Thursday, March 13, 2008

Generative Sheet Metal Parameters Overview

Generative Sheet Metal Parameters Overview

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Overview: Parameter standards help you enforce standard techniques and practices used when creating sheet metal features by simplifying how one defines the feature parameters — therefore streamlining the design process. You can also verify sheet metal features, or the entire part, against these standards.

Generative Sheet Metal Parameters Creation

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Path: Insert | Sheet Metal Parameters

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Use this to ...

  • Configure sheet metal parameters.

Prerequisites

  • You must be in the Generative Sheetmetal Design workbench.

Process: Creating Sheet Metal Parameters

1. Select Insert | Sheet Metal Parameters to display the Sheet Metal Parameters dialog.

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2. Click the Parameters tab.

3. Enter a value in the Thickness text box.

4. Enter a value in the Default Bend Radius text box.

5. If desired, click the Sheet Standards Files to select company defined standards.

Options

Bend Extremities

Click the Bend Extremities tab or click the icon to display the different types of bend extremities.

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Minimum With No Relief
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The bend coincides with the common area of the supporting wall. A corner relief is not created with this option.

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Square Relief
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The bend extremity has a square relief added to it. You can enter different values in the L1 and L2 text boxes.

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Round Relief
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The bend extremity has a round relief added to it. You can enter different values in the L1 and L2 text boxes.

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Linear
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In the unfolded position, the bend is split by two planes going through the corresponding limit points.

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Tangent
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The bend edges lie tangent to the edges of the supporting wall.

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Maximum
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The bend is located between the furthest opposite edges of the supporting walls.

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Closed
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The Bend is formed by the intersection between the bends of two supporting walls. The closed bend extremity lies on the surface of the encountered bend.

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Flat Joint
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The Bend is formed such that the two bends are joined in the flat view.

Bend Allowance

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Bend allowance is automatically calculated by the K factor. The K factor is considered the neutral axis, which is a line somewhere in the thickness that is not stretched nor compressed when a bend occurs. This ratio represents the location of the neutral sheet with respect to the sheet metal thickness and the bend radii defined in the parameters tab. Many different factors can make up the K factor. Change the default by clicking in the grayed out area of the value, right-click and select Formula | Deactivate.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can I still apply a corner relief to bends that don't intersect?

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A:  No. CATIA applies the corner relief after the wall with the intersecting bend has been applied.

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Tips

  • Pay attention to which corner relief applies to which bend. You might delete a wall with a blend that has no corner relief and achieve the following result.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey, this was a very good tutorial. Would just like to add few extra points....the use of corner relief is to avoid tear. When a bend is applied close to the outer sheet edge, there is a high probability that a tear will occur. Therefore, either
1.the side edges can be cutoff and then a bend can be made along the longer sheet edge
or
2. use corner relief

Thank you!