Sheet Metal is Coming!

steve_maietta

owen_sparks said:

steve_maietta said:

Maybe I'm just missing it, but is there a way to insert the flat pattern into a drawing?

~Steve

Pssst. Try right clicking on it... 

Owen S.

DOH!!

thanks!
~Steve

brucebartlett

I am enjoying having a play, I like how you can vary the bend radius in the table and it auto updates to the model and flat pattern.

I even managed to get a nice flowing 50mm radius around that chamfered corner. 

Marc_Miller

@NeilCooke  Could you share that cardboard box document?  I just had a chance to start exploring sheet metal this evening but am not getting how to do the overlapping "flaps" part of a box like that.  Thanks.

NeilCooke

@Marc_Miller https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e80ded46f23f17222fd345a5/w/29263329b72ff36c50b69907/e/81708e874119188c88241ad0

Marc_Miller

Thank you @NeilCooke, I understand how to do this sort of folding with overlapping flaps now.

jim_7

Sheet metal and weldments - getting close to saying so long to SW!

antti_tuomisto

Very cool, is this already available for IOS app or whar is the expected release date?

NeilCooke

@antti_tuomisto typically iOS and Android apps are a few weeks behind. We get the new features working on browser first, then all we need to do is create the UI on mobile to be able to use the new features. You can edit features created on browser now, on mobile, just not create new sheet metal features.

Hendrik_

Ok. It's awesome.  Well done!

But (and it's a my big but), can we flatten a curved shape?  We have 3x 0.9mm plates that get interlocked in the flat position and then 'bent' / 'curved' (by hand) to form a cylinder.  Since there is no bend line as such, how could we achieve this?

And if you're wondering, we design in the 'bent' / interlocked position. From there we have to flatten.

Many thanks,
Hendrik

NeilCooke

@Hendrik_  not at this time, but we will in the future. It is possible to create HVAC type square to round where the curve is approximated on a press brake.

Please add or vote for an existing enhancement request in the category on the right --->

Hendrik_

@NeilCooke, "It is possible to create HVAC type square to round where the curve is approximated on a press brake."  Not sure how to do that but I'll mess around.

Is it not possible perhaps to use a radius that is bigger than the part being bent?  I'll play with it...

I'll certainly vote for that because there are many cut cylindrical sheet metal applications.

Keep up the good work!

Hendrik

NeilCooke

@Hendrik_

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4568b85540f412a1f22da289/w/cc3c3dd219f1c74a573057e6/e/7b22bfc4ec622f78c095a23e

bryan_lagrange

Just wanted to give you guys a Kudos for the roll out of sheet metal. The conversion from a solid to sheet metal is amazing and so intuitive. I have been using sheet metal CAD tools since 2000 (mainly Solid Edge) so I can get pretty picky when evaluating sheet metal features. However your approach to converting a solid to a sheet metal is a game changer for me. Working at a job shop I receive many 3D solid parts that I have to break down and convert to several sheet metal parts so the parts can be laser/plasma/water jet cut, then press brake bent, and finally welded together to resemble the solid model the customer sent. Your approach will same me a lot or time and sometimes frustration.

Any thoughts in creating a sheet metal section in the forum?

Hendrik_

NeilCooke said:

@Hendrik_

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4568b85540f412a1f22da289/w/cc3c3dd219f1c74a573057e6/e/7b22bfc4ec622f78c095a23e

Thanks @NeilCooke but unfortunately not applicable in our case it seems.
This seems to be closer: https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/comment/25928#Comment_25928
Need to investigate further.
Best,
Hendrik

reggie_pierce

Is there any way to create formed features (i.e. where the sheet metal has been stretched to get to it's final shape)? I'm trying to model a very simple electronics enclosure that has embossed features on the four sides. I made the bulk shape using solid modeling, but OnShape won't convert it the way I want because it reports that the model can't fold flat.

In the linked document, I have 5 parts where I really want one:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/a43bda7d717cb347c30d5404/w/3e443a6dea8a8f8ee6f92d86/e/3104b261e08a3f703db9ce16

Is there any way to do this in OnShape? Can i tell OnShape it's ok that it doesn't fold flat? Is this feature planned?

antti_tuomisto

Any news regarding IOS app and sheet metal?

cody_armstrong

reggie_pierce said:

Is there any way to create formed features (i.e. where the sheet metal has been stretched to get to it's final shape)? I'm trying to model a very simple electronics enclosure that has embossed features on the four sides. I made the bulk shape using solid modeling, but OnShape won't convert it the way I want because it reports that the model can't fold flat.

In the linked document, I have 5 parts where I really want one:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/a43bda7d717cb347c30d5404/w/3e443a6dea8a8f8ee6f92d86/e/3104b261e08a3f703db9ce16

Is there any way to do this in OnShape? Can i tell OnShape it's ok that it doesn't fold flat? Is this feature planned?

@reggie_pierce Yes, use the Finish Sheet Metal feature, then add your embossed features.  They will be ignored in the flat.

MBartlett21

owen_sparks said:

Perhaps we could use it to make the most awsome cardboard boxes in the world for our products? Sheetmetal sounds wrong for that, perhaps Cardboard-CAD, or Bendy-CAD?

@owen_sparks

Maybe you should use sheet metal to make paper models.

owen_sparks

Once we can draw on the flat pattern and then fold it then there might be some paper airplanes, which might end being cut and bent from aluminium plate...

Jason_S

mbartlett21 said:

owen_sparks said:

Perhaps we could use it to make the most awsome cardboard boxes in the world for our products? Sheetmetal sounds wrong for that, perhaps Cardboard-CAD, or Bendy-CAD?

@owen_sparks

Maybe you should use sheet metal to make paper models.

MBartlett21

Jason_S said:

mbartlett21 said:

owen_sparks said:

Perhaps we could use it to make the most awsome cardboard boxes in the world for our products? Sheetmetal sounds wrong for that, perhaps Cardboard-CAD, or Bendy-CAD?

@owen_sparks

Maybe you should use sheet metal to make paper models.

Cool!!

owen_sparks

Wow, model of month candidate.

MBartlett21

Jason_S said:

@Jason_S

 Is the document public??

MBartlett21

owen_sparks said:

Wow, model of month candidate.

@owen_sparks
Maybe more like DYHANMTS candidate

owen_sparks

mbartlett21 said:

owen_sparks said:

Wow, model of month candidate.

@owen_sparks
Maybe more like DYHANMTS candidate

Good point!

Just noticed@Jason_S  has configurations in there too, very nice!!

Just need some method for colouring faces or adding decals and that would complete it!

Owen S.

brucebartlett

@owen_sparks There is an improvement request for change colour on faces  I think maybe even close to the top of the list now. 

don_williams909

As I see it, the sheet metal still lacks some pretty basic functionality, which I'm sure will be there in the future.  Making countersinks/holes in the flat pattern etc.  Even the ability to make the part flat, add all the features, and then bend it or roll it.  The other function that would be great is a positive and negative set of "forms" for creating embosses or punches etc.  Basic functionality is pretty good so far.
I do like the concept of being able to convert a solid model into a sheet metal part also.  When all the functionality is there, it will be great.

lana

@don_williams909

Even the ability to make the part flat, add all the features, and then bend it or roll it.

Have you tried sketch in sheet metal flat, which can be subsequently used to add or remove material? Do you have a workflow not satisfied by this functionality?