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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Create flanges on your sheet metal part using the exact measurements your assembly needs.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
7 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
In Inventor, a flange feature consists of a face and bend connected to an existing face along a straight edge.
00:11
In this example, flanges are added to a sheet metal part already placed and constrained within an assembly.
00:17
From the Home tab, click Open.
00:20
In the Open dialog, locate and select the file Assembly, Cartridge Body_003.iam, and then click Open.
00:29
To add a flange feature, you select one or more edges, and specify the size and position of the material added.
00:37
Begin by measuring the distance between the placed sheet metal part and the body of the assembly.
00:43
In the graphics window, right-click, and from the marking menu, select Measure.
00:49
The Measure dialog displays.
00:51
Select the inside face of the part and the inside face of the assembly body.
00:57
A measurement of 13.57 mm displays in the dialog and in the graphics window.
01:04
Record the measurement to use it later to specify the size of the flange.
01:09
You can also right-click the distance value and select Copy.
01:13
Click Done to close the Measure dialog.
01:16
Now, add a flange.
01:19
In the graphics window, double-click the part to edit it.
01:23
The Sheet Metal environment opens.
01:25
Right-click and from the marking menu, select Flange.
01:29
The Flange dialog displays.
01:32
Back in the graphics window, select the bottom edge of the part to apply the first flange.
01:38
Then, in the dialog, under Height Extents, Distance field, clear the value, then press CTRL+V to paste the measured value.
01:46
You may need to click the Flip Direction option.
01:49
Under Bend Position Options, you can specify where to position the bend
01:54
relative to the extent of the face that contains the selected edges or faces.
01:59
Set this to Inside of reference plane.
02:03
This positions the outside face of the flange so that it remains inside of the face extents owned by the selected edge or face.
02:09
Next, click the More (>>) button.
02:12
The dialog expands with more options to specify the extents of the flange.
02:17
Under Width Extents, expand the Type drop-down and select Width.
02:23
This creates a flange of a specified width, either centered, or at a specified offset from a single selected vertex,
02:31
work point, work plane, or planar face on the edge of an existing face.
02:37
Enable Offset.
02:40
Then, click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, select the outer face of the part.
02:47
In the Width field, enter a value, such as 18 mm.
02:51
In the Offset field, enter a value, such as 21.5 mm, and click Offset Flip.
02:59
Click OK to complete the first flange.
03:02
Start the flange command again.
03:05
This time, select the edge of the newly created flange.
03:09
In the dialog, Shape tab, select Flip Direction.
03:13
Flip Direction uses the edge opposite from the selected edge, while maintaining all other input flange parameters.
03:19
Enter a Distance, such as 7.5 mm.
03:24
Select More (>>) and set the Width Extents Type to Width.
03:30
In the Width field, enter 11 mm.
03:33
Enable Centered, and then select OK.
03:37
To create another flange, click on the upper edge on the topside of the part.
03:42
In the Distance field, select the arrow to expand a drop-down that displays previously entered values.
03:49
Select the value assigned to the first flange.
03:54
Click More (>>) and set the Width Extents Type to Width.
03:57
Set a Width value of 20.5 mm.
04:02
Click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, select the outer face of the part.
04:07
Enter an Offset value of 20.5 mm.
04:11
Select Flip Direction, and then click OK.
04:16
Begin the flange command again and select the edge of the newest flange.
04:21
Select Flip Direction and set the flange Distance to 8 mm.
04:28
Expand the dialog, set the Type to Width, and enter 8 mm into the Width field.
04:35
Enable Offset and enter an Offset value of 9.5 mm.
04:40
Click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, click the edge of the previously created flange.
04:47
Select OK.
04:49
Begin the flange command again and add another flange adjacent to the newest flange.
04:55
In the dialog, set the Flange Angle to 0 degrees.
04:60
In the Distance field, enter 3 mm.
05:04
Expand the dialog, set the Type to Width, enter a Width Extent of 5 mm and an Offset of 0.
05:15
Click the selection tool and pick the back edge of the most recently created flange.
05:22
Select Flip Direction, and then click OK.
05:26
Creating flanges in Inventor is a robust way to model with sheet metal.
Video transcript
00:03
In Inventor, a flange feature consists of a face and bend connected to an existing face along a straight edge.
00:11
In this example, flanges are added to a sheet metal part already placed and constrained within an assembly.
00:17
From the Home tab, click Open.
00:20
In the Open dialog, locate and select the file Assembly, Cartridge Body_003.iam, and then click Open.
00:29
To add a flange feature, you select one or more edges, and specify the size and position of the material added.
00:37
Begin by measuring the distance between the placed sheet metal part and the body of the assembly.
00:43
In the graphics window, right-click, and from the marking menu, select Measure.
00:49
The Measure dialog displays.
00:51
Select the inside face of the part and the inside face of the assembly body.
00:57
A measurement of 13.57 mm displays in the dialog and in the graphics window.
01:04
Record the measurement to use it later to specify the size of the flange.
01:09
You can also right-click the distance value and select Copy.
01:13
Click Done to close the Measure dialog.
01:16
Now, add a flange.
01:19
In the graphics window, double-click the part to edit it.
01:23
The Sheet Metal environment opens.
01:25
Right-click and from the marking menu, select Flange.
01:29
The Flange dialog displays.
01:32
Back in the graphics window, select the bottom edge of the part to apply the first flange.
01:38
Then, in the dialog, under Height Extents, Distance field, clear the value, then press CTRL+V to paste the measured value.
01:46
You may need to click the Flip Direction option.
01:49
Under Bend Position Options, you can specify where to position the bend
01:54
relative to the extent of the face that contains the selected edges or faces.
01:59
Set this to Inside of reference plane.
02:03
This positions the outside face of the flange so that it remains inside of the face extents owned by the selected edge or face.
02:09
Next, click the More (>>) button.
02:12
The dialog expands with more options to specify the extents of the flange.
02:17
Under Width Extents, expand the Type drop-down and select Width.
02:23
This creates a flange of a specified width, either centered, or at a specified offset from a single selected vertex,
02:31
work point, work plane, or planar face on the edge of an existing face.
02:37
Enable Offset.
02:40
Then, click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, select the outer face of the part.
02:47
In the Width field, enter a value, such as 18 mm.
02:51
In the Offset field, enter a value, such as 21.5 mm, and click Offset Flip.
02:59
Click OK to complete the first flange.
03:02
Start the flange command again.
03:05
This time, select the edge of the newly created flange.
03:09
In the dialog, Shape tab, select Flip Direction.
03:13
Flip Direction uses the edge opposite from the selected edge, while maintaining all other input flange parameters.
03:19
Enter a Distance, such as 7.5 mm.
03:24
Select More (>>) and set the Width Extents Type to Width.
03:30
In the Width field, enter 11 mm.
03:33
Enable Centered, and then select OK.
03:37
To create another flange, click on the upper edge on the topside of the part.
03:42
In the Distance field, select the arrow to expand a drop-down that displays previously entered values.
03:49
Select the value assigned to the first flange.
03:54
Click More (>>) and set the Width Extents Type to Width.
03:57
Set a Width value of 20.5 mm.
04:02
Click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, select the outer face of the part.
04:07
Enter an Offset value of 20.5 mm.
04:11
Select Flip Direction, and then click OK.
04:16
Begin the flange command again and select the edge of the newest flange.
04:21
Select Flip Direction and set the flange Distance to 8 mm.
04:28
Expand the dialog, set the Type to Width, and enter 8 mm into the Width field.
04:35
Enable Offset and enter an Offset value of 9.5 mm.
04:40
Click the Offset 1 selection option, and in the graphics window, click the edge of the previously created flange.
04:47
Select OK.
04:49
Begin the flange command again and add another flange adjacent to the newest flange.
04:55
In the dialog, set the Flange Angle to 0 degrees.
04:60
In the Distance field, enter 3 mm.
05:04
Expand the dialog, set the Type to Width, enter a Width Extent of 5 mm and an Offset of 0.
05:15
Click the selection tool and pick the back edge of the most recently created flange.
05:22
Select Flip Direction, and then click OK.
05:26
Creating flanges in Inventor is a robust way to model with sheet metal.
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