is often necessary to specify a bend relief to enable Pro/ENGINEER to transition from the existing wall to the partial secondary wall. There are five types of bend relief that you can use.

No Relief

As the name suggests, the option is used when you wish to provide no bend relief. However, in some cases (particularly with partial walls) if this option is used, Pro/ENGINEER will create a stretch-like relief that runs to the end of the wall.

Rip

The rip relief creates a zero volume cut as though the material were ripped as the bend was formed.

Stretch

The stretch relief stretches the material for bend relief at wall attachment points.

Rectangular

The rectangular relief create a rectangular cut of specifiable dimensions.

Obround

The obround relief creates a rectangular cut with a semicircular top of specifiable dimensions.

Corner Relief

Corner relief helps control the sheetmetal material behavior and prevents unwanted deformation. You can add corner reliefs using an option available in the flange wall dashboard or as a separate feature by using the Corner Relief icon.

No Relief V Notch Circular Rectangular Obround

Procedure: Understanding Relief

ScenarioEdit the existing Flange 1 wall and explore the bend relief options.

BendRelief relief.prt

1. Task 1. Edit the existing Flange 1 wall and explore the bend relief options.

1. Right-click the Flat 1 feature and select Edit Definition.

Note the relief on both ends of a wall defaults to the rip type relief.

2. Select Relief on the dashboard to activate the relief dashboard tab.

3. Select Stretch from the Type drop-down menu.

4. Select Thickness in the width field and type 5.0 and press ENTER.

Note the appearance of the stretch relief at both ends of the wall instead of the rip relief.

5. Select Rectangular from the Type drop-down menu.

Note the depth of the relief defaults to the Up to Bend option.

6. Click Preview Feature from the dashboard to view the result.

7. After you are done viewing the result, click Resume Feature .

8. Select Relief on the dashboard to activate the relief dashboard tab again.

9. Select the Define each side separately check box.

10. Select the Side 2 radio button.

11. Select Obround from the Type drop-down menu.

12. Select the Up to Bend option and type 12.0 and press ENTER.





Creating Twist Wall Features

Twist walls enable you to create spiraling or coiling sections of sheetmetal.

Twist Wall (Developed State)

Twist Wall (Flat State)

Twist Walls

Twist walls enable you to create spiraling or coiling sections of sheetmetal. There is no feature toolbar icon for the twist wall. You must instead use the Insert drop-down menu to create a twist wall by clicking Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Twist.

The twist wall is then created by selecting the a straight edge to attach to the wall. You can then select a datum point along the edge to rotate the wall around or the wall can rotate around the middle point of the attachment edge.

The next step is to specify the following dimensions:

Start width End width Overall length Degrees of twist Developed length

The twist wall is then created by beginning with an isosceles trapezoid (where the base angles are symmetrical) that has a base equal to the starting width, a top equal to the end width, and a height equal to the overall length. This shape is then placed symmetrically about the axis of rotation (the point you selected or the middle point of the attachment edge) and is rotated by the degrees of twist to create the twist wall.

The developed length is used anytime the twist wall is in its flat or unbent state. The wall is stretched out to the length you specified for the developed length.

The twist wall in this example was created by using PNT0 as the reference for the axis of rotation, a start width of 20, an end width of 10, an overall length of 50, 225 degrees of twist, and a developed length of 60.

Procedure: Creating Twist Wall Features

ScenarioCreate a twist wall. Then measure the current and developed length of the twist wall.

Twist twist.prt

1. Task 1. Create a twist wall.

1. Click Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Twist from the main menu.

2. Select the edge on the right side of the model as the attachment edge, as shown.

3. For the twist axis, select PNT0 from the display area.

4. When prompted for the start width, type 20.0 and press ENTER.

5. When prompted for the end width, type 10.0 and press ENTER.

6. When prompted for the twist length, type 50.0 and press ENTER.

7. When prompted for the twist angle, type 225 and press ENTER.

8. When prompted for the developed length, type 60.0 and press ENTER.

9. Click OK in the Twist Feature Creation dialog box to create the feature.

1. Task 2. Measure the current and developed length of the twist wall.

1. Click Analysis > Measure > Distance from the main menu. Select the two surfaces for the From and To references, as shown.

Note that the distance is currently measured as 50.0.


3. Click Unbend from the toolbar to begin unbending the model.

4. Click Regular > Done > Unbend All > Done from the menu manager.

5. Click OK from the Feature Creation dialog box to create the unbend feature.

6. Click Analysis > Measure > Distance from the main menu. Select the same two surfaces you selected as references for the distance measurement above.

Note that the distance is now measured as 60.0 mm. The developed length of the feature in the flat state is the dimension you specified for the developed length when you created the twist feature.




Creating Extend Wall Features

You can use extend walls to lengthen existing walls.

Creation Methods

Extend Tool Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Extend...

Required Reference

Edge Up To Plane

Original Model

10 mm Extend Wall Added Extend Wall Added Up to Plane

The Extend Wall Feature

You can use extend walls to lengthen existing walls. You can extend the wall from a straight edge on an existing wall to either a planar surface or a specified distance. Typically the extend wall is used at corners to close gaps between walls and model various overlap conditions enabling you to fully express your design intent in a Pro/ENGINEER sheetmetal model.

You can use the Extend icon from the feature toolbar to start the process of creating an extend wall feature. Alternatively you can use the main menu to create an extend wall by clicking Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Extend....

There are two elements that you must specify in order to build an extend wall:

1. Edge — For the edge reference, you must select a straight wall you want to extend.

2. Distance — To complete the distance element, you can select one of two options:

o Up To Plane — This option enables you to extend the wall up to a plane. You can select an existing datum plane or make a new datum plane.

o Use Value — This option extends the wall a distance that you specify. You can select a default value from the menu or click ENTER, and type the exact distance value.

The following is a brief description of the figure in this example. In all cases, the extend wall that was added is shown in yellow, and the edge referenced for extension is highlighted in red.

Upper right: The original model. Lower left: The model after the addition of an extend wall using the

Use Value Extend option. The value was set to 10 mm. Lower right: The model after the addition of an extend wall using the

Up To Plane option. The hidden side of the wall extended in the lower-left figure was used as the Up To Plane reference.

Procedure: Creating Extend Wall Features

ScenarioCreate an extend wall feature.

Extend extend.prt

1. Task 1. Use the extend wall feature to extend a wall 10 mm.

1. Click Extend in the feature toolbar.

2. Select the edge highlighted in red as the edge reference for the extend wall feature, as shown.

3. Click Use Value > Enter from the menu manager.

4. Type 10.0 and press ENTER.

5. Click OK from the Wall Feature Creation dialog box to create the extend wall feature.

1. Task 2. Use the extend wall feature to extend a wall up to an existing wall using the Up To Plane depth option.

1. Click Extend in the feature toolbar.

2. Select the edge highlighted in red as the edge reference for the extend wall feature, as shown.

3. In the menu manager, verify that the Up To Plane and Plane options are selected. Select the hidden surface on the back side of the wall you extended in the previous task as the planar reference, as shown.

4. Click OK from the Wall Feature Creation dialog box to create the extend wall feature.




Using the Merge Feature

A merge wall combines two or more unattached walls into one contiguous piece of sheetmetal.Merge Wall Feature Requirements

Touching and Tangent Driving Sides Match

Creation Elements

Basic Refs Merge Geoms Merge Edges Keep Lines

Tangent Lines Shown as Phantom Lines: Before Merge

Tangent Lines Shown as Phantom Lines: After Merge

The Merge Wall Feature

A merge wall combines two or more unattached walls into one contiguous piece of sheetmetal. Once you have combined all unattached walls to a single piece of sheetmetal you can unbend the sheetmetal or create flat states for it.

In order to merge walls, the following criteria must be satisfied:

The walls must be touching one another and be tangent to each other at the edges of contact.

The driving sides of the wall must match before you use the Merge feature. If they do not match, you must edit the definition of the unattached feature(s) and, use the Set driving surface opposite of sketch plane check box in the dashboard or the Swap Sides element in a feature creation dialog box. Which option you need to use depends on the type of unattached wall you are using.

When creating a merge wall feature, you will need to specify four different elements in the Merge Wall feature creation dialog box:

Basic Refs — To complete this element, you must select all surfaces of the base wall(s) to which you will merge.

Merge Geoms — To complete this element, you must select all of the surfaces of the walls you will be merging to the base wall(s).

Merge Edges — This element is an optional element. It enables you to add or remove edges deleted by the merge

Keep Lines — This element is also optional. It enables you to control the visibility of merged edges on surface joints. It defaults to “Do not Keep Lines”.

The last two optional elements do not change anything structurally about the Merge Wall feature. They simply enable you to selectively include all, some, or none of edges that would be consumed by the Merge Wall feature.

Best Practices

Displaying tangent edges as something other than solid can be useful when using the Merge Wall feature. For example, if you are merging a cylindrical surface to a flat surface and the display of tangent edges is set to solid, the edge between the two walls would appear the same before and after the merge, as shown in the figure on the lower left. However, if the display of tangent edges is set to phantom, the edge would appear as a solid edge before the merge, and as a phantom edge after the merge, as shown in the figure on the lower right.

Procedure: Using the Merge Feature

ScenarioChange the display characteristics of the model to assist in the creation of merge wall features, create a merge wall feature between the horizontal flat wall and the adjacent extruded wall feature, and create a single merge wall feature to attach all three unattached walls.

Merge merge.prt

1. Task 1. Change the display characteristics of the model to assist in the creation of merge wall features.

1. Click View > Display Settings > Model Display from the main menu.

2. Select the Edge/Line tab.

3. Select Phantom from the Tangent Edges drop-down menu.

4. Click OK to close the Model Display dialog box.

5. Click Wireframe from the main toolbar to display the wireframe of the model.

Note that the model currently exists as three unattached sheetmetal features: the vertical rectangular surface (which is the primary base wall), the horizontal rectangular surface, and an extruded surface consisting of a cylindrical surface and a small rectangular surface. Note also that the green driving surface of the flat horizontal wall does not match up with the driving surfaces of the other walls.

1. Task 2. Create a merge wall feature between the horizontal flat wall and the adjacent extruded wall feature.

1. Click Merge Walls from the Sheetmetal Feature toolbar.

This icon is located in the third icon flyout menu from the bottom of the sheetmetal

dashboard and is displayed as Corner Relief by default.

2. To complete the Basic Refs element in the Wall Options: Merge Feature Creation dialog box, select the surface, as shown, and click Done Refs.

3. To complete the Merge Geoms element in the Wall Options: Merge Feature Creation dialog box, attempt to select the surface, as shown.

Note the “Inappropriate geometry selected” error in the message area. This is because the driving surfaces of the walls to be merged do not match up.

4. Click Cancel > Yes from the Merge Wall Feature Creation dialog box.

Right-click the Unattached Flat_2 feature in the model tree and select Edit Definition.

On the Extrude dashboard, click Options and select the Set driving surface opposite of sketch plane check box.

Click Complete Feature from the dashboard to complete the feature redefinition.

5. Click Merge Walls from the sheetmetal feature toolbar.

6. Complete the Basic Refs element by selecting the same surface you selected in step #2 above, then click Done Refs.

7. Complete the Merge Geoms element by selecting the same surface you selected in step #3 above, then click Done Refs.

8. Click OK from the Merge Wall Feature Creation dialog box to complete the feature.

Note how the edge between the two surfaces has disappeared now that the walls are attached.

Note also that the Unbend and Flat Pattern icons are still not available. This is because the vertical base wall and the rest of the model have not been merged together into one contiguous piece of sheetmetal geometry.

9. Right-click the wall feature you just created in the model tree and click Delete > OK.

1. Task 3. Create a single merge feature to attach all three unattached walls.

Instead of deleting the merge wall feature you created in the previous task, you could have left it and created another separate merge wall feature to connect the vertical primary base wall to the extruded wall. However, the purpose of this task is to show you that you can merge more than two walls.

2. 1. Click Merge Walls from the feature toolbar.3. 2. Press CTRL and select the two surfaces as references, as shown, for the

Basic Refs element and click Done Refs from the menu manager.

4.

5. 3. Press CTRL and select the two surfaces, as shown, as references for the Merge Geoms element and click Done Refs from the menu manager.

6.

7. 4. Click OK from the Merge Wall Feature Creation dialog box to complete the feature.

Note that the solid line that existed between the vertical and cylindrical surfaces now displays as a phantom line due to the sheetmetal being contiguous at this point due to the merge feature. Also note the disappearance of the line between the two planar horizontal sections due to the same reason.

8.

9. 5. Click View > Display Settings > Model Display... from the main menu.

10. 6. Select the Edge/Line tab11. 7. Select Solid from the Tangent Edges drop-down menu.12. 8. Click OK to close the Model Display dialog box.13. 9. Click Save from the main toolbar and click OK to save the

model.14. 10. Click File > Erase > Current > Yes to erase the model from

memory.


Modifying Sheetmetal Models

Module Overview

While manufacturing sheetmetal parts, you bend flat sheets using bending tools. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 enables you to create bends and other geometry to reflect the true manufacturing process.

You can remove material in various ways to establish cuts, openings, and relief where necessary in your designs.

Formed models can be unbent. In some cases, the model has to be ripped or deformed to enable flattening.

Objectives


Create angle and roll type bends. Apply the Regular, Transition and Planar options for bends. Unbend models with the Unbend tool. Reform models with the Bend Back tool. Use the Flat Pattern tool. Flatten undevelopable geometry using deform areas. Remove material from a model using cuts. Use punches and dies to form your models. Flatten form geometry. Create rips to help flatten unbendable geometry. Create notches and punches to remove material and create relief. Create edge bends on sharp corners. Create corner relief.

Bends

A bend feature adds a bend to a flat section of the part.

Types of Bend Features:

Angle Bend Roll Bend

Angle Bend Sketch Angle Bend

Bending Over Forms Roll Bend Sketch Roll Bend

Bend Features

While manufacturing sheetmetal parts, you bend flat sheets using bending tools. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 enables you to create bends and other geometry to reflect the true manufacturing process. You can bend a sheet using various tools like Angle Bend or Roll Bend. You use bend lines to determine the location and shape for the bend geometry in your sheetmetal parts. A bend line is also a reference point to calculate the developed length. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 enables you to sketch the bend lines, thus enabling you to control the behavior of the bend geometry.

A bend feature adds a bend to a flat section of the part. To create a bend feature, you sketch a bend line and determine the bend's direction with direction arrows on your sketching view.

The bend line is a reference point for calculating the developed length and creating the bend geometry.

You can add bends at any time during the design process. You can add bends across form features. Depending on where you place the bend in your sheetmetal design, you

may need to add bend relief. A bend cannot be added where it crosses another bend feature. You cannot copy a bend with the mirror option. While you can generally unbend zero-radius bends, you cannot unbend

bends with slanted cuts across them. You can modify the developed length of a bend area. If you do modify the

developed length, remember that revising the developed length only affects unbent geometry and does not affect the bend back features.

Bends are made along the axis of the radius.

Types of Bend Features Angle Bend – An Angle type bend creates a bend with a specified radius

and angle. An angle appears along the axis of the radius to show the bend direction. You can flip the angle to change the direction of the bending.

Roll Bend – A Roll type bend creates a bend with a specified radius, but the resulting angle is determined by the radius and the amount of material to bend.

Bending Over a Form Feature

You can also create a bend or unbend feature over a form feature. Bends can intersect form features but they cannot cross another existing bend feature. You can bend forms that have been placed on the model and also unbend bends that cross over form features.

Procedure: Bends

ScenarioCreate an angle bend and a roll bend on a part.

Bends BENDS.PRT

1. Task 1. Create an angle bend on the provided sheetmetal part.

1. Click Bend to insert a bend feature.

Click Done to create an angle bend. Click Done/Return to use the part bend table. Click Done/Return to use an inside radius.

2. Select the surface shown.

Click Okay > Default.

3. Create the sketch shown.

Click Done Section .

4. Click Okay > Okay.

Click No Relief > Done. Click Done. Click Thickness.

5. Click OK.

1. Task 2. Create a roll bend on the provided sheetmetal part.

1. Select the bend in the model tree, right-click and select Delete.

2. Click Bend to insert a bend feature.

Click Roll > Done. Click Done/Return > Done/Return.


4. Click Okay > Default.


Click Done Section . Click Okay > Okay. Click No Relief > Done. Click Enter Value. Type 10 and press ENTER.

6. Click OK.


Bend Options

There are three options associated with any roll or angle bend.Bend Options:

Regular Transition Planar

Transition Sketch Bend with Transition Planar Sketch Planar Bend

Bend Options

For each angle or roll bend, there are three options to choose from:

Regular Transition Planar

Regular Bend Option

A regular bend forms the sheetmetal wall, around a neutral bend axis, into angular or roll shapes. You sketch a bend line and determine the side of the bend with the direction arrows.

The regular bend is the bend you will use most often. It has no transition surfaces.

Transition Bend Option

A bend with a transition deforms the surface between the bend and an area that is to remain flat. To create a bend with the transition option, you:

Sketch the bend line. Sketch the transition areas to remain flat or bend differently.

You can create one or more transition areas for each with a transition bend. Each transition area sketch must consist of two lines. One line needs to be adjacent to the bend area. Sketch this line first, followed by a second line that is used to complete the transition area.

Transition bends do not accept bend relief. If your design calls for a cut in a transition area, either create it before you make the transition bend or unbend the bend, making the cut and using the bend back feature.

Planar Bend Option

A planar bend creates a bend feature around an axis that is perpendicular to the green surface and the sketching plane. The neutral point for planar bends is placed according to the current y-factor and bend tables are not applicable.

A planar bend forces the sheetmetal wall around an axis that is normal (perpendicular) to the surface and the sketching plane. You sketch a bend line and form the planar bend around the axis using direction arrows. While this type of bend is not utilized in the manufacturing process, it can help you reach your overall design intent.

Procedure: Bend Options

ScenarioCreate a wire contact using a roll bend and a planar bend.

BendOptions OPTIONS.PRT

1. Task 1. Create a roll bend.

1. Click Bend .

2. Click Roll > w/Transition > Done.

3. Click Done/Return > Done/Return.

4. Select the surface shown and click Okay > Default.

5. Click Sketch > References and select the bottom edge of the model.

6. Click Close in the References dialog box.

7. Click Line and sketch the line, as shown.

8. Click Done Section .

9. Click Both > Okay to define the bending and fixed areas.

10. Click Sketch > References and select the five additional references, as shown.


12. Create the sketch, as shown.


14. Click No from the confirmation window.

15. Click Enter Value and type 1.2 as the radius value.

16. Click OK to complete the feature.

1. Task 2. Create a planar bend.

1. Click Bend .

2. Click Planar > Done.

3. Click Done/Return.

4. Select the surface shown and click Okay > Default.

5. Select the three additional references, as shown.


7. Click Line and sketch the line, as shown.


9. Click Okay > Flip > Okay to define the bending and fixed areas.

10. Click 45.00 > Done in the menu manager.

11. Click Enter Value and type 3 as the radius value.

12. Click Okay.

13. Click OK to complete the feature.


Unbend Features

You can unbend both a wall and a bend as long as the material is developable and able to unbend.You can unbend developable and undevelopable surfaces.

Regular Xsection Driven Transition

Regular Unbend

Xsec Driven Unbend Influenced by EdgeXsec Driven Unbend Influenced by

Sketch

Unbending Developable Surfaces

You can unbend both a wall and a bend as long as the material is developable and able to unbend. You cannot unbend non-ruled surfaces using a regular unbend feature. After you unbend an area, you can continue to add features like cuts and rips. The features following the unbend are children of or dependent on the unbend feature. If you delete the unbend feature, the features will also be deleted. If you add walls that intersect when they are unbent, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 highlights the intersecting edges in red and warns you with a prompt.

You have the option of unbending all surfaces and bends or selecting specific areas:

Unbend Select — Selects specific bend surfaces to unbend. Unbend All — Unbends all bends and curved surfaces.

When creating an unbend, you select a surface or edge to remain fixed. Your choice changes the default view of your model.

Try to pick major surfaces that you want to keep in the same position. If possible, be consistent and use the same surface when creating several

unbend features.

Unbending Undevelopable Geometry

There are three methods that you can use to unbend undevelopable geometry.

Xsec-Driven Unbends

Using a Xsec Driven (Cross-Section) Unbend, you can unbend undevelopable sheetmetal geometry, such as walls curved in more than one direction. The unbend feature consists of a series of cross-sections along a curve that are projected onto a plane. The first step in creating a Xsec Driven Unbend is to select a single edge or multiple edges that are to remain fixed during the unbend operation.

The cross-section term refers to the curve you use to influence the shape of the unbent wall. You can either select an existing curve or sketch a new curve. Whether you select or sketch the curve, it must be coplanar with the fixed edges you define. If you sketch the curve, be sure to dimension/align the curve.

The curve you select or sketch affects the unbent state of the part. Remember, the curve can be a straight line.

A cross-sectional unbend feature is created by selecting a stationary surface edge and specifying a cross-sectional curve. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 takes a series of cross-sections, influenced by the curve, and projects them onto a plane, to determine the shape of the unbend.

The cross-sections created must not intersect within the unbent geometry. Otherwise, the feature fails.You cannot bend back a cross-section unbend.

There are two additional methods of unbending undevelopable geometry. You can use these options to unbend the non-ruled or undevelopable geometry whenever using an Xsec-Driven Unbend does not match your design intent.

The defining rule is that all surfaces that you unbend must either have an outside edge or be adjacent to an area that has an outside edge. The outside edge or adjacent area serves as a way for the deformation to escape and the material to stretch.

Transition Unbends

A transition unbend feature flattens non-developable geometry that cannot be unbent with a regular unbend feature. Non-developable geometry bends in more than one direction. The transition geometry is temporarily removed from the

model, so you must define that geometry to utilize the feature. The developable surfaces can then unbend. The transition geometry is placed back into the flat pattern.

Regular Unbend Tool with Deformation Area

You can create the deformation area during the unbend. The system defines the deformation area automatically, but you can add to the set of surfaces.

Best Practices

Do not add unnecessary pairs of unbend/bend back features. They inflate the part size and might cause problems during regeneration.

If you add an unbend (or bend back) feature just to see how your model looks flattened (unbent), delete the sample unbend feature before proceeding with your design.

If you specifically want to create features in a flattened state, you should add an unbend feature. Create the features you need in the flattened state and then add a bend back feature. Do not delete the unbend feature in this case since features that reference the unbend feature might fail regeneration.

If you want a projected datum curve to follow a sheetmetal bend, project the curve after creating an unbend feature. The curve will follow the sheetmetal surface when you bend back the sheetmetal wall.

Procedure: Unbend Features

ScenarioUnbend the developable and undevelopable geometry in the part.

Unbend BODY.PRT

1. Task 1. Unbend the developable geometry in the toaster body.

1. Click Unbend .

2. Click Regular > Done.

3. Select the top surface of the part to remain fixed during unbend.

4. Click UnbendSelect > Done.

5. Press CTRL and select the six bends, as shown.

6. Click OK > Done Refs > OK.

1. Task 2. Unbend one side of the toaster body using the Xsec Driven method, by selecting the Xsec Curve.

1. Click Unbend .

2. Click Xsec Driven > Done.

3. Select the bend edge to remain fixed during unbend.

4. Click OK > Done.

5. Click Select Curve > Done.

6. Select the same edge again.

7. Click OK > Done.

8. Accept the default side to remain fixed. Click Okay.

9. Click OK to complete the Xsec Driven Unbend.

1. Task 3. Unbend the other side of the toaster body using the Xsec Driven method, by sketching the Xsec Curve.

1. Click Unbend .

2. Click Xsec Driven > Done.

3. Select the bend edge to remain fixed during unbend.

4. Click OK > Done.

5. Click Sketch Curve > Done.

6. Select the top surface of the part as the sketching plane.

7. Click Right and select datum plane RIGHT from the model tree.

8. From the main toolbar, click No hidden .

9. Select the end vertices of the edge that is selected as the fixed edge, as references and click Close.

10. From the Sketcher toolbar, click Line and create a sketch using the references.


12. From the main toolbar click Shading .

13. Click Named View List and select Standard Orientation view.

14. Accept the default side to remain fixed. Click Okay.

15. Click OK to complete the Xsec Driven Unbend.


Bend Back Features

Bend back features return unbent geometry to the bent condition.Two options:

Bend Back All Bend Back Select

Formed Model

Cut Created in Unbent StateModel with Bend Back Applied to

Selected Surfaces

Creating a Bend Back Feature

You create the bend back feature to return an unbent feature to its original condition.

When you create a bend back feature, you can specify contours to remain fixed (that is, unbent) by selecting the edge of that contour. The bend back feature enables you to return unbent surfaces to their formed position.

As a rule, you should only bend back a fully unbent area. When a sheetmetal wall overlaps and intersects in the unbent position, the system highlights it and issues a warning. You have the following two options to bend a part back:

Bend Back All Bend Back Select

If you partially bend back a regular unbent surface containing a deform area, the original bent condition might not be obtainable. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 examines the contours of each bend back section. Contours partially intersecting a bend area are highlighted. You are prompted to confirm whether the section should bend back or remain flat.

You cannot bend back a cross-section (Xsec-Driven) unbend.

Procedure: Bend Back Features

ScenarioUnbend a part, add a cut, then bend it back to create a clip.

BendBack BENDBACK.PRT

1. Task 1. Unbend the part.

1. Click Unbend .


3. Select the surface shown as the surface to remain fixed.


1. Task 2. Create a cut feature.

1. Click Extrude Tool .

2. Right-click and select Define Internal Sketch.

3. Select the surface shown as the sketch plane and click Sketch.

4. Click No hidden .




8. Click Shading and press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.

1. Task 3. Bend the part back, but leave the center tab straight.

1. Click Bend Back .

2. Select the surface shown as the fixed geometry.

3. Click BendBack Sel > Done.

4. Press the CTRL and select the two surfaces shown.

5. Click Done Refs > Yes > Yes > OK to complete the feature.


Flat Pattern

A flat pattern is equivalent to the unbend all feature.

Select a fixed surface:

System unbends all geometry. Flat pattern feature added to end of model

tree. Automatically moves to end of model tree

if additional features are added.

Fixed Surface

Flat Pattern Last Feature in Model Tree

Flat Pattern

A flat pattern is equivalent to the unbend all feature. It flattens any curved surface, whether it is a bend feature or a curved wall. However, unlike the unbend all, the flat pattern feature automatically jumps to the end of the model tree to maintain the flat model view.

The flat pattern feature automatically appears at the end of the model tree to maintain the flat model view. The flat pattern feature is suppressed at the time of new feature creation and positions itself as the last feature after the new feature is added, in case you add any feature to the part after creating the flat pattern.

The flat pattern is helpful if you are constantly toggling between the solid and flat versions of the design. If you add new features to your design the flat pattern is temporarily suppressed.

You can create a flat pattern early in your design process so that you can simultaneously create and detail your sheetmetal design. You can only create one flat pattern per part. After you create it, the flat pattern option becomes unavailable.

Procedure: Flat Pattern

ScenarioCreate a flat pattern of the provided part.

FlatPattern FLAT.PRT

1. Task 1. Create a flat pattern of the part.

1. From the main menu click Insert > Bend Operation > Flat Pattern.

Note that you can also click Flat Pattern from the feature toolbar.

2. Select the wall to remain fixed while unbending the other walls, as shown.

3. The remaining walls unbend, as shown.

1. Task 2. Add another wall and observe the behavior of the flat pattern.

1. Click Flange .

Notice that the system immediately starts Insert mode, and the Flange wall is located prior to the Flat Pattern feature in the model tree.

2. Select the edge, as shown.


4. Observe that the flat pattern feature is resumed, and placed at the end of the regeneration order.


Deform Area

Deformation areas stretch to help you unbend a sheetmetal part.You can create deform areas using the following tools:

Regular Unbend tool Deform Area tool

o Defining it before unbending

Undevelopable AreaSelecting the Deform Area

in the Regular Unbend Tool Undesirable Unbend

Sketching the Deform AreasUsing the Defined Deform

Area Desirable Unbend

Creating Deformation Areas

A deformation area is a section of sheetmetal that helps to accurately stretch the material when you unbend the sheetmetal part. You may need to create these areas when unbending sections that:

Do not extend to the edge of the model. Bend in more than one direction.

You can either create the deformation area before unbending the section using the Deform Area tool or you can define it while using the Regular Unbend tool.

The deformation area acts as a bridge between the multiple direction bend section and the outside edges of the part. The deformation area must be tangent to both the undevelopable surface and an outside edge.

The developed length of unbent sheetmetal geometry reflects the proper values. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 approximates the deformation area geometry by attaching vertices with a line segment. The geometry does not become thinner or thicker and, because the developed length is typically determined empirically, you sketch the deformation area geometry.

If an appropriate surface does not exist on the model, you can break up a surface into multiple patches by creating a deformation area, then specifying this area as the area to deform during the unbend operation. This gives you the advantage of creating geometry that closely reflects the developed part.

In addition to using the deform area feature during unbending, you can also use it to define edges for edge rips or to split surfaces for bend line development.

Sketching Technique

Select a common edge between the undevelopable region and the deformation area. Use the Entity from Edge tool. Then select the outside edge of the deform area and two points on that outside edge as vertices. Connect the two outside edge vertices to the vertices of the undevelopable surface on the common edge.

Procedure: Deform Area

ScenarioUnbend the model using deform areas.

Deformation DEFORMATION.PRT


1. Unbend the part.

From the feature toolbar, click Unbend . Click Regular > Done. Select the top surface of the tray to remain fixed during the unbend, as

shown.

2. Click Unbend All > Done.

Read the warning in the message window. Notice the four highlighted surfaces, similar to the one shown.

Rotate the model, press CTRL and select the four surface surfaces, similar to the one shown.


Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation. Review the deformation areas in the unbent part. Notice the distorted

surfaces resulting from the selection of existing surfaces as deformation areas.

4. From the main toolbar click Undo to remove the unbend feature.

1. Task 2. Create deformation areas in the part for unbend.

1. From the main toolbar, click Named View List and select the DEFORM view.

2. Zoom in to the corner and click Deform Area .

3. Select the surface shown as the sketching plane.

4. Click Default.

5. From the main toolbar, click No hidden .

6. Select the edges as references, as shown, and click Close.

7. Right-click in the graphics window and select Line.

8. Create the sketch for the deform area.

Sketch the two lines shown. Click Use Edge and select the two edges used as references. Click Done Section .

9. From the main toolbar click Shading . Click OK to complete the feature.

For your convenience, deform areas have been defined in the other areas on the model.

1. Task 3. Unbend the part with deform areas.

1. From the main toolbar, click Named View List and select the 3D-REAR view.

2. Click Unbend .


4. Select the top surface of the tray to remain fixed during the unbend, as shown.


6. Press CTRL. Zoom in and select the four deformation area features from the model, similar to the one shown.


8. The model unbends as expected.


Sheetmetal Cuts

Sheetmetal cuts are created normal to the part surface while solid cuts are created normal to the sketch plane.

Types of Cuts

Sheetmetal Cuto Solido Thin

Solid Cut

Cut Normal to Surface

Cut Normal to Sketch Thin Sheetmetal Cut

Creating Cuts

You remove the material using cuts from a sheetmetal part. The cut is made normal to the sheetmetal surface, as if the part were completely flat, even if it is in a bent state. The cut adopts the sheetmetal material's natural behavior, like bending and warping, when the part is bent.

You sketch cuts on a plane and then project them onto the sheetmetal wall. Either the driving (green) or offset (white) side of the sheetmetal wall can determine the cut direction.

You can create sheetmetal cuts using the Extrude tool.

The sheetmetal cut can be created normal to the driven surface, offset surface, or both surfaces.

Types of sheetmetal cuts:

Solid – Removes solid sections of the sheetmetal wall. Thin – Removes only a thin section of the material.

You can use the Insert menu to access advanced options such as Revolve, Sweep, Blend and so on, to make advanced cuts in the sheetmetal wall. Note that cuts can be made on an edge.

To make a defined-angle cut, you must click the Normal To Surface icon in the dashboard, which disables the three normal to surface options, and makes the cut normal to the sketch plane. See the Part Modeling Functional Area from the Help menu in Pro/ENGINEER for information about advanced cuts.

Creating Cuts in Design State

You may create cuts in a design or bent state. When you unbend the parts, the cuts also unbend along with the parts.

You can see this in the figures shown above. A circular sheetmetal cut is added to the model as shown in the left figure. The part is then unbent from its design state. Note that the unbent model now shows the cut that was added in the design state.

While creating circular cuts, individual datum axes are automatically created for each circular cut that intersects more than one sheetmetal wall. The created axes behave like all other axes. They have an ID, can be referenced, can be turned on/off on the main tool bar and follow the cut during any bending and unbending. The circular cut that was added in the design state was only one feature, but two separate axes are created in the unbent state.

Creating Cuts in the Unbent State

To meet your design intent, you may create cuts in the unbent state. The figure illustrates unbending a model, creating a straight lip around the bent area using a thin cut, and then selectively bending the part back.

Procedure: Sheetmetal Cuts

ScenarioCreate cuts in the model both normal to the model surface and normal to the sketch plane.

SMCuts SMCUTS.PRT

1. Task 1. Create a cut, using the existing datum curve, that is normal to the sketch plane.

1. Select the datum curve, as shown.


3. Click Through All .

4. Click Normal To Surface to disable it.


6. Click Hidden line .

7. Click Named View List and select FRONT.

Notice that the cut runs normal to the plane that the datum curve was sketched on.

1. Task 2. Edit the definition of the cut and make it normal to the wall surface.

1. Right-click Extrude 2 in the model tree and click Edit Definition.

2. Click Normal To Surface to enable it.


Notice that the cut now runs normal to the surface of the main wall.

1. Task 3. Create a circular cut through the model and unbend it to observe the result.



3. Click Through All .


5. Select the surface shown for the sketch plane.

6. Select TOP for the orientation reference and click Sketch.




10. ClickAxis Display to display axes.

1. Task 4. Unbend the model.

1. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation, if necessary.

2. Click Shading .

3. Click Unbend .


5. Select the surface shown as the surface to remain fixed.



Die Form Features

Your sheetmetal models can be formed using dies.Die form features:

Represents the forming geometry surrounded by a bounding plane.

Uses assembly-type constraints to determine the location.

Uses reference parts to create Die Forms.

Die Reference Model

Creating Form Features

A form is a sheetmetal wall molded by a template (reference part). Merging the geometry of a reference part to the sheetmetal part creates the form feature. You use assembly-type constraints to determine the location of the form in your model.

You can create a sheetmetal form using a die form:

Die Form — A die form represents the forming geometry (convex or concave) surrounded by a bounding plane. The surface that surrounds the forming geometry, the base plane, must be planar and the base plane must completely surround the forming geometry. You can reference multiple die forms from a single model.

Placing Form Features

You use assembly-type constraints to determine the location of the form feature on the model. If you move a feature referenced by the form, then the system parametrically updates the form’s location.

Placing by Reference — You can place a form feature so that it references the original forming model at all times. If the original form model changes, the geometry on the sheetmetal part also changes. If the sheetmetal model cannot find the referenced form model, the system freezes the geometry on the component.

Copying the Geometry — When you do not want to associate the geometry of the form to the reference model, you can place the form model by copying all of the form geometry into the sheetmetal model. This copy operation creates a completely independent version of the form geometry. Therefore, when you make a change to the original form geometry, the system does not reflect it in the components where the form was used.

You can use a coordinate system reference within the form to define where to strike the part during the manufacturing process.

You can create multiple form placement scenarios by redefining the placement constraints. For example, you might place a louver form with constraints that force the opening to face the outside edge of the wall, while also having a constraint that forces the opening toward the center of the wall. This enables you to quickly change your sheetmetal design.

Creating and Using Reference Parts

You can create the form or reference part as a standard solid part or as a sheetmetal part. If you use a sheetmetal model, the form should conform to the green side of the sheetmetal component.

The reference parts can have shapes that are convex, concave, or are a combination of both. When creating reference parts, you should keep the following points in mind:

Any convex surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is mated to the sheetmetal geometry.

Any concave surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is aligned to the sheetmetal geometry.

The form can contain a combination of convex and concave geometry, creating hollows. The hollows in the form must not drop below the base plane or mating surface, meaning all the form geometry must be on the same side of the base plane.

Creating Rips in the Geometry

Some forming operations consist of two tasks: plastically deforming the sheetmetal and actually cutting the sheetmetal. Below is an example of a cooling fin that is cut through the side of the sheetmetal housing. You can represent the shearing of the material by excluding surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model.

Using Multiple Forms

Using Multiple Forms on a Single Die Model

In some cases, it may be more convenient to store multiple forms on a single die model. However, for Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 to distinguish one set from another, you must specify a seed surface. The seed surface gathers all surfaces that are surrounded by the base plane to create the form. You must select the seed surface in all die forms, even if there is only one set of form geometry.

Procedure: Die Form Features

ScenarioAdd a form to the model and pattern it.

DieForms FORMS.PRT

1. Task 1. Add a form to the model.

1. Start the form feature.

Click Die Form from the feature toolbar. Click Reference > Done. Select MOUNT_FORM.PRT and click Open.

2. Define the placement of the form.

Edit the constraint type to Mate. Select the rear hidden surface of the tray part. Select the flat surface of the mount form part. Select Coincident as the Offset type if necessary.

3. Click New Constraint. Select Align as the new constraint type.

4. Click Plane Display to enable their display.

5. Select the datum plane FRONT from both the models.

6. Select Offset from the Offset list and type 10.

7. Click New Constraint. Select Mate as the new constraint type.

8. Select datum plane TOP from the tray model and select datum plane SIDE from the mount form.

9. Edit the offset to Coincident in the Form dialog box, if necessary.

10. Click Preview Display to preview the location of the form.

11. Click Plane Display to disable their display.

12. Click Complete Feature to complete the placement.

13. Select the surface of the mount form as the bounding plane.

14. Select the top surface of the mount form as the seed surface.

15. In the Form dialog box, select Exclude Surf and click Define.

16. Press CTRL. Select the three surfaces from the mount form, as shown.

17. Click OK > Done Refs.

18. Click OK to complete the form feature.

1. Task 2. Pattern the form feature.

1. With the form feature still selected, right-click and select Pattern.

2. Change the pattern type to Direction from the dashboard.

3. Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree as the reference in the first direction.

4. Click Flip First Direction on the dashboard and edit the spacing value to 20.

5. Right-click in the graphics window and select Direction 2 Reference.

6. Select datum plane TOP from the model tree.

7. Edit the second direction spacing value to 40 from the dashboard.



Punch Form Features

Your sheetmetal models can be formed using punches.Assemble with Dashboard

On Surface Csys Interfaces

Constraints

Options

Auto-Round Edges Exclude Surfaces Merge or Inheritance

Punch Reference Model

Creating Form Features

A form is a sheetmetal wall molded by a template (reference part). Merging the geometry of a reference part to the sheetmetal part creates the form feature. You use assembly-type constraints to determine the location of the form in your model.

You can create a sheetmetal form using a punch:

Punch — A punch shapes the sheetmetal wall using only the reference part geometry. Punch forms use the entire form reference part to create the correct geometry.

Placing Form Features

The Punch form sheetmetal tool uses a dashboard interface. You can select any model to assemble in one of three ways:

On surface Coordinate System – Select a coordinate system in the punch model as the only reference for an assembly interface. Upon placement, you can select references to locate an on-surface coordinate system in the sheetmetal model. This method leverages the capability of the on-surface coordinate system to allow the option for specifying an additional rotation.

Assembly Interfaces – Create assembly interfaces using any desired references.

Assembly constraints – Use standard assembly constraints to locate the punch

The Punch form tool also has several options:

Auto Round Edges – You can select to round the edges of the resulting sheetmetal form, even if the punch form model did not contain rounds. Placement or non-placement edges can be selected.

Exclude Surfaces – You can select surfaces for the punch model to exclude them from the operation, resulting in these surfaces being deleted from the resulting form feature. The surfaces to exclude can also be pre-specified by using a Punch Model Annotation feature.

Merge or Inheritance – These dashboard icons enable you to reference the punch model by performing a merge operation, or you can copy the punch model geometry by creating an inheritance feature.

Tool Name and Coordinate System – Specify these options for sheetmetal manufacturing.

Placing by Reference — You can place a form feature so that it references the original forming model at all times. If the original form model changes, the geometry on the sheetmetal part also changes.

Copying the Geometry — When you do not want to associate the geometry of the form to the reference model, you can place the form model by copying all of the form geometry into the sheetmetal model. This copy operation creates a completely independent version of the form geometry.

Creating and Using Reference Parts

You can create the form or reference part as a standard solid part or as a sheetmetal part. If you use a sheetmetal model, the form should conform to the green side of the sheetmetal component.

The reference parts can have shapes that are convex, concave, or are a combination of both. When creating reference parts, you should keep the following points in mind:

Any convex surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is mated to the sheetmetal geometry.

Any concave surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is aligned to the sheetmetal geometry.

The form can contain a combination of convex and concave geometry, creating hollows. The hollows in the form must not drop below the base

plane or mating surface, meaning all the form geometry must be on the same side of the base plane.

Creating Rips in the Geometry

Some forming operations consist of two tasks: plastically deforming the sheetmetal and actually cutting the sheetmetal. Below is an example of a cooling fin that is cut through the side of the sheetmetal housing. You can represent the shearing of the material by excluding surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model.

Using Multiple Forms

Using Multiple Forms on a Single Punch Model

To reduce the number of models stored for punch forms, you create a punch model with two sides. You select one side or the other, with respect to the mating surface that you use in the punch model.

Procedure: Punch Form Features

ScenarioCreate different punch forms on a sheetmetal part.

PunchForms punch.prt

1. Task 1. Create a louver using a punch form.


2. ClickOpen Punch Model from the dashboard.

Double-click LOUVER_FORM.PRT.

3. Place the cursor over the upper model surface.

Query and select the underlying surface.

4. Drag the handles to the front and right surfaces of the model.

Edit the offset values as shown. Click the direction arrow to flip it upwards.

5. Select the Placement tab and enable Add rotation about the first axis.

Drag the rotation handle to 90.

Note that the additional rotation is possible due to a coordinate system selected for the component interface.

6. Select the Options tab.

Click in the Excluded punch model surfaces collector. Select the surface shown.


1. Task 2. Create a gusset using a punch form.



Double-click GUSSET_FORM.PRT.

3. Select the right model surface.

4. Select the upper model surface.

Select the front model surface. Drag the offset handle to 20.

5. Select the Options tab and enable Placement Edges.

Select Thickness as the radius option. Click Complete Feature .


Utilizing Punch Model Annotations

Define Punch Model annotations to speed up placement.

Punch Model annotation typeo Predefine surfaces to

remove

Punch Model CreatedCreating Annotation

Utilizing Punch Model Annotations Theory

A new type of annotation feature has been added called Punch Model. In this type of annotation, you can select surfaces to predefine those that will be removed when using the model for a punch in a sheetmetal part.

When a punch is created using a model with a punch model annotation defined, the surfaces to be removed will be defined automatically without having to select them. However, you can add to or remove from this selection if desired.

Procedure: Utilizing Punch Model Annotations

ScenarioCreate a punch form using a punch model annotation feature.

punch_annotations round_form.prt

1. Task 1. Create a Punch Model annotation feature.

1. Expand the footer and select INTFC001.

Notice the highlighted coordinate system.

2. Click Annotation Feature .

Select Punch Model and click OK.

3. Press CTRL and select the three surfaces shown.

4. Click OK and OK.

5. Click Close Window .

1. Task 2. Create a punch form utilizing the defined punch model annotation.

1. Click Open and double-click ANNOTATIONS.PRT.



Double-click ROUND_FORM.PRT.

4. Place the cursor over the upper model surface.

Query and select the underlying surface.

5. Drag the handles to the front and right surfaces of the model.

Edit the offset values as shown. Click the direction arrow to flip it upwards.


Notice there are excluded surfaces defined.

7. Click Preview Feature .

Notice the placement edges are not rounded. Click Resume Feature .


Enable the Placement edges option. Select Thickness as the Radius option.



Flatten Form

Form features can be flattened using the Flatten Form tool.Forms are unbent using the Flatten Form tool.

Rounds and chamfers are unbent using the Edge Treat element.

Edge Round and Chamfer Flattened

Model with Forms Forms in Flattened State

Returning the Model to the Flat

In some cases, you may have to return a sheetmetal model to its original flat state after you have placed form features on it. The form features do not get flattened along with the bend features in the model. You can use the Flatten Form tool to unbend punch or die forms.

You can flatten multiple form features at the same time. You can flatten forms that cross multiple surfaces. You typically create flatten form features at the end of the design process,

when you are preparing your model for manufacture. The flatten form option adjusts the width of the part after flattening,

ensuring that the material volume after flattening is the same as before flattening.

The formed area is retained upon unbend and bend back, to visualize location.

Flatten Form Theory

The Flatten Form feature has the capability to flatten forms that cross multiple surfaces. For example, you can flatten the form of a wall gusset over a 90 degree wall.

The Flatten Form feature retains the formed area upon creation of unbend or bend-back features to enable visualization of the formed area.

Flattening Edges with Features

You create edge treatments (stamped edges with chamfers or rounds) using solid class features. As you prepare your sheetmetal design for manufacture, you need to flatten your design. In order to accurately flatten the stamped edges, you should create a flatten form feature with the Edge Treat element. The flatten form calculates the flat pattern for the stamped edges. This is based on the assumption that the volume of the material in the part is the same, both before and after it is flattened.

The top image in the slide illustrates the adjustments made to the developed length of the part after flattening, ensuring that the material volume before and after flattening, is the same.

Procedure: Flatten Form

ScenarioUnbend a model containing forms.

FlattenForm FLATTEN.PRT


1. Click Unbend .


3. Select the surface, as shown.


5. Click OK.

Notice that the form features do not unbend.

1. Task 2. Create a flatten form feature to flatten the model.

1. Click Flatten Form .

2. Double-click Form in the FLATTEN dialog box.

3. Select the form, as shown.


5. With the Flatten feature still selected, right-click and click Pattern.



Rip

You can add rips to your models to help flatten otherwise unbendable geometry.

Three rip types

Regular Surface Edge

Model Cannot Be Unbent

Rips Added Part Unbent

Adding Rips to the Geometry

You can unbend sheetmetal geometry using rips. A rip shears or tears your sheetmetal walls, especially along seams. If your part is a continuous piece of material, it cannot be unbent without ripping the sheetmetal.

Create a rip feature before unbending. When you unbend that area of the model, the material breaks along the rip section. In general, a rip is a zero-volume cut.

There are three types of sheetmetal rips available:

Regular Rip – Creates a saw cut along a sketched rip line. You select a surface and sketch the rip line. You can select boundary surfaces to protect certain surfaces from the rip.

Surface Rip – Select a surface patch on the geometry and exclude the entire surface from the model by creating a cut in the geometry.

Edge Rip – Creates a saw cut along an edge. You select the edge to rip. The resulting corner edges can be open, blind, or overlapping.

While edge rips are intended for unbending your part, you can customize the corner type to be open, overlapping or cut/extended to a specific depth. You can create rips with open or overlapping corners.

You can create multiple versions of a regular rip by setting a bounding surface - a surface that will not be ripped. The rip extends around the model until it meets the edges of the bounding surface. If your rip design requires most of the surfaces not to be ripped, you can exclude all the surfaces (as bounding surfaces) and select/remove the desired surfaces that need to be ripped.

In the images on the slide, the cubical surface has been applied an edge rip (to create an open edge), a surface rip (to remove any undevelopable surface), and then unbent.

Procedure: Rip

ScenarioAdd rips to the model so that it can be unbent.

Rips RIPS.PRT

1. Task 1. Add surface rips to remove material in four corners.

1. Click Named View List and select RIPS1.

2. Click Rip .

3. Click Surface Rip > Done.

4. Press CTRL and select the four surfaces shown.

5. Click OK > Done Refs > OK to complete the rip.

1. Task 2. Create an edge rip along three edges of the part.

1. Click Rip .

2. Click Edge Rip > Done.

3. Press CTRL and select the three edges shown.

4. Click OK > Done Sets > OK to complete the rip.

1. Task 3. Create a regular rip.

1. Click Rip .

2. Click Regular Rip > Done.

3. Select the surface shown as the sketch plane.

4. Click Default



7. Click OK to complete the rip.



1. Click Unbend


3. Select the surface shown as the fixed geometry.

4. Click Unbend All > Done > OK to complete the unbend.


Notches And Punches

You use notches and punches as templates to cut and relieve sheetmetal walls.

Punches and notches are used to create cuts and capture manufacturing information.

Notches are placed on edges. Punches are placed in the

middle.

Notch Used for Relief

Punch Used to Create Holes

Defining Notches and Punches

You use notches and punches as templates to cut and relieve sheetmetal walls. You place notches on the edges and punches in the middle of the sheetmetal wall. Notches are used to relieve material that interferes with bending in places such as the corners of flanges. You use punches and notches to create cuts and capture manufacturing information, such as the tool name.

Creating Notches and Punches

Each punch or notch has a specific tool that defines its shape. You create notches and punches using the following steps:

Create the desired type of cut on a sheetmetal part. Convert the cut into a user-defined feature (UDF). Place the notch or punch UDF on the desired sheetmetal part.

You need to create UDFs in the sheetmetal application. UDFs created in Part mode do not work on sheetmetal parts.

You save a notch or punch UDF in your directory and use it in multiple designs. It carries the file name extension - .gph.

To create a notch or punch UDF, you use the following parameters that are specific to sheetmetal design and manufacturing:

A coordinate system to locate tooling for automated punch and notch operations.

A specific tool ID to specify the proper tool for the manufacturing operation.

Use the following steps to create a notch or punch UDF:

Create a simple sheetmetal part to serve as a reference part. Create a cut feature. Be sure to include the coordinate system. When you

align and dimension, keep in mind the convenience of the eventual placement of the UDF.

Create a UDF feature.

Use the Stand Alone option:

When the system prompts you to indicate whether you are defining this UDF for a punch or a notch feature, acknowledge it.

In response to the system prompt, type the tool name. Define the symmetry of the tool relative to the feature coordinate system.

Select one of the options. Respond to prompts for the reference geometry. Complete the UDF creation. The system creates and stores the UDF.

Using Notches for Relief

When you create a sheetmetal part, you add the notch relief before bending. However, you can capture your design intent more accurately by creating the part in the formed state. Instead of adding relief and then creating the wall, you focus on dimensioning the walls to preserve your design intent. Using this method, you increase your regeneration speed by suppressing the notches, since the walls are not children to these entities.

If a notch is intended to relieve material in the bend areas, create a bend and then unbend it. When sketching the cut, align its sides to the bend edges.

Procedure: Notches And Punches

ScenarioCreate a notch and use it to create relief in another model.

Notches NOTCH.PRT

1. Task 1. Create the Notch tool.

1. Click Tools > UDF Library from the main menu.

2. Click Create and type CORNER_NOTCH as the name of the UDF feature and press ENTER.

3. Click Stand Alone > Done.

4. Click Yes to include the reference part.

5. Select the cut, as shown.

6. Click OK > Done > Done/Return.

7. Select Yes to create the UDF for Punch or Notch.

8. Type NOTCH_RELIEF as the name of the tool. Press ENTER.

9. Click Y Axis for the symmetry options.

10. Edit the prompts.

Type Placement Surface as the prompt. Press ENTER. Type Right Orientation as the prompt. Press ENTER. Type Vertical Edge Reference as the prompt. Press ENTER. Type Horizontal Surface Reference as the prompt. Press ENTER. Click Next and Previous from the MOD PRMPT menu to review the

prompts entered. Click Enter Prompt to modify any of the prompts, if necessary.

11. Click Done/Return > OK to complete the UDF creation.

12. Click List in the menu manager to see the UDF features in the working directory. Click Close > Done/Return.

13. Click File > Close Window.

1. Task 2. Prepare the model to add a notch.

1. Click Open and double-click LEFT_PANEL.PRT.

2. Drag the Insert Indicator before the bend back feature in the model tree.

3. Click Named View List in the main toolbar and select TOP view.

4. Click Plane Display , to enable their display.

1. Task 3. Create the notch on one side using the NOTCH_RELIEF tool defined as UDF.

1. Click Notch from the feature toolbar to start the Notch tool.

2. Select CORNER_NOTCH.GPH and click Open.

3. Select the Advanced reference configuration and View source model options.

4. Click OK to begin specifying references for the notch.

5. Select the wall surface as reference #1 (Placement Surface), as shown.

6. Select reference #2 in the User Defined Feature Placement dialog box.

7. Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree as reference #2 (Right Orientation).

8. Click Plane Display , to disable their display.


10. Select the edge of the panel as reference #3 (Vertical Edge Reference), as shown.


12. Rotate the part slightly and select the surface as reference #4 (Horizontal Surface Reference), as shown.

13. Click Complete Feature in the User Defined Feature Placement dialog box.


1. Task 4. Create the notch on the other side using the NOTCH_RELIEF tool defined as UDF.

1. Click Notch from the feature toolbar to start the Notch tool.

2. Select CORNER_NOTCH.GPH and click Open.

3. This time only select the Advanced reference configuration option, if necessary, and click OK.

4. Select the wall surface as reference #1 (Placement Surface), as shown.


6. Select the datum plane FRONT from the model tree as reference #2 (Right Orientation).


8. Select the edge of the panel as the vertical edge reference, as shown.


10. Rotate the part slightly and select the surface as reference #4, (Horizontal Surface Reference), as shown.

11. Select the Adjustments tab. Select Flip .

12. Click Accept Settings in the User Defined Feature Placement dialog box.


14. Right-click Insert Indicator in the model tree and select Cancel. Click Yes from the confirmation message window.



Edge Bends

An edge bend converts non-tangent edges to bends.

Non tangent edges converted to bends:

Default bend radius set to thickness. Can customize one or more edges to

have unique parameters. Smooths inside and outside surfaces,

if geometry allows.

Formed Part with Sharp Edges

Part With Edge Bends Applied One Bend With Customized Radius

Edge Bends

An edge bend converts non-tangent edges to bends. Depending on the material side you choose to thicken, some edges appear rounded while others have sharp edges. The edge bend option enables you to quickly round the edge.

By default, the bend parameters are set to the following values:

Bend Table – Part Bend Table Radius Type — Inside Radius Radius — Default radius, else Thickness

If your design requires different bend parameters you can either change the entire model’s bend parameters or you can customize the values for each edge individually by redefining specific edges.

Procedure: Edge Bends

ScenarioAdd edge bends to a model.

EdgeBends EDGE.PRT

1. Task 1. Add edge bends to the model.

1. Click No hidden from the main toolbar.

2. Click Edge Bend from the feature toolbar.

3. Select the three edges shown (start with the edge on the right of the image).

4. Click OK > Done Sets > OK to complete the edge bends.

Notice that the bend table, radius type, and bend radius are all set by default and you did not have to specify any information.

1. Task 2. Customize one of the bends.

1. With the edge bend still selected, right-click and select Edit Definition.

2. Double-click Edge Bend from the EDGE BEND dialog box.

3. Click Piece # 1 > Done.

4. Double-click Radius in the BEND PIECES dialog box.

5. Click Enter Value.

6. Type 15 and press ENTER.

7. Click OK > Done Sets > OK.

8. The edge updates with the larger radius.


Corner Relief

Corner relief helps prevent unwanted deformation by controlling the sheetmetal material behavior.Four types of corner relief:

No Relief (default) None Circular Obround

Default Relief

NONE Circular Relief Obround Relief

Corner Relief

Corner relief helps prevent unwanted deformation by controlling the sheetmetal material behavior. To utilize the corner relief option you must have at least one ripped edge

and Annotation Element Display enabled or annotations displayed in the model tree.

You can create four types of corner relief:

No Relief None Circular Obround

Retains the default V-notch shape.

Generates a square corner.

Generates a circular notch.

Generate an obround notch.

There are four possible ways to apply corner relief to bends or converted parts:

Create the corner relief as a feature (Feature > Create > Corner Relief).

Create default relief automatically while unbending (Setup > Sheetmetal > Corner Relief).

Create default relief for all corners in the model or part templates (Setup > Sheetmetal > Parameters).

Define the corner relief in the conversion feature dialog box (Feature > Create > Conversion).

Procedure: Corner Relief

ScenarioAdd various corner relief types to the part.

Corner CORNER.PRT

1. Task 1. Change the default corner relief type for all corners.

1. Note that the current relief is set to No Relief.

2. Click Edit > Setup > Corner Relief > Confirm.

3. Click Circular > Thickness*2. and observe that all reliefs are now circular.


1. Task 2. Edit the corners to display the other relief types.

1. Click Corner Relief .

2. Click Settings and then Open Settings File from the model tree.

3. Click Working Directory if necessary in the Load Model Tree Configuration dialog box and then double-click TREE.CFG.

4. The four corner relief notes now display in the model tree, as shown.

The numbers associated with your model may not match those shown. Use the corresponding numbers from your model tree.

5. Select the first three notes from the model tree.

6. Click Redefine.

7. Click Corner #1 > Done to open the Corner Relief dialog box.

8. Double-click Corner Relief.

9. Click No Relief > OK.

10. Click Redefine.

11. Click Corner #2 > Done .


13. Click None > OK.

14. Click Redefine.

15. Click Corner #3 > Done .


17. Click Obround.

18. Click Thickness*2 > Thickness > OK.

19. Click Done Sets > OK.

20. The model returns to the flat state, as shown.


Patterning Walls

You can now pattern walls using direction and reference patterns.

Pattern Flat or Flangedo Use Direction Pattern

Can Reference Pattern

Original Model

Flat Wall PatternedFlange Wall Reference Patterned

Patterning Walls Theory

You can now use the direction pattern option to create patterns of flat and flanged walls. You can select the wall, select a direction reference, and type the increment and quantity for the pattern using the dashboard.

Once a pattern is created, you can also reference pattern any child wall features.

Procedure: Patterning Walls

ScenarioComplete a sheetmetal part by patterning walls.

pattern_walls pattern.prt

1. Task 1. Create a direction pattern of a flat wall.

1. Select the Flat 1 wall from the model tree.

2. Right-click and select Pattern.

Select a front edge. Type -20 as the pattern increment and press ENTER.

3. Type 6 as the quantity and press ENTER.


1. Task 2. Create a reference pattern of a flange wall.

1. Select the Flange 1 wall from the model tree.

2. Right-click and select Pattern.

Select Reference as the pattern type.



Mirroring Walls

You mirror sheetmetal walls to create symmetric models.

A mirrored wall is its own feature.o Dependent by defaulto Can make section

independento Can redefine independently

Original Model

First Mirror Created

Second Mirror Created

Mirroring Walls Theory

You can now use the mirror option to create symmetric models. Once you select the walls and a planar reference, the mirror is created as dependent by default.

You can change the dependency in the dashboard, or right-click the mirrored wall and make its section independent. You can also redefine the wall to break the associative link, and change its shape or options independently from the original.

Procedure: Mirroring Walls

ScenarioComplete a sheetmetal part by mirroring walls.

mirror_walls mirror.prt

1. Task 1. Mirror a selection of walls.

1. Select the Flat 1 wall from the model tree.

Press SHIFT and select Flange 3.

2. Click Edit > Mirror from the main menu.

Select datum plane RIGHT from the model tree. Click Complete Feature .

3. Notice that each mirrored wall is its own feature in the model tree.

1. Task 2. Mirror the original and previously mirrored walls, then redefine a wall.

1. With Mirror 1 still selected, press SHIFT and select Flat 1 from the model tree.

2. Click Edit > Mirror from the main menu.

Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree. Click Complete Feature .

3. Select Flange 3 (3), as shown.

4. Right-click and select Edit Definition.

Modify the shape from Flushed to Duck. Click Yes. Click Complete Feature .


Sheetmetal Bends and Setting Up the Sheetmetal Environment

Module Overview

While manufacturing sheetmetal parts, you bend flat sheets using bending tools. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 enables you to create bends and other geometry to reflect the true manufacturing process.

The order in which features are created can have a significant impact on how your design appears when being detailed.

You use bend lines to determine the location and shape for the bend geometry in your sheetmetal parts. A bend line is also a reference point to calculate the developed length. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 enables you to sketch the bend lines, thus enabling you to control the behavior of the bend geometry.

When you unbend sheetmetal parts, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 calculates the developed length using a standard formula or using a standard bend table. To suit your particular manufacturing process, you can override the default bend calculations by modifying the factors in the formula or by using customized bend tables.

You select a surface to remain fixed as the geometry bends. The resulting geometry will differ depending on the geometry selected to be fixed.

Using family tables, you can create a flat state of the model, which is an instance in the family table where the model is completely unbent.

Objectives


Create features in the proper order to achieve appropriate dimensioning results.

Define and adjust bend lines. Define and adjust bend allowances using bend tables. Define default fixed geometry. Define flat states.

Order of Bend Features

It is important to consider the order in which features are created when designing sheetmetal parts.

The two key considerations when creating sheetmetal features are:

References for feature creation.

Order of feature creation.

TOP Used as Sketching Plane

Cut Created Before Bend

Edit Original Cut Cut Created After Bend

Edit Cut Again

Feature References

The references used to create sheetmetal features must be selected carefully. For example, consider the model shown in the upper right figure. Instead of using the surface of the wall for the sketching plane for the cut, the datum plane FRONT was used.

The end result is that the dimensions for the cut feature would be inappropriate for detailing or manufacturing.

Feature Order

It is also important to consider the order in which features are created. Consider the example shown in the lower left set of figures.

The cut was created in the sheetmetal wall, then the wall was bent to shape. When the bend was created, the system established new surfaces, but the cut surfaces remain in their original position. The end result is that the dimensions for the cut feature would be inappropriate for detailing or manufacturing.

A better method of creating the cut is shown in the lower right set of figures.

In this case, the bend was created in the wall, the wall was unbent, the cut was created, and finally the wall was bent back. In this case, the section stays with the wall feature, and yields the desired result.

Procedure: Order of Bend Features

ScenarioCreate a flat state for the already formed model.

FeatureOrder ORDER.PRT

1. Task 1. Create a cut and bend in the model.



3. Select the flat surface of the model and click Sketch.




7. Click Bend .

Click Done > Done/Return > Done/Return. Select the flat surface of the model. Click Okay > Default. Create the sketch shown.


9. Click Okay > Flip > Okay > No Relief > Done > Flip > Done > Thickness > OK.

1. Task 2. Edit the cut to observe where the sketch resides.


2. Select Extrude 1 from the model tree.

3. Right-click and select Edit.

The sketch remains in the original position, which is undesirable.

1. Task 3. Delete the cut and add it in again, after the bend.

1. Select Extrude 1 from the model tree.

2. Right-click and click Delete > OK.



5. Select the surface shown and click Sketch.

6. Select the appropriate references, click Close, and create the sketch shown.



1. Task 4. Add an unbend feature, then edit the cut to observe where the sketch resides.


2. Click Unbend .

Click Done. Select the surface shown. Click Unbend All > Done > OK.

3. Right-click Extrude 1 from the model tree and select Edit.

The sketch now moves in relation to the original wall, as desired.


Bend Line Adjustments

You can control the location of a bend feature by adding a Bend Line Adjustment (BLA).

The bend line location can be adjusted.

Use the equation: BLA=L-(R+T).

Original Bend Line Location

Relation to Control the Bend Line Location Bend Line Adjusted

Adding Bend Line Adjustment

You can control the location of a bend feature by adding a Bend Line Adjustment (BLA). The BLA is the dimension that locates the sketched bend line from a reference. You can modify it to manipulate the placement of the bend. For two surfaces to be coplanar, the developed length of the bend must be equal to the sum of the inside radius and the thickness.

Since the system calculates both the radius of the bend and the developed length of the bend, you can use the following relation to determine the BLA.

BLA = L - ( R + T )

Where: BLA – Bend Line Adjustment. L – Developed Length. R – Inside Radius. T – Thickness.

Procedure: Bend Line Adjustments

ScenarioA design requires that the top surfaces of a bent flange is coplanar with the top surface of the adjacent unbent portion. Apply the bend line adjustment formula to make the surfaces coplanar.

BLA BEND_LINE.PRT

1. Task 1. Determine whether the bend is in the desired location.

1. Create an analysis to measure the distance.

Click Analysis > Measure > Distance. Select the surfaces shown as the references.

2. Orient to the FRONT view.

Notice that the distance is approximately 0.80. This is the vertical gap between the surfaces, hence the two surfaces are

not coplanar because the bend line adjustment value is incorrect

3. Save the analysis feature.

Select Saved from the drop-down list in the Distance dialog box. Click Complete Analysis .

1. Task 2. Add a relation to control the BLA.

1. Press CTRL + D to view the Standard Orientation.

2. Right-click the bend feature in the model tree and select Edit. Notice that the developed length (DEV.L) is 1.7.

3. With dimensions still displayed, click Tools > Relations.

Select the FIRST WALL from the model tree. Identify the symbolic form for the dimensions. Find the developed length

(d14), the inside radius (d13), the thickness (d0), and the bend line location (d9).

4. In the Relations window, type the following BLA relation:

d9 = d14 - (d13 + d0). Click OK.

5. Click Regenerate from the main toolbar.

6. Orient to the FRONT view. Notice that the distance is now 0.0.

1. Task 3. Test the relations added.

1. Modify the bend radius.

Right-click the bend feature in the model tree and select Edit. Double-click the radius value, type 2 and press ENTER.

Click Regenerate twice to update the bend and the relation.

2. Notice that the distance is still 0.0 due to the bend line adjustment relation.


Using Bend Tables for Bend Allowances

You can use bend tables, instead of the system default equation, to calculate the developed lengths of bends.

A Typical Bend Table

Bend Tables

You can use bend tables, instead of the system default equation, to calculate the developed lengths of bends. Bend tables are files (a *.bnd file) that can be stored in the part or on a hard drive for use in multiple models.

The values in the top row of the bend table (area #4 in the figure) are inside radius values (R) while the values in the first column of the table (area #3 above) are for material thickness (T). The rest of the cells in the “body” of the table (area #5 above) are populated with developed length values for a 90° bend that has the corresponding inside radius and material thickness that makes them intersect in the first row and column (respectively) of the table.

For bends other than 90°, the values are multiplied by Θ/90, where Θ is the specific bend angle, in degrees.

If a bend is created in a model that does not have an exact corresponding inside radius or material thickness in the table, the developed length is calculated in one of two ways.

1. If the values for R and T fall inside the range of inside radii and material thicknesses present in the table, the developed length is calculated by interpolation from the surrounding values.

2. If the values for R and T fall outside the range of inside radii and material thicknesses present in the table, the developed length is calculated by using the Formula (area #1 above) that is present in the table.

If necessary, you can write logic statements into the Formula area of the bend table. By doing so, you can assign different formulas to be applied based on specific attributes of the bend. For example you can specify logic statements so that the developed length for bends where 0 ≤ θ ≤ 90 is calculated differently than for bends where θ > 90. See the Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 help files for more information on formulas as well as another feature called a Conversion.

You can use one of three tables supplied with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire or you can create and name your own. The three tables supplied have developed lengths based on values for soft, medium, and very hard materials. The y-factor and developed lengths they contain are listed below and are based on values found in Machinery’s Handbook, 25th Edition.

Table Name Materials y-factor k-factor

TABLE1 soft brass, copper 0.55 0.35

TABLE2 hard brass, copper, soft steel, aluminum 0.64 0.41

TABLE3 hard copper, bronze, cold rolled steel, spring steel

0.71 0.45

Additionally, there is a Materials section in each bend table (area #2 above) where you can specify materials that the bend table can be applied to. When you apply the bend table to a part, Pro/ENGINEER will verify whether the part material matches one of the materials in the list. If it does not, you will receive an error message and the bend table will NOT be added to the part. If no materials are listed in the Materials section of the bend table, the bend is applied to any part regardless of its material.

Best Practices

If you create your own library of bend tables, point to the appropriate folder with the configuration option pro_sheet_met_directory_<pathname>. You can find bend tables that are specified by name in your project’s current directory and in the folder specified by the configuration option.

Bend tables are only applicable for constant-radius bends. Bends with a varying radius, as in a cone or cylinder, calculate the developed length using the y-factor. Bend tables are applied to a geometry with flange walls based on the arc profiles.

Procedure: Using Bend Tables for Bend Allowances

ScenarioUse bend tables instead of k or y-factors to control the developed length of bends.

BendTable bend_table.prt

1. Task 1. Determine how the bend length is currently calculated.

1. From the main menu, click Info > Model.

From the information at the top of the browser window, it should be obvious that no bend tables have been assigned to the part and that bend allowances for all bends are

being driven by the k-factor (0.31831) and y-factor (.5) assigned to the part.Also note that all of the bends in the part have an inside radius of 2 mm and a developed length of 3.64 mm.

2. Close the browser.

1. Task 2. Drive the developed length of all of the bends in the model with the system supplied table for hard materials (TABLE3).

1. Click Edit > Setup > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Set > Confirm > From File > table3.

2. Click Done/Return > Done/Return > Done/Return.

3. From the model tree, right-click the FIRST WALL feature and select Edit.

Note that the developed length for this feature is now 3.85 mm. If you inspect the bend allowances for the Flat 1 and Flange 1 features you will also find that they have developed lengths of 3.85 mm as well. This is based on a y-factor value of .71 from the

TABLE3 system supplied bend table.

1. Task 3. Drive the developed length of the bend in the Flat 1 feature using a user-defined bend table (new.bnd).

1. In the model tree, right-click the Flat 1 feature and select Edit Definition.

2. From the dashboard, click Bend Allowance and select the A Feature Specific Set Up check box.

3. Click By Bend Table > Browse.

4. Select the NEW.BND table and click Open.


6. In the model tree, right-click the Flat 1 feature and select Edit.

Note that the developed length of the bend in this feature is now calculated as 3.69 mm.


Fixed Geometry

You can specify a default reference for the fixed surface for unbend and bend back features.

You do not have to select the fixed side after setting default fixed geometry.

Applies to:

Unbend features Bend Back features

Surface Selected as Fixed Geometry

Unbend Uses Fixed Surface Bend Back Uses Fixed Surface

Defining Default Fixed Geometry

When unbending and bending back sheetmetal geometry, it is always good practice to specify the same surface or edge to remain fixed. You can use the SETUP option Fixed Geom to automatically specify the same reference when creating the unbend and bend back features.

The fixed geometry setting helps ensure consistency in your design workflow. You can select a surface, edge, or a plane as a fixed geometry. Once you have defined the fixed geometry, the system does not ask you to specify the geometry to remain fixed, while creating the unbend and bend back features.

When working with fixed geometry, you can:

Set a surface to remain fixed with the Select command. Highlight the current fixed geometry selection with the Show

command. Delete the current fixed geometry selection with the Clear command.

Procedure: Fixed Geometry

ScenarioDefine the default fixed geometry for unbend and bend back operations in a model.

FixedGeom FIXED.PRT

1. Task 1. Define the default fixed wall for all bend back and unbend operations.

1. Click Edit > Setup > Fixed Geom.

2. Click Select and select the wall surface to remain fixed, as shown.

3. Click Done/Return > Done/Return.

4. Test the fixed geometry setup. Create an unbend feature.

Click Unbend from the feature toolbar. Click Regular > Done. Click Unbend All > Done. Notice that the fixed geometry is automatically selected and highlighted. Click OK to complete the feature.

5. Create a bend back feature.

Click Bend Back from the feature toolbar. Notice that the fixed geometry is automatically selected and highlighted. Click BendBackAll > Done.

Click OK to complete the feature.


Flat States

A flat state is a completely unbent copy of your part.Flat states are controlled by family tables.

Start with Flat or Formed model. System creates family table. Open other states using the Show

option.

Formed Model

Family Table Flat State

Flat States

A flat state is a completely unbent copy of your part. It streamlines the creation of flat patterns needed in manufacturing because you can create any number of flat states, at any time in your design process, whether your part is fully formed or fully flat.

You use family tables to control flat states. You can:

Produce a new flat state instance with the Create command. Use the Update command to transfer features you added to a flat state

from the flat state to the generic part, except for features you specifically suppressed. You can then delete or suppress desired features which are then deleted or suppressed in any other flat state in that part's family table.

Use the Show command to list the flat state instances related to the generic part. You select the instances from the list, and they will open in a new window.

You can edit individual flat state instances to make any necessary modifications. Any new features you add to a flat state are enabled in that specific flat state instance but suppressed in the generic part. Any features you delete from a flat state are suppressed in the specific flat state instance but still enabled in the generic part. Keep in mind that any features you add to the generic part, after you create the flat state, are added to all flat state instances.

When you create a flat state instance, the unbend operation or the flat state is automatically added to the end of the generic part's model tree. Any modifications made to the generic do not affect the flat state. Therefore, in the generic, a flat state works exactly like a flat pattern. Any features added to the generic part are automatically reordered to always be inserted before the unbend.

When you create a flat state instance it is automatically added to the generic part's family table. If you in turn add or remove features from a flat state instance, the system records those changes in the generic part's family table.

Procedure: Flat States


FlatStates FLAT_STATE.PRT

1. Task 1. Create a Flat State for the model.

1. Click Edit > Setup.

2. Click Flat State > Create.

3. Press ENTER to accept the default name.

4. Click Fully Formed, to indicate the current state of the model.

The system displays the Regular Type dialog box, so that you can define the unbend operation.

5. Select the surface shown for the fixed geometry.

Click OK to complete the unbend operation.

1. Task 2. Show the flat state instance.

1. Click Show > FLAT_STATE_FLAT1.

The Flat State opens in a new window.

1. Task 3. Add another flat state instance to the family table.

1. Click File > Close Window to return to the generic model.


3. Click Flat State > Create and press ENTER to accept the default name.

4. Click Tools > Family Table to display the instances.

5. Click OK.

1. Task 4. Edit the FLAT_STATE_FLAT2 instance to see the impact on the family table.


2. Click Flat State > Show > FLAT_STATE_FLAT2.

3. Select Smt Cut id 298 in the model tree, right-click and click Delete > OK.

4. Click File > Close Window to return to the generic model.

5. Click Tools > Family Table.

The family table is updated to include a new column for the cut feature that was just deleted. The generic and first flat state instance will regenerate the cut, and the new flat state will not.

6. Click OK.


Special Sheetmetal Tools

Module Overview

Reports provide information on bends, radii, and specific design rules for your sheetmetal part, and they enable you to investigate your design to ensure it adheres to company standards.

Design rules are guidelines for your design such as minimum distance between cuts and minimum wall height. You establish these rules based on the materials and processes used in manufacturing.

Sheetmetal defaults and parameters automate routine tasks to help streamline your part design. You can predefine some common feature geometry to ensure design consistency and to save time by reducing menu selections.

If a converted part is not developable, you can either create individual features like rips and corner reliefs to make it developable or you can use the Create Conversion tool to add alterations like rips, bends, and corner relief.

Objectives


Review sheetmetal reports in text and HTML format. Set and review the effects of design rules. Edit and assign sheetmetal defaults and parameters. Retrieve an existing set of sheetmetal defaults and parameters. Use the Create Conversion tool to flatten an otherwise undevelopable

model.

Info Tools and Reports

Reports provide information about bends, radii, bend tables, and design rules for your model.Two types of reports

Text HTML Controlled by config.pro option info_output_format

HTML Report Excerpt

Sheetmetal Reports

Sheetmetal reports help you to ensure that your model adheres to company standards. The reports can be displayed in either text or HTML (the default) format. To change from HTML to text format, you can set the config.pro parameter info_output_format to text.

The HTML reports display in the embedded browser while the text reports display in a separate window. The text reports can be stored in an external file.

You can create the following text reports:

Bend Reports — Detailed information about the bends in the part. Radii Report — Detailed information about the bend radii in the part. Design Check — Detailed report on your model's compliance with any

design rules that have been defined.

You can access the text reports, with info_output_format set to text, by clicking Info > Sheetmetalfrom the main menu. This opens the Sheetmetal Info dialog box.

You can create the following HTML reports:

Used K and Y Factors by Part — Lists all values of the K-factors and Y-factors that are used by the part or features.

Bend Tables Associated with Part — Detailed information about bend tables used in the part.

Bends Containing Feature Bend Table — Lists the assigned bend tables used by the features.

Bends Allowance — Information about bends assigned to a feature with or without a 90 degree bend angle.

Bend Radii — Detailed information about the bend radii of features. Design Rules - Violations Check — Detailed report on your model's

compliance with any design rules that have been defined.

You can access the HTML reports, with info_output_format set to html, by clicking Info > Model.

Note that the HTML reports are more interactive than the text reports. For example, in the Bend Tables section of the HTML report, you can click the Get Table Contents icon to access another HTML report that lists the entire bend table.

Procedure: Info Tools and Reports

ScenarioUse the information tools and reports to interrogate the model.

Reports REPORTS.PRT

1. Task 1. View the HTML report for the model.

1. Click Info > Model to open the Model Info HTML report.

2. Review the overview section.

3. Scroll to the Bend Tables section and use the report to view the table contents.

4. Click the first Get Table Contents icon in this section.

The Bend Table report appears.

5. Click Back in the browser.

6. Scroll to the Bends Allowance section.

The equations and dimensions used for each bend are listed.

7. Scroll to the Bend Radii section.

The bend radii and radius type (inside or outside) for each bend are listed.

8. Scroll to the Design Rules section.

The rule MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND is violated. The allowable value is 3.0000, but the current value it 1.0001.

Minimize the browser window.

1. Task 2. Set the configuration option for text reports, and review the Bend Report.

1. Click Tools > Options.

2. Type info_output_format in the Option text box and text in the Value text box.

Press ENTER and click OK.

3. Click Info > Sheetmetal to display the Sheetmetal Info dialog box.

4. Clear the File check box and click OK.

5. Click Close when finished viewing the information window.

6. Click Tools > Options.

7. Select info_output_format in the list and type html in the Value text box.

Click OK.


Design Rules

Design rules are geometric standards for your design.A Rule table contains the design standards.

MIN_DIST_BTWN_CUTS MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND MIN_CUT_TO_BEND MIN_WALL_HEIGHT MIN_SLOT_TAB_WIDTH MIN_SLOT_TAB_LENGTH MIN_LASER_DIM

MIN_CUT_TO_BEND MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND

Design Rules

Design rules are geometric standards for your design. You can establish the design rules that fit your materials and the manufacturing processes you use. For example, in the upper-right image, the dimension 5 represents the MIN_CUT_TO_BEND option. This is the minimum distance a cut can be placed relative to a bend. Any distance greater than or equal to the MIN_CUT_TO_BEND parameter is an acceptable value.

The second image is an example of MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND. In this case, the parameter (a value of 2 in the image) represents the smallest allowable value between any boundary and the edge of any cut.

Note that the Design Rules do not stop the model from regenerating when there is a rule violation, but the violations can be displayed in a report.

The standard rule table contains the following default sheetmetal design rules. In the table, T is the stock thickness and R is the bend radius.

Parameter Description

MIN_DIST_BTWN_CUTS Checks the distance between two cuts or punches. (Default: 5T)

MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND Checks the distance between a part edge and a cut or punch. (Default: 2T)

MIN_CUT_TO_BEND Checks the distance between a bend-line and a cut or punch. (Default:2.5*T+R)

MIN_WALL_HEIGHT Checks the minimum bend height of formed walls. (Default: 1.5*T+R)

MIN_SLOT_TAB_WIDTH Checks the minimum width of the slot. (Default: T)

MIN_SLOT_TAB_LENGTH Checks the minimum length of the slot.

MIN_LASER_DIM Checks the minimum distance between contours that have to be laser cut. (Default: 1.5*T).

You specify design standards in a rule table and assign the table to your part. You can develop as many tables as you need and you can edit the table at any time.

Note that you cannot directly add additional rules beyond those found in the table, but through the use of relations you can customize them.

Your design can be tested against the design table using the Info > Model html report or the Info > Sheetmetal > Design Check text report.

Procedure: Design Rules

ScenarioAdd the default design rules table to the model and check the design against it.

DesignRules RULES.PRT

1. Task 1. Assign the design rules table.

1. Click Edit > Setup to access the SMT SETUP menu.

2. Click Design Rules > Define.

3. Type My_Rules for the name of the table and press ENTER.

4. Review the design table then click File > Exit from the table editor.

5. Click Assign > From Part > MY_RULES.

1. Task 2. Check the status of the design.

1. Click Info > Model to display the Model info report.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the report, and notice that the MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND rule is violated.

1. Task 3. Fix the rule violation and recheck.

1. Edit the dimensions to move the cut feature away from the edge.

Select Extrude 2 from the model tree. Right-click and select Edit. Edit the .25 dimension to .50.

Click Regenerate .

2. Click Refresh from the browser.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the report, and notice now that by moving the cut down, the MIN_CUT_TO_BEND rule is violated.

Moving the cut down has now caused the bottom edge to get too close to the bend. The allowable value is 1.6250 but the current value is 1.3750. Therefore, you have to change the height of the cut by 0.25.

4. Edit the dimensions to move the cut feature away from the bend.

Select Extrude 2 from the model tree. Right-click and select Edit. Edit the 7.125 dimension to 6.675.

Click Regenerate .

5. Click Refresh from the browser.

6. Scroll to the bottom of the report, and notice that there are no longer any violations.


Defaults and Parameters

Sheetmetal defaults and parameters automate tasks.Defaults and parameters are stored in a table.

Parameters hold numeric values. Defaults reduce the number of menu picks.

Sheetmetal Parameters

Defaults and Parameters

You can set common values and define common feature geometry to streamline the design process. This can be accomplished using the Sheet Metal Defaults and Parameters file. The defaults and parameters file is stored in tabular format, and uses the .smd extension.

You can:

Set new or use existing defaults and parameters. Modify existing parameters. Save the sheetmetal parameter file.

There is an important difference between a default and a parameter. A default enables you to define common feature geometry, thereby reducing the number

of menu picks required during the design process. A parameter, on the other hand, holds a numeric value.

The slide displays a typical Sheetmetal Parameters table. The highlighted entities function as both defaults and parameters. The following items are found in the table.

Name — The default or parameter name. The name is a symbolic string, so parameter names can be used in relation formulas. Note that you cannot change the default or parameter names.

Value — Sets a value to automatically highlight in the menu manager. Attribute – Sets how the default or parameter value will be accepted on

the menu manager.o Manual — Requires you to accept the default setting as you work

through the menu manager.o Auto — Automatically accepts the default setting and brings you to

the next section of the menu manager. Add Relation — Create a relation between the defined dimension and the

parameter, when the attribute is set to Auto. Status — If you modify the value, the Status column displays indicating

that you have changed the default value to a user-defined default value.

Procedure: Defaults and Parameters

ScenarioChange the settings in the Sheetmetal Parameters dialog box and review the effects.

Defaults DEFAULTS.PRT

1. Task 1. Open the Sheetmetal Parameters dialog box and check for non-default parameter values.

1. Click Edit > Setup > Parameters to open the Sheetmetal Parameters dialog box.

2. Notice that the SMT_THICKNESS parameter is set to 0.25 which is not the default value. Edit the Value cell to 1.00 and press ENTER.

3. Click OK > Yes to apply the new value and regenerate the model.

1. Task 2. Open the Sheetmetal Parameters dialog box and set several defaults.

1. Click Parameters from the menu manager.

2. Set the default bend radius, and enable it to apply automatically:

Select Thickness from the Value cell next to SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS and edit it to 1.00.

Select Manual in the adjacent Attribute cell and edit it to Auto.

3. Set the default bend angle, and enable it to apply automatically:

Select the Value cell next to SMT_DFLT_BEND_ANGLE and edit it to 90. Select Manual in the adjacent Attribute cell and edit it to Auto. The dialog box should appear, as shown.

4. Click OK to apply the new value and regenerate the model.

1. Task 3. Create a bend feature to see the impact of setting the defaults.

1. Click Bend .

2. Click Done > Done/Return > Done/Return to accept the defaults.


4. Click Okay > Default.



7. Click Okay > Okay > No Relief > Done.

Notice that the dialog box is automatically completed, and you were not prompted to provide the Bend Angle and Radius elements. These were predefined in the defaults and parameters table.

8. Click OK to complete the bend feature and then press CTRL+D.


Converting Solid Models

You can use the Create Conversion tool to make undevelopable parts developable when you convert an existing model to a sheetmetal model.The Create Conversion tool enables you to define:

Edge Rips Rip Connects Point Reliefs Corner Reliefs

Original Model

Flattened Model Conversion Feature Created

Using the Create Conversion Tool

If a converted part is not developable, you can either create individual features like rips and corner reliefs to make it developable or you can use the Create Conversion tool to add alterations like rips, bends, and corner relief.

The Create Conversion tool enables you to define:

Point Relief

You use point relief to:

Define a point break that divides an existing edge into two separate edges that can be partially ripped and partially bent.

Define the end of a rip connection. Define point relief at vertices of bends and rips.

You create point relief by placing datum points on edges (selected or created on the fly).

Edge Rips

You can make a rip along the edge.

Rip Connects

You can connect rips with planar, straight-line rips. The rip connects are sketched with point-to-point connections, which require you to define rip endpoints. The rip endpoints can be datum points or vertices and must either be

at the end of a rip or on the part border. The rip connects cannot be collinear with existing edges.

Corner Reliefs

You can place relief in selected corners.

Procedure: Converting Solid Models

ScenarioUse the Create Conversion tool to add rips and reliefs so that the part can be unbent.

Conversion CONVERSION.PRT

1. Task 1. Apply the Create Conversion tool, and add point relief.

1. From the feature toolbar, click Conversion to open the SMT Conversion dialog box.

2. In the SMT Conversion dialog box, click Point Reliefs > Define.

3. Click Point Display from the main toolbar to display points and press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.

4. Create a datum point to locate the relief.

Click Datum Point Tool from the feature toolbar. Click the edge to locate the point, as shown. Select the Reference option in the Datum Point dialog box. Select the surface as a reference for the location of the point, as shown,

and edit the dimension to 18 in the Datum Point dialog box. Click OK from the Datum Point dialog box.

5. Click OK > Done. Do not complete the SMT Conversion dialog box.

1. Task 2. Create rips to the sheetmetal part.

1. Double-click Edge Rip from the dialog box.

2. Press CTRL and select the four edges, as shown. Click OK > Done Sets.

1. Task 3. Define the rip connect in the sheetmetal part.

1. Double-click Rip Connect in the dialog box and click Add.

2. Select the datum point that you created for point relief as the first end reference. The system then highlights all the possible corners and other rips to connect the rip.

3. Select the bottom vertex of the previously created rip as the second end reference, as shown.

4. Click OK > Done Sets. Do not complete the SMT Conversion feature yet.

1. Task 4. Define corner reliefs in the sheetmetal part.

1. Double-click Corner Reliefs in the dialog box.

2. Click Add All > Circular > Enter Value.

3. Type 0.5 as the dimension value. Press ENTER to accept value.

4. Click Done Sets.

5. Click OK to complete the SMT Conversion feature. Click the background to de-select all items. The part appears, as shown.


1. Click Unbend then Regular > Done.

2. Click Named View List from the main toolbar and select the SHELL view.

3. Select the bottom surface to remain fixed.


5. Click Named View List from the main toolbar and select the Standard Orientation view.

Detailing Sheetmetal Designs

Module Overview

A flat state is a completely unbent copy of your part. It streamlines the creation of flat patterns needed in manufacturing because you can create any number of flat states, at any time in your design process, whether your part is fully formed or fully flat. Using multi-model drawings, you can add views of both the flat and formed states.

You can automatically ordinate the dimensions in your drawing using the Auto Ordinate command. This command saves you time when detailing and organizing your sheetmetal model in drawings.

You can add bend line notes to a drawing. A bend line note describes the basic information about the bend type, bend direction, and bend angle.

The bend order table is used to document the bend order for manufacturing. When creating the bend order table, you start with the model completely unbent, then indicate the sequence in which the bends are to be added.

Objectives


Add the flat and formed views to a drawing using multi-model drawings and flat states.

Apply dimensions using the Auto Ordinate tool. Create bend line notes. Define the bend order sequence and create the bend order table.

Adding the Flat and Formed States

Flat states enable you to add the fully formed and fully flat views of your designs to a drawing.

Formed Model Flat State

The Drawing

Flat States

A flat state is a completely unbent copy of your part. It streamlines the creation of flat patterns needed in manufacturing because you can create any number of flat states, at any time in your design process, whether your part is fully formed or fully flat.

You use family tables to control flat states. You can:

Use the Create command to produce a new flat state instance. Use the Update command to transfer features you added to a flat state

from the flat state to the generic part, except for features you suppressed. You can then delete or suppress desired features which are then deleted or suppressed in any other flat state in that part's family table.

Use the Show command to list the flat state instances related to the generic part. You select the instances from the list, and they will open in a new window.

You can make any necessary modifications to individual flat state instances. Any new features you add to a flat state are enabled in that specific flat state instance but suppressed in the generic part. Any features you delete from a flat state are suppressed in the specific flat state instance but still enabled in the generic part. Keep in mind that any features you add to the generic part, after you create the flat state, are added to all flat state instances.

When you create a flat state instance, the unbend or the flat state is automatically added to the end of the generic part's model tree. Any modifications made to the generic do not affect the flat state. Therefore, in the generic, a flat state works exactly as a flat pattern. Any features added to the generic are automatically reordered to always be inserted before the unbend.

When you create a flat state instance it is automatically added to the generic part's family table. If you in turn add or remove features from a flat state instance, the system records those changes in the generic part's family table.

Procedure: Adding the Flat and Formed States

ScenarioCreate a new drawing and add the flat and formed state of the model.

FlatFormed CREATE NEW

1. Task 1. Create a new drawing.


2. Edit the Type to Drawing.

3. Type RIGHT_PANEL as the drawing name.

4. Clear the Use default template check box.

5. Click OK.

6. Click Browse and double-click RIGHT_PANEL.PRT in the Open dialog box

7. Click OK.

8. Select The generic and click Open.

1. Task 2. Add the general view.

1. Right-click in the graphics window and select Insert General View.

2. Click the top-right corner of the drawing to place the new view.

3. In the Drawing View dialog box, select 3D from the Model View Names drop-down list and click Apply.

4. Select View Display from the Categories list. Select No Hidden as the Display Style from the drop-down list.

5. Click OK to complete the view definition.

1. Task 3. Add the flat state instance.

1. If necessary select the Layout tab in the Drawing ribbon.

2. Click Drawing Models from the Document group.

3. Click Add Model from the Menu manager.

4. Select RIGHT_PANEL.PRT and click Open.

5. Select RIGHT_PANEL_FLAT1 and click Open.

6. Notice the information displayed at the bottom of the graphics window. The active model is now RIGHT_PANEL_FLAT1.


1. Task 4. Add a general view of the flat state instance.

1. Right-click in the graphics window and select Insert General View.

2. Click in the center of the drawing to place the new view.

3. In the Drawing View dialog box, select TOP from the Model View Names drop-down list and click Apply.

4. Select View Display from the Categories list.

5. Select No Hidden as the Display Style from the drop-down list and click Apply.

6. Select Scale from the Categories list. Select the Custom Scale option and type 2 as the scale value.

7. Click OK to complete the view definition.

8. Right click and select Lock View Movement option, to disable it.

9. Move the view to the desired location.

10. Click anywhere on the drawing to de-select the view.


Auto Ordinate Dimensions

You can quickly create ordinate dimensions in a view.You use the Auto Ordinate command to create ordinate dimensions

automatically.

Select surfaces to dimension. Select edge, curve, or datum as baseline.

Selected Surfaces

Ordinate Dimensions

Auto Ordinate Dimensions

You can automatically ordinate the dimensions in your drawing using the Auto Ordinate command. This command saves you time when detailing and organizing your sheetmetal model in drawings.

To use auto ordinate dimensioning, select the Annotate tab in the Drawing ribbon. Click Auto Ordinate Dimension from the Insert group. Then select the surfaces for which you want to create ordinate dimensions. The surfaces must be selected within the same view.

Once you select the appropriate surfaces, you select a base line entity, which can be an edge, curve, or datum plane. The ordinate dimensions appear, at which point you can adjust their position, witness lines, and so on.

Procedure: Auto Ordinate Dimensions

ScenarioUse the Auto Ordinate command to add dimensions to the flat state on a drawing.

AutoOrdinate AUTOORDINATE.DRW

1. Task 1. Create auto ordinate dimensions for the tabs on the top of the flat state view.


2. Click Auto Ordinate Dimension from the Insert group.

3. Press CTRL and select the two surfaces shown in the image.

4. Middle-click and select the edge shown as the baseline.

5. Middle-click to complete the dimensions.

6. Select anywhere in the drawing to de-select the dimensions.

1. Task 2. Clean up the dimensions.

1. Select the R0.5 dimension.

2. Right-click and select Delete.

3. Click and drag a selection rectangle around the dimensions shown below.

4. Drag the ends of the witness lines and to the position shown.

5. Select the 0 baseline dimension and drag its witness line endpoint to an appropriate location.


Bend Line Notes

A bend line note describes the basic information about the bend type, bend direction, and bend angle.Bend line notes describe:

Bend Type Bend Direction Bend Angle

o Measured as deflection from the flat.

Bend Notes

Bend Line Notes

A bend line note describes the basic information about the bend type, bend direction, and bend angle:

Bend Type — Formed or rolled. Bend Direction — Up or down. Bend Angle — Angle in degrees.

o Measured as deflection from the flat.

The bend line notes are automatically created for each bend in your design. The notes are parametric and aligned with the bend, so they enable you to easily provide drawing dimensions and bend annotations. This information enables manufacturers to program their bending machines, locate punch positions, and create dimension inspection documents.

You can customize the display order by changing the smt_bend_notes_order configuration option. You can also customize the bend line note symbol by modifying the symbol source files.

The following is an example bend line note.

The following table defines each bend line note element:

Element Description Default Symbol

Bend Type

Formed Inside bend radius is equal to or smaller than ten times the sheetmetal thickness.

(Inside Bend Radius =< Thickness * 10)

Rolled Inside bend radius is greater than ten times the sheetmetal thickness.

(Inside Bend Radius > Thickness * 10)

Bend Direction

Up Inside radius is on the sheetmetal's driving surface.

Down Inside radius in on the sheetmetal's offset surface.

Bend Angle

Pro/ENGINEER measures the angle of the bend as the angle of deflection from the flat. The bend angle displays according to the format set in the ang_units configuration option.

45°

Procedure: Bend Line Notes


BendNotes BENDNOTES.DRW

1. Task 1. Display the bend lines and bend notes in the drawing.


2. Select the flat view.

3. Click Show Annotations from the Insert group.

4. Click Datums Tab from the Show Model Annotations dialog box.

Click Select All to select all Datum Axes and click Apply.

5. Click Note Tab from the Show Model Annotations dialog box.

Click Select All to select all bend notes.

6. Click OK.


Bend Order Tables

The bend order table is used to document the bend order for manufacturing.

Bends are added in sequence to match the manufacturing process.

Multiple bends can be added to a given sequence.

Bent Part

Sequence 1 and 2 Sequence 3 and 4

Bend Order Tables

The four bend sequences shown in the slide result in the bend table shown.

The bend order table is used to document the bend order for manufacturing. When creating the bend order table, you start with the model completely unbent.

You use bend order tables to document the dimensioning and the order of the bend features in your sheetmetal design. You can display bend order tables in sheetmetal drawings to better illustrate the bending process for manufacturing. You can also store and edit the tables with a text editor, in a file named PARTNAME.BOT.

You create bend order tables by fully unbending your part and then recording the bend back process. You select the bend or groups of bends in the sequence that matches your manufacturing process. You cannot create or edit a bend order table on a completely unbent part, so a flat state is used.

The table can also provide you with information concerning bends that are not 90 degrees. This can be very helpful when you use bend tables or a bend formula that does not consider the bend angle in its calculation.

Bend order tables are shown on a production drawing by creating a note and reading it in the .bot file. If you change the table in Sheetmetal mode, the note on the drawing automatically updates; however, you must manually add any new bends to the table.

In order to create or work with bend order tables, you need your sheetmetal part to be in a bent condition.

The standard bend order table contains:

The bend sequence number. The number of bends in a sequence. The bend number ID. Bend direction. Bend angle. Bend radius. Bend length.

Procedure: Bend Order Tables

ScenarioCreate a bend order table and add it to the drawing.

BendOrder BENDORDER.DRW

1. Task 1. Open the RIGHT_PANEL.PRT model and create the bend order sequence for the main bends.

1. Select RIGHT_PANEL.PRT in the model tree, right-click, and click Open.

2. Click Open.

3. Create the first bend in the sequence.

Click Edit > Setup from the main menu. Click Bend Order > Show/Edit. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation. Select the wall surface to remain fixed, as shown.

4. Click Add Bend, zoom in to the model, press CTRL and select the two bend surfaces, as shown.

Edit the selection type to Surface from the object selection drop-down list to select the bend surfaces.

5. Click OK > Next and select the wall surface to remain fixed, as shown.

6. Click Add Bend, zoom in and select the bend surface, as shown.

7. Click OK > Next and select the same surface to remain fixed as you selected in Step 5.





12. Click Done > Done/Return > Done/Return to save the bend order table.

1. Task 2. Add the bend table to the drawing.

1. Click Window > BENDORDER.DRW.


3. Click Show Annotations .

4. Select the Note Tab .

5. Query to select the flat view.

6. Click Select All to select all four Bend Notes.

7. Click OK from the Show Model Annotation dialog box.

8. The bend table is added to the drawing.

You can place more views in the drawing while showing feature details and dimensions. The dimensions and notes can be arranged in the drawing as desired. If you are interested in learning more about creating drawing for parts, you can request information for the course Detailing with Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0.


Design Project

Module Overview

This module contains an advanced, self-paced project. The purpose of this project is to provide you with an opportunity to practice the skills you have learned in the class without relying on step-by-step instructions. In this project, you create some of the main components of a stapler. These components are manufactured using sheetmetal.

Objectives


Design sheetmetal parts using the top-down design approach. Apply the skills you learned in this course to real-world design projects.

Designing a Stapler

Project — Designing a Stapler

Stapler Components

Fully Assembled Model

Designing a Stapler

In this project, you will design four parts of a stapler that are made of sheetmetal. These parts are shown with the corresponding numbers in the top figure.

1. Handle2. Plunger3. Base4. Magazine

The lower figure is the finished, fully assembled model.

Design Aspects

Several aspects of the design that you will encounter are detailed below.

Layout — The stapler assembly uses a layout, which determines the two main dimensions: the Magazine angle and the Handle angle. The layout driven dimensions can be changed externally to open the stapler assembly.

Skeleton Model — The top-level skeleton model defines the dimensions and locations of the various stapler components. Individual skeleton models control the location of the components in the assembly with respect to the skeleton model. The published geometry from the top-level skeleton model serves as a link between the parts and the skeleton.

Model Tree — The assembly is initiated by defining the top-level assembly structure containing empty parts. Individual components are picked up and the references and features are populated based on the skeleton model.

Layout Model Tree

Skeleton Model

Exercise: Creating the Stapler Base

Objectives


Create initial sheetmetal geometry using primary walls. Create an attached secondary wall.

ScenarioSeals, a company that manufactures staplers, is planning to introduce a new hand stapler. The stapler has sheetmetal mechanical parts and plastic covers. The design team of your company has created the product structure and based it on the top-level assembly structure created in Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0. You are assigned with the task of designing the four major components - Handle, Magazine, Plunger and the Base. You will design these parts and review the assembly components with the top-down design approach in mind.

In this exercise, you will examine the existing HAND_STAPLER.ASM and some of its top-down design components before creating the necessary geometry in BASE.PRT.

The Stapler Components – Handle, Plunger, Magazine and Base

The Final Stapler

Stapler hand_stapler_skel.prt

1. Step 1. Review the skeleton and layout models.

Notice the datum planes defined with dimensions for the four components of the stapler assembly, which are the Base, Handle, Magazine, and Plunger. Also, notice the Pin axis and the Staple Center defined with an axis and a plane, respectively.

2. 1. Scroll down in the model tree to see the published geometry features for each of the stapler assembly components.

3. 2. Click File > Declare > List Decl. Review the list of declared items in the skeleton model.

You can capture all the necessary design dimensions for creating the components and assembling them in the skeleton model. The skeleton model can be driven by a layout to externally control some dimensions.

4.

5. 3. Click Open from the main toolbar.6. 4. Select HAND_STAPLER.LAY from the File Open dialog box and

click Open.

Notice the Magazine and the Handle angles defined as parameters in the layout.

7. 5. Click File > Close Window > File > Close Window from the main menu to close both of the windows.

8.

1. Step 2. Retrieve the stapler assembly model and review its structure.

1. Click Open from the main toolbar.

2. In the File Open dialog box, select HAND_STAPLER.ASM and click Open.

3. Review the skeleton models and the components placed in the assembly.

In the model tree menu, click Settings and then click Tree Filters. . If necessary, enable the Features check box and click OK.

4. Expand the parts in the model tree and review the defined features.

The skeleton models are created to control the dimension and location of each of the assembly components. The published geometry from the main skeleton model is placed as copied geometry in the component skeleton models. The parts are created in the assembly as empty parts and placed at default locations or with reference to the relevant skeleton model.

1. Step 3. Create the Stapler Base model.

1. Right-click BASE.PRT in the model tree and select Open.

2. Click Plane Display , Axis Display , Point Display , and Csys

Display from the main toolbar to disable their display.

3. Create the first wall feature. Click Flat from the feature toolbar.

4. Right-click and select Define Internal Sketch from the pop-up menu.

5. Select datum plane TOP as the sketching plane and orient the datum plane RIGHT to face right. Click Sketch to start the sketch.

6. Click Sketch > Data from File > File System... from the main menu. Select BASE_FLAT.SEC and click Open.

Enable and disable the display of datum features as required.

7. Select anywhere on the screen to make an initial placement of the section.

8. Right-click and drag the location handle to the point in the sketch.

9. Click to place the location handle, as shown in the following figures.

10. Type 1 as the scale and 90 as the rotation angle in the Move & Resize dialog box.

11. Click and hold the location handle, and drag the sketch, as shown. Click to place the sketch.

12. Click Accept Changes .

13. Arrange the dimensions and edit them if necessary, as shown.

14. Click Done Section and type a thickness of 1.



17. Create a flange wall on one side. Click Flange from the feature toolbar.

18. Select the bottom (lower) edge, as shown.

If you select the top (upper) edge, the wall will point downwards. If this is the case, cancel the creation of the feature and start over using the bottom (lower) edge.

19. Press SHIFT and select the tangent edge chain for the flange wall.

20. Select the Shape tab on the dashboard. Edit the width of flange wall to 16.

21. Click Change Thickness Side on the dashboard.

22. Select the Relief tab on the dashboard. Select the Define each side separately check box.

23. Edit the relief for side 1 to No Relief and side 2 to Stretch.


25. Copy the flange wall to the other side. With the previously created flange wall still selected, click Copy from the main toolbar.

26. Click Paste . Select the bottom edge on the other side, as shown.

27. Press SHIFT and select the tangent edge chain for the flange wall.

28. Select the Relief tab. Edit the relief for side 2 to No Relief and side 1 to Stretch.


30. Click Save from the main toolbar, and click OK. Click File > Close Window from the main menu.

This completes the exercise.

Exercise: Creating the Stapler Handle

Objectives


Create initial sheetmetal geometry using primary walls. Create a sheetmetal cut feature.

ScenarioIn this exercise, you will build geometry in the HANDLE.PRT.

Stapler hand_stapler.asm

1. Step 1. Create the stapler handle.

The HAND_STAPLER.ASM should still be open from the activities in the previous exercise. If it is not, open it before beginning this exercise.

2. 1. Activate the stapler assembly window. Right-click HANDLE.PRT in the model tree and click Open.

Notice the additional datum planes created in the model.

3. 2. Begin creating the first wall. Click Extrude Tool from the feature toolbar.

4. 3. Right-click anywhere in the graphics area and select Define Internal Sketch.

5. 4. Select datum plane RIGHT as the sketching plane and select the datum plane TOP as the reference to face the top. ClickSketch to start the sketch.

6. 5. Click Sketch > Data from File > File System from the main menu.7. 6. Select HANDLE_EXTRUDE.SEC and click Open.8. 7. Left click anywhere in the graphics window to temporarily place the

sketch.9. 8. Drag the sketch using the location handle to the intersection of the

references, as shown. Ensure that the scale value is 1 in the Move & Resize dialog box.

10. 9. Click Accept Changes .

Enable and disable the display of datum features as required.

11.

12. 10. Edit the dimensions, as shown.

13.

14. 11. Right-click in the graphics window and select Thicken. If necessary, click Flip so the thicken direction arrow points to the outside of the sketch. Click Okay and type 0.9 as the thickness.

15. 12. Click Done Section .16. 13. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.17. 14. Click Options from the dashboard. In the Side 1 field, click To

Selected , and select the datum plane UPTO2 as the reference.18. 15. In the Side 2 field, click To Selected , and select the datum

plane UPTO1 as the reference.19. 16. Click Complete Feature from the dashboard.

20.

21. 17. Create a sheetmetal cut. Click Extrude Tool from the feature toolbar.

22. 18. Right-click anywhere in the graphics area and select Define Internal Sketch.

23.Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane and select the datum plane TOP as the reference to face the top. ClickSketch to start the sketch.

24.Click Sketch > Data from File > File System from the main menu. Select HANDLE_CUT.SEC and click Open.

25.Select anywhere in the graphics area to initially place the sketch.26.Right-click and hold the location handle, and drag it to the point in the

sketch. Click to place the location handle, as shown.

27.

28. 19. Drag the sketch using the location handle to the intersection of the references, as shown. Ensure that the scale value is 1 in the Scale Rotate dialog box.

29. 20. Click Accept Changes .

You can click No hidden from the main toolbar for better clarity.

30. 21. Add additional constraints and edit the dimensions of the sketch, as shown.

Be sure to align the right edge of the sketch to the end of the extruded sheetmetal wall.

Be sure to align the top edge of the sketch to the top of the extruded sheetmetal wall.

Be sure to create the 2.50 dimension between the vertical sketched edge and the vertical reference (the RIGHT datum plane).

Be sure to create the tangent constraint between the sketched arc and the bottom edge of the extruded sheetmetal wall.


23. Click Change Material Direction to remove the material outside the sketch.

24. Click Options from the dashboard. In the Side 1 field, click Through All .

25. In the Side 2 field, click Through All .


27. Create a hole for the pin. Click Insert > Hole from the main menu.

28. Click Datum Axis Tool , press CTRL and select datum planes RIGHT and TOP from the model tree. Click OK.

29. Click Resume Feature on the dashboard.

30. Press CTRL and select datum plane FRONT from the model tree.

31. Right-click the depth handle, and click To Selected . Select the rear outer wall surface.

32. Select the Shape tab and click To Selected as the option for Side 2.

33. Select the front outer wall surface.

34. Edit the hole diameter to 3. Click Complete Feature .

35. Create another hole for the top grip on the handle. Click Insert > Hole from the main menu.

36. Click Datum Point Tool , and select the top surface of the extruded wall.

37. Right-click and select Offset References.

38. Press CTRL and select datum plane FRONT from the model tree and the front edge of the extruded wall, as shown. Edit the dimensions, as shown. Click OK.

39. Click Resume Feature on the dashboard.

40. Click To Next as the depth.

41. Edit the hole diameter to 3. Click Complete Feature .


43. Click Save from the main toolbar, and click OK. From the main menu, click File > Close Window.


Exercise: Creating the Stapler Magazine

Objectives


Create an attached secondary wall. Create relief for the secondary walls.

ScenarioIn this exercise, you will add to the geometry that already exists in the MAGAZINE.PRT by creating flat walls.


1. Step 1. Create additional walls in the magazine part.

The HAND_STAPLER.ASM should still be open from the activities in the previous exercise. If it is not, open it before beginning this exercise.

2. 1. Activate the stapler assembly window. Right-click MAGAZINE.PRT in the model tree and click Open.

3.

4. 2. Create a flat wall on one side. Click Flat from the feature toolbar.5. 3. Select the edge of the wall, as shown.

6.

7. 4. Select the Shape tab on the dashboard to edit the dimensions of wall.

8. Edit the width of the wall to 3 and the offset value to -6, as shown.

9.

10. 5. Select the Relief tab on the dashboard.11. 6. Select the Define each side separately check box.12. 7. Edit the relief for side 1 to No Relief and side 2 to Rectangular.13. 8. Click Change Thickness Side from the dashboard.14. 9. Edit the inside radius value to 0.25.15. 10. Click Complete Feature .

16.

17. 11. Create a flat wall on the other side. With the previous wall selected, click Edit > Mirror.

18. 12. Select datum plane FRONT and click Complete Feature .

19.

20. 13. Click Save from the main toolbar, and click OK.21. 14. Click File > Close Window from the main menu.22. 15. Review the assembly created so far. Click File > Close

Window from the main menu.23. 16. Click File > Erase > Not Displayed to clear all models from

memory.


Exercise: Finishing the Stapler Base

Objectives


Create form features using dies or punches. Create angle type bends. Define and adjust bend lines.

ScenarioYou continue to design the stapler. Out of the four components, you have partially completed the Handle, Magazine, and Base parts.


1. Step 1. Open the base part and cut the sidewalls.

1. Select the HAND_STAPLER_SKEL.PRT from the model tree, right click and select Hide.

2. The HAND_STAPLER.ASM assembly should appear as shown.

3. Right-click BASE.PRT in the model tree and click Open.

4. Create an axis for the pin location. Click Axis Display in the main toolbar to enable their display.

5. Click Datum Axis Tool to start creating an axis.

6. Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree as the placement reference. Notice that the axis is created normal to the plane by default.

7. Right-click in the graphics window and select Offset References.

Press CTRL and select datum planes RIGHT and TOP from the model tree.

Edit the offset value from datum plane RIGHT to 0 and the offset value from datum TOP to 10, as shown in the figure below.

8. Click OK to create the axis.

9. Create a cut on the side walls. Click Extrude Tool from the feature toolbar.

10. Right-click anywhere in the graphics area and select Define Internal Sketch.

11. Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree as the sketching plane.

12. Verify that the RIGHT datum plane is set to a right orientation and click Sketch.

13. Add the axis created in the previous step as an additional reference by clicking Sketch > References from the main tool bar and selecting the axis.



16. Click Sketch > Data from File > File System from the main menu. Select the section BASE_CUT.SEC and click Open.

17. Click anywhere in the graphics area to make an initial placement of the section.

18. Right-click the location handle and drag it to the point, as shown. Click to locate the location handle.

19. Edit the scale value in the Move & Resize dialog box to 1 and press ENTER. Click the location handle and drag the section to snap to the axis reference, as shown. Click to locate the section.

20. Click Accept Changes .

21. Click Sketch > Constrain > Coincident. Select the right end of the section and the right end of the BASE.PRT. Delete the 86.00 dimension that appears in the Resolve Sketch dialog box.

22. Select the bottom horizontal line of the section and the horizontal Sketcher reference of the BASE.PRT. Right click and selectCoincident.

23. Create and edit the dimensions and constraints, as shown.

24. Click Shading from the main toolbar.

Click Done Section .

Click Change Material Direction to remove the material outside the sketch.

Click Options from the dashboard. In the Side 1 field, click Through All .

In the Side 2 field, click Through All .

Click Complete Feature to complete the cut feature.

1. Step 2. Create the hole for the pin.

1. Click Insert > Hole from the main menu.

2. Select the axis created previously as the reference.

3. Press CTRL and select datum plane FRONT from the model tree.

4. Edit the diameter dimension to 3 from the dashboard.

5. Right-click the depth handle in the graphics window and select Through All.

6. Select the Shape tab and select the Through All option from the drop-down list for Side 2.

7. Click Complete Feature to create the hole.

Preview of HoleComplete Hole Feature

8. Click Axis Display in the main toolbar to disable their display.

1. Step 3. Create a flat wall to create the lip at the rear of stapler base.

1. Click Named View List from the main toolbar and select the TOP view.

2. Create a flat wall. Click Flat from the feature toolbar and select the far (lower) edge as the placement reference, as shown.

3. Click the bend angle drop-down list on the dashboard and select Flat as the angle value.

4. In the Shape tab, click Sketch.


6. Edit the sketch, as shown.





1. Step 4. Create a bend on the flat wall.

1. Click Bend from the feature toolbar.

2. Click Angle > Regular > Done.

3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return.

4. Click Inside Rad > Done/Return.

5. Select the surface as the sketching plane, as shown.

6. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction.

7. Click Bottom from the Sket View menu manager and select the datum plane FRONT from the model tree.


9. Select references for the sketch. Click Sketch > References from the main toolbar.

10. Select the existing references and delete them. Select the two vertices as references and click Close, as shown.

11. Create the sketch and complete the bend. Click Line and sketch a line, as shown.


13. Click Both to create the bend feature on both sides.

14. If necessary, click Flip to set the side to remain fixed, as shown.

15. Click Okay to accept the fixed side, as shown.

16. Click No Relief > Done.

17. Click Enter Value and type a bend angle value of 15. Select the Flip check box. Click Done.

18. Click Thickness as the radius value and click OK to complete the bend feature.

19. Click Shading from the main toolbar. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.

1. Step 5. Create a form feature to press the stapler pin.

1. Create a datum plane named Staple. Click Plane Display from the main toolbar to enable their display.

2. Select datum plane RIGHT and click Datum Plane Tool to start creating a plane.

3. Edit the offset value to 77.35.

4. In the Properties tab, type STAPLE as the name of the plane.

5. Click OK.



8. Select PIN_BEND_FORM.PRT and click Open. The reference part opens in a new window.

9. Define the assembly constraints.

Select the datum plane FRONT in both the models to define the Align constraint.

Select the datum plane STAPLE from the base model and datum plane RIGHT from the reference model to define the Align constraint. Accept the default offset value, if necessary. Change the Offset value to Coincident.

Click New Constraint and select the surfaces from the two models (the bottom hidden surface from the BASE.PRT model and the top visible surface from the PIN_BEND_FORM.PRT, to define a Mate constraint, as shown.

10. Click Complete Feature to complete the punch form feature.

1. Step 6. Create a hole for mounting the bottom grip.

1. Click Insert > Hole from the main menu.

2. Select the surface as the placement reference, as shown.

3. Right-click in the graphics window and select Offset References Collector.

Select the datum plane FRONT from the model as the first reference, as shown.

4. Press CTRL and select the front surface, as shown.

5. Select the Placement tab in the dashboard. Edit the offset dimensions from datum FRONT to 0 and from the front surface to15.35.

Edit the hole diameter value to 3 on the dashboard.

Edit the depth option to Through All in the dashboard. Click Complete Feature .

6. Click Plane Display from the main toolbar to disable their display.



Exercise: Finishing the Stapler Magazine

Objectives


Create form features using dies or punches. Flatten a form feature. Create angle type bends. Define and adjust bend lines.

ScenarioIn this exercise you will complete the MAGAZINE.PRT.


1. Step 1. Retrieve the Stapler Magazine and create a spring holder detail.

1. Activate the Stapler Assembly window.

2. Right-click the MAGAZINE.PRT part in the model tree and select Open.

3. Start creating the spring holder detail.

Click Plane Display from the main toolbar to enable their display.

Click Punch Form from the feature toolbar. Click Open Punch Model . Select SPRING_HOLDER_PUNCH.PRT and click Open. The reference part

opens in a new window.

4. Define the assembly constraints and complete the form.

Select datum plane FRONT in both the models to define the Align constraint.

Click Plane Display from the main toolbar to disable their display. Select the surfaces as references, to create an Align constraint, as shown.

Accept the default offset value, if necessary. Right-click the offset handle and select Coincident.

5. Select the Placement tab and click New Constraint and select the surfaces as references, to create a mate constraint, as shown.

6. Accept the default offset value, if necessary. Edit the offset value to Coincident.

7. Click the yellow punch direction arrow upwards if necessary. The punch direction should follow the same direction the punch model is protruding into the part.

8. Right-click and select Excluded Surfaces.

9. Press CTRL and select the two side surfaces from the punch, as shown.

10. Click Complete Feature to complete the punch form feature.

1. Step 2. Create flat walls to define the pin guides.

1. Create the first flat wall. Click Flat from the feature toolbar.

2. Select the edge as the placement edge, as shown.

3. Edit the bend angle to Flat from the dashboard.

4. Edit the type of flat wall to T from the dashboard.

5. Select the Shape tab and click Sketch to define another sketch.

6. Edit the sketch, as shown.

7. Click Done Section . Click Complete Feature .


9. Create another flat wall on the other side of the magazine. With the previously created wall still selected, click Copy from the main toolbar.

10. Click Paste from the main toolbar and select the edge on the other side of the magazine, as shown.


1. Step 3. Create bends on the flat walls created to define the pin guides.

1. Start creating the first bend. Click Bend from the feature toolbar.

2. Click Angle > Regular > Done.

3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return.

4. Click Inside Rad > Done/Return.

5. Create the sketch. Select the surface as the sketching plane, as shown.

6. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction.

7. Click Right from the Sket View menu manager and select datum plane RIGHT from the model tree.


9. Click Sketch > References from the main toolbar. Select the existing references and click Delete.

10. Select the two vertices as references, as shown, and click Close.

11. Click Line and sketch a line, as shown.


13. Complete the bend feature. Click Flip > Okay > Flip > Okay to create the bend feature toward the fixed side, as shown.


15. Click No Relief > Done.

16. Click 90 and select the Flip check box. Click Done.

17. Click Enter Value and type a radius value of 0.9.

18. Click OK to complete the bend. Press CTRL + D to orient to the Standard Orientation.

19. Using the method described in the previous steps, create the bend on the other flat wall.

1. Step 4. Flatten the form.

1. Click Flatten Form from the feature toolbar.

2. Double-click Form in the Flatten dialog box.

3. Select the surface of the form feature, as shown. Click OK > Done Refs > OK.

Selecting the Form FeatureThe Completed Flatten Form Feature

1. Step 5. Create a flat state instance.


2. Click Flat State > Create.

3. Accept the default name for the flat state instance. Click Fully Formed and select the wall surface to remain fixed, as shown.

4. Click OK.

5. Review the flat state. In the Flat State menu, click Show.

6. Select MAGAZINE_FLAT1.

7. Click Window > Close.


1. Step 6. Review the Stapler assembly and edit the angles.

1. Activate the Stapler Assembly window.

2. From the main menu, click Open . In the File Open dialog box, select HAND_STAPLER.LAY and click Open.

3. Modify the layout.

Edit the Magazine Angle to 15. Edit the Handle Angle to 30.

4. Click Save from the main toolbar, and click OK.

5. Click Window > Close from the main menu.

6. Activate the Stapler Assembly window. Click Regenerate from the main toolbar.

1. Step 7. Assemble the included components in the stapler assembly.

1. Right-click PIN in the model tree and select Edit Definition.

2. Click Find from the main toolbar.

3. If necessary, edit the Look For option to Axis. Edit the Look In option to PIN.PRT. Click Find Now.

4. Select PIN_AXIS and click Add Item . Click Close.

5. Click Find from the main toolbar.

6. Edit the Look For option to Axis. Change the Look In option to HAND_STAPLER_SKEL.PRT. Click Find Now.

7. Select PIN_AXIS and click Add Item . Click Close.

8. Using Find , add another constraint to Align the datum plane FRONT from PIN.PRT with datum MID_PLANE from HAND_STAPLER_SKEL.PRT.

9. Click Complete Component to complete the assembly.

10. Similarly, assemble the other components, namely the TOP_GRIP.PRT and BOTTOM_GRIP.PRT.

Click Show In Assembly Window in the Component Placement dialog box to see the component in the assembly window.



Exercise: Creating the Bend Order Table for the Stapler Plunger

Objectives


Create a production drawing showing the flat and designed states of a sheetmetal part.

Document the bend order sequence of a sheetmetal part using a bend order table.

ScenarioIn this exercise you will create a drawing for the PLUNGER.PRT. You will also add a bend order table to the drawing and show the PLUNGER.PRT in both the bent and unbent states.


1. Step 1. Create a flat state instance of the plunger part.

1. Activate the stapler assembly window.

2. Click Edit > Resume > Resume All from the main menu.

3. Right-click PLUNGER in the model tree and select Open.

4. Create a flat state of the part.

Click Edit > Setup. Click Flat State in the Smt Setup menu. Click Create and accept the default name PLUNGER_FLAT1 as the name

of the instance. Click Fully Formed to define the present state of the part. Select the top surface as the fixed geometry, as shown. Click OK to complete the flat state feature creation.

5. Click Show > Plunger_Flat1 to see the instance.

6. Click File > Close Window.

1. Step 2. Create a bend order in the part.

1. Activate PLUNGER.PRT.

2. Create a bend order table. Click Edit > Setup > Bend Order > Show/Edit.

3. Select the top surface to remain fixed while unbending or bending, as shown.

Selecting the Fixed Surface

Displaying the Part with All Bends in an Unbent State

4. Add the first bend to the bend order. Click Add Bend and select the bend surface, as shown.

5. Click OK > Next.

6. Select the surface to remain fixed during the bending operation, as shown.

Selecting the Fixed Surface for the First Bend Preview of the First Bend in Bend Order

7. Add the second bend to the bend order table. Select the bend surface as the second bend, as shown.

8. Click OK > Next.

9. Select the surface as the fixed surface, as shown.

Selecting the Fixed Surface for the Second Bend

Preview of the Second Bend in Bend Order

10. Add the third bend to the bend order table. Select the bend surface as the third bend, as shown.

11. Click OK > Next.


Selecting the Fixed Surface for the Third BendPreview of the Third Bend in Bend Order

13. Add the fourth bend to the bend order table. Click Add Bend and select the bend surface as the fourth bend, as shown.

14. Click OK > Next.


16. Click OK > Done, to complete the bend order creation.

1. Step 3. Review the bend order table for the part.

1. Click Info in the Bend Order menu.

2. Review the sequence of bends applied to the part.

3. Click Close to close the information window.

4. Click Done/Return > Done/Return > Done.


1. Step 4. Create a drawing for the part.

1. Create a new drawing named PLUNGER.DRW.

Click New from the main toolbar.

Select the Drawing option and type PLUNGER as the name. Clear the Use Default Template check box and click OK. Use PLUNGER.PRT as the default model. Select the Empty check box to create an empty drawing. Select the standard sheet size C. Click OK.

2. Select The generic instance as the model to be used for creating views. Click Open.

3. Place the view in the top-right corner of the drawing, as shown:

Right-click in the graphics window and select Insert General View. Click anywhere in the upper right of the display area to being placing the view.

Select Standard Orientation from the Model View Names drop-down list. Click Apply.

In the Scale category, select the Custom Scale option. Edit the drawing scale to 4. Click Apply.

In the View Display category, change the Display Style to No Hidden. Click OK.

4. Add another model to the drawing.

Click Drawing Models from the Document group and then click Add Model.

Select PLUNGER.PRT and click Open. Select the PLUNGER_FLAT1 instance as the model to be used for

creating views. Click Open.

5. Place the TOP view of the flat instance at the center of the drawing, as shown:

Right-click in the graphics window and select Insert General View. Click in the center of the drawing near the bottom. Select TOP from the Model View Names drop-down list. Click Apply. In the Scale category, select the Custom Scale option. Edit the drawing

scale to 4. Click Apply. In the View Display category, edit the Display Style to No Hidden. Click OK.

1. Step 5. Add the bend order information to the drawing.


2. Click Show Annotations from the Insert group.

3. Select the flat view.

4. Click Note Tab from the Show Model Annotations dialog box.

Click Select All to select all Bend Notes and Bend Order table. Click OK.

5. Arrange the notes in the drawing, as shown.

To move views, dimensions, and notes, utilize a ’click and release’ then ‘click and drag’ workflow. To move a note, select the note, then click and hold the note while moving. To stop note movement and place the note, release the mouse button.


7. From the main menu, click Window > Close for all open models.

8. Click File > Erase > Not Displayed > OK to erase all models in session.


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