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How do I make sheet metal parts where I know the start surface and the end surface?
joshtargo
Member Posts: 495 EDU
I generally don't use or need the sheet metal tool except when I need to unwrap a folded part for cnc router or water jet cutting. Most of these parts start at a referenced location and end at a referenced location, and then have various bends between the two. Is there a way to use the sheet metal tool for this, rather than starting at one place and using flanges and bends to work my way towards the other end?
I have tried making the part with extrusions and fillets, but they almost always fail to convert, even with generous fillet sizes (no sharp bends).
Answers
Please give an example model link and we can help you out.
RENDERCAD
rendercad.ai - Photorealistic product rendering.
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Would need to see examples but my gut is some flavor of sheet metal thicken or convert workflow.
Derek Van Allen | Engineering Consultant | MeddlerIf you can provide a link to one of your failed convert experiments we might able to help, Onshape is actually really good at that so it should be doable.
I'm guessing your problem might be the fillets you mention. The sheet metal conversion process deals with adding the bend radii so should start with a "blocky" shape that only contains the "faces" you need in your sheet metal part.
Here's an example of a "start to finish" solid to sheet metal convert workflow "pushed to the extreme":
Convert to solids is straight up the only way I model sheet metal, it's the only viable way to produce things like this:
In case anyone was curious what OnlyTabs, Bip Joints, Amalgamate, and Poly-Mates were developed for.
Derek Van Allen | Engineering Consultant | MeddlerMost of the time, I can not convert anything that has a bend in it, only the first flat surface. Using 1/8” thickness and .01 inner bend radius (to approximate sharp, which is what we get from our lexan bender)
That's the secret is to not pre-model the bends. Leave your solids or surfaces with sharp corners and let the sheet metal kernel do the heavy lifting for you.
Derek Van Allen | Engineering Consultant | MeddlerIf you don't care how the start and end are connected Sheet metal loft might help https://cad.onshape.com/documents/d64c6d0f1cf81e79139fabfa/w/5e6c183e772b35e87dcc09da/e/a22ad4281888cdf0bd853eb3