Create and modify sheet metal parts

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Create and modify sheet metal parts.

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After completing this video,

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you'll be able to

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define sheet metal rules,

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create sheet metal-based flanges and bends,

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modify a sheet metal part,

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and export a sheet metal design.

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In fusion,

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let's get started with a new untitled design and talk about sheet metal design.

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We have a sheet metal tab of tools,

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and the first thing that we want to do when we're

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talking about sheet metal design is create a new component.

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There is a sheet metal type

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specific for this type of work,

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and this new component can be created from our solid tools,

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our surfaces tools,

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or the sheet metal section.

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Just make sure that we're using the sheet metal option.

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Also note that this can be done internally or externally.

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We're going to create this internally as component one,

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and the first thing that we need to do is make sure that we pick a sheet metal rule.

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If a sheet metal rule that we want is not in this list,

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we can always change it and reselect it later.

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So for right now,

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let's just pick steel MM and say OK.

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Once we're starting a sheet metal design,

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notice that we have a sheet metal component that's currently active.

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This will also contain our sheet metal rule.

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If we select the switch rule option,

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we can pick a different rule in our list.

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But once again,

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if the rule doesn't exist,

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then we need to create it.

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We can do this from our modified menu by going into our sheet metal rules.

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Inside of here we'll have a library.

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Your library will contain a different set of

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sheet metal rules based on the default install.

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If we want to create or modify one,

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we can modify the one in our current design,

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or we can create a new rule altogether.

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Let's go ahead and modify this rule.

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First,

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we're going to call this one

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Steel

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MM,

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and we're just going to put a 2 after it.

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The 2 is going to represent the thickness.

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So I'm gonna change this from 2.5 millimeters to 2.0.

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The K factor value is going to determine where

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the neutral axis is on our sheet metal part.

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The neutral axis will determine the unfolded or flattened sheet metal design.

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If the K factor value was 0.5,

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then exactly half of the material on the inside would be compressed,

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and half of the material on the outside would be stretched.

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But in reality,

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that's not the case.

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The K factor is going to be based on your material as well as the material thickness,

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and in some cases,

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the bend radii.

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Now,

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in this case,

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we're looking at just the pure K factor,

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we're gonna leave it at 0.44.

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The miter,

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rip and seam gaps are gonna be based on our thickness value,

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and our bend conditions will be based on our thickness value as well.

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You can see that these can be modified directly here inside of our rule,

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but we can also modify these on the fly if needed.

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So,

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now that we've got our steel,

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let's go ahead and actually put the two inside of the brackets.

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So we'll say 2.0 millimeters and we'll remove

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the two from the outside and select save.

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This

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is now the current sheet metal rule in the design,

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and we can select close.

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You can see the rule here as 2.0.

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If you wish to create a new rule,

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you can also do that and save it in your library,

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but for the purposes of our example,

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we're just gonna simply modify that default steel 2.5 millimeter rule.

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Now that we have our active sheet metal component and our rule is set,

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we can begin creating our sheet metal design.

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There are a couple ways that we can do this,

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starting with a sketch.

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First,

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let's sketch on the top plane.

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Let's start by creating a center point rectangle.

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And in this case,

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I'm not gonna worry about dimensions for our example,

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but let's make it about 175 by 65 millimeters.

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I'm also gonna create a secondary rectangle on the inside.

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And finish the sketch.

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We can use the Create flange tool to select a

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closed profile region to create our sheet metal part.

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This is going to be using our rule,

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noting that there is a lofted flange option that we're

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not going to be looking at for this example.

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We're going to be using that closed profile and we're going to say,

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OK.

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There is another way that we can start our sheet metal designs as well.

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Let's go ahead and create a new sketch this time on the front plane.

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I'm gonna go ahead and just create a couple of lines.

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And finish my sketch.

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When we use the same flange tool,

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this allows us to create a sheet metal component

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based on that line.

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You'll note that even though I created sharp corners,

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we now see a radius value being created in these corners.

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This is based on the default sheet metal values in our sheet metal rule.

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This is another great way to start complex sheet

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metal designs that already have bends in them.

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In this case,

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let's say cancel because in most cases,

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you do not want to have two sheet metal bodies in the same component.

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You can only have one flat pattern per component,

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so if you need multiple sheet metal bodies,

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you'll need to do them in their own components.

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Now that we've got the basis for a sheet metal design,

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I'm gonna go to modify and select Chamer.

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I'm gonna select this vertical corner here.

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And pull this in to create a Chamford corner.

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We can make these modifications to this flattened part.

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And then we can start to add bends by using that same flange tool.

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I'm gonna select 3 of these edges and begin pulling them up.

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As we pull them up,

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the default sheet metal rule is going to take over what happens in these corners.

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Also note that we can determine the height datum for our sheet metal part,

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as well as the bend position.

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By default,

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it'll be inside,

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but we can also use outside,

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we can use adjacent,

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or we can use tangent.

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The tangency option in this case is going to be the same as some of the other options,

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but play around with these and make sure that you understand the differences.

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We also have the option to override our rules.

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As we're taking a look at this,

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we've got to take a look at the number of bends that we've got coming together

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and which option we need to override.

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For example,

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the two bend corner override.

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Instead of using trim to bend,

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we can use a round intersection,

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for example.

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We're going to say,

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OK,

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and allow it to create the new sheet metal bends.

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We also have the option to use this flange tool on these internal edges.

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Noting that it is adding a sheet metal geometry,

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but keep in mind that if we go too tall,

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we won't be able to flatten the part if it doesn't fit into this area.

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Another thing that we can do if we need these internal tabs

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is create them manually.

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Let's go ahead and select this top face and let's create a new sketch.

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I'm gonna start with a two-point rectangle.

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And I'm gonna create a secondary two-point rectangle.

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I'm gonna finish the sketch,

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and I'm gonna create a cut.

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When I go to modify,

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note inside of here,

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I don't have the typical features that I would see in the modification tools.

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Under the create menu,

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I do have the Extrude tool,

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but I don't have some of the other tools I would expect to see for solid modeling.

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To create our cut,

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in this case,

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we're going to use the Extrude tool.

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We're going to select this closed profile and we're

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going to pull it down through the model.

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Instead of using distance,

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we're going to set it to all and say OK.

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Now that we've got this cut,

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let's go ahead and right click and create another sketch.

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This time I'm going to use the line tool

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and I'm going to create a line that goes from one edge to the other

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and finish.

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Under our create,

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we've got a tool called Bend.

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When we select bend,

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we need to pick our stationary side,

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which is gonna be the bottom of our part,

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and then we can pick the edge where we want that bend to be.

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Now in this case it's telling us that the bender leaf for this won't be created.

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We need to verify the inputs.

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Now,

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in some instances you'll find that

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by changing some of these options,

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you'll be able to create the new flange.

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In this case,

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you also know that we can turn the bender lief on or off.

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So in this case,

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we needed to turn our bender leaf off and set our bend

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to start at the beginning or the starting portion of our selection.

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Keep in mind that the default settings oftentimes can be overridden

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or turned on or off based on your specific instances.

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In many cases,

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you don't need to have a bender leaf on a feature like this.

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So in this case,

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we're gonna say,

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OK.

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So once again,

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this is another way that we can create these internal features,

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but there are some rules and restrictions that we need to be aware of.

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Some other things that we may want to do is to unfold our sheet metal part

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to create features that go across bends.

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For example,

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by selecting unfold,

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we'll pick the stationary entity,

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we can collect all the bends,

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and we can say,

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OK.

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Now we've got a flattened version of our part,

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where we can add new features and sketches to create cuts across edges.

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For example,

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I'm gonna create a sketch.

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And I'm going to use a 2 point rectangle to create a cut across this bend.

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We're gonna use the extrude tool.

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We're gonna cut this downward,

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selecting through all and say,

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OK.

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Now that we've created the cut,

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we can use refold faces,

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and now we've got a cut that goes through or across those bends.

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This feature is the common workflow.

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Anytime we need to create cuts

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that do go across bent sheet metal features.

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Once we're done creating our sheet metal part,

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the last step for us is to export this design so it can be manufactured.

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Many sheet metal manufacturers will accept folded models in a step format.

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If that's the case,

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you can go to file and export and pick the step format.

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But there are still plenty of places that want a flattened version of your part.

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In that case,

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what we want to do is create what's called a flat pattern.

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We'll,

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once again,

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pick a stationary face and select OK.

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The flat pattern is different from bending or unfolding and refolding our design.

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This flat pattern will contain bend indicators,

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as well as the start and the end of those bends.

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This information can be included in our DXF and also

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will be included in flat pattern views and detailed drawings.

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But to send this out for manufacture,

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we would select the DXF export button.

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This allows us to export this DXF and even convert splines to polylines if needed.

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Once we say OK,

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we'll be able to export this as a DXF local to our computer.

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I'm going to go ahead and hit cancel in this case,

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and once I'm done,

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I can select finish flat pattern.

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Keep in mind that while you do have sketch and

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modeling tools available to you at the flattened pattern state,

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those features will not be included in the bent or folded model.

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So if you do need things like cuts across bends,

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you will want to use the modify,

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unfold,

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and refold tools.

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There are several tools that we didn't cover in this video,

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such as RIP,

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which allows us to create a seam on a completely closed model.

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That's often created by using the flange tool with the lofted flange option.

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There are also other creation tools such as converting to sheet metal,

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but once again,

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we focused on the basic tools that are needed to create a sheet metal part.

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Things like creating new components and sketches,

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using the flange and bend tools,

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as well as unfold and refold.

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Make sure that you do play around with sheet metal manufacture and you

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understand the basics of not only sheet metal rules and their creation,

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but also the process of creating a basic sheet

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metal part and using tools like unfold and refold,

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and how to flatten and export a DXF.

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Once you're done with this model,

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go ahead and save it before moving on.