Sheet metal and feature script

Rahinsoo

Hello, 
I try to use the featurescript "laser joint" with sheet metal module whithout finish this module.
Can we do that? Is this included in an upcoming update?

lana

A custom feature would not work with an active sheet metal model without some additional effort on the custom feature side. We are planning similar functionality adopted for sheet metal, but it is not high on our priorities list. Please submit an improvement request to help us prioritize it.

brucebartlett

This would be very handy to work with sheet metal as this is my most used feature scripts. Maybe not be available yet but hopefully the featurescript can be modified to do this in the future @lemon1324. It may need certain things on the sheetmetal devolpment side to enable featurescript featureres for sheetmetal to work @lana @ilya_baran.

bradley_sauln

A good approach would to make the solid models first with the custom feature and then convert the faces into sheet metal after. With the proper thickness direction, they should align as desired.

lana

A custom feature would not work with an active sheet metal model without some additional effort on the custom feature side. We are planning similar functionality adopted for sheet metal, but it is not high on our priorities list. Please submit an improvement request to help us prioritize it.

brucebartlett

This would be very handy to work with sheet metal as this is my most used feature scripts. Maybe not be available yet but hopefully the featurescript can be modified to do this in the future @lemon1324. It may need certain things on the sheetmetal devolpment side to enable featurescript featureres for sheetmetal to work @lana @ilya_baran.

john_mcclary

+1

Rahinsoo

Thanks for your answer. I will submit an improvement request whith my priorities.

bradley_sauln

A good approach would to make the solid models first with the custom feature and then convert the faces into sheet metal after. With the proper thickness direction, they should align as desired.

Rahinsoo

That's right, but for this method, I have to create each of the pieces, use the featureScript and then create the sheet metal part.  Currently I think that it's the best answer but not ideal. I hope a good sheet metal update for this

brucebartlett

Down the track we will also need a neat way to add forming tools to sheet metal ie. turkey punch brucebartlett said:

This would be very handy to work with sheet metal as this is my most used feature scripts. Maybe not be available yet but hopefully the featurescript can be modified to do this in the future @lemon1324. It may need certain things on the sheetmetal devolpment side to enable featurescript featureres for sheetmetal to work @lana @ilya_baran.

I am really keen to use the Laser Joint feature script on my sheet metal parts. At the moment I am adding it on a standard part then using a convert to sheet metal to save having to do the joints manually. 

lemon1324

Interesting, I hadn't thought of this obvious-in-retrospect application.

One thing to note here: the Laser Joint feature as-written may give odd results in completed sheet metal parts with bends, as it assumes that the parts you are attempting to join are planar, with the plane defined by the largest face.  I did this because it is easy to write code, robust, and a valid assumption for e.g. acrylic/wood/etc parts which are not bent.

I can take a look at what it would take to work with a sheet metal part, but as I'm currently quite busy with research, no guarantees on how quickly I can get to it.

@lana , any suggestions on where to look for making sheet-metal-compatible features? (i.e. what's the most clear example from the built in features for sheet metal compatibility)

lana

@lemon1324
We are currently working on sheet metal tab feature . Once it is out the task of adapting Laser Joint feature to sheet metal would be easier. If you want to give it a try earlier, see how boolean was adopted : sheetMetalAwareBoolean in boolean.fs .
At the top of  sheetMetalAttribute.fs there are couple paragraphs describing our sheet metal model. Don't hesitate to ask further questions, if you run into any problems.

owen_sparks

lana said:

@lemon1324
...sheetMetalAttribute.fs there are couple paragraphs describing our sheet metal model. Don't hesitate to ask further questions, if you run into any problems.

I have nothing  technical to add to this topic but just wished to show my admiration to both @lemon1324 for writing and mking available such tools, and to @lana, and OS staff in general, for their inspiring commitment to thier customers and willingness to work with the comunity.  Bravo folks.  May other companies follow.

Owen S.