3 answers

• 
  Chris S about 1 year ago

  How to convert a solid to sheet metal.
  See #’s relating to each instruction.
  The ScreenCapture.ismv is a video.
  Remeber to click "It Worked" if you like it, if you didnt let me know how to improve it. thanks

  Attachments

  ScreenCapture_2-28-2012 11.31.14 AM_1644.ismv, 6.92 MB
  Download

  1. Step 1

     Here we have a solid body that I would like to convert into a sheet metal box then get the flat pattern to make it.

     

  2. Step 2

     1. If you don’t have the sheet metal tab open right click in the area where the #1 arrow points, then click Sheet Metal.
     2. click Convert to Sheet Metal
     3. pick the a face that will be fixed plane of the flattened sheet
     4. enter the material thickness you want
     5. enter a default inside radius for the bends. Later you can change each individual bend radius to what ever you want.

     

  3. Step 3

     Now, Chose the Bend Edges.
     1. These will be the bend locations, the part must end up as one piece of metal so work your way from the fixed face out.
     2 SolidWorks will pick the rip edges for you by process of elimination.
     3 When all edges have been added to the two groups hit the green check.

     

  4. Step 4

     Here is your sheet metal box. Notice the three features added; Sheet-Metal, Convert and Flat Pattern (suppressed).

     

  5. Step 5

     To flatten the part either unsuppress the Flat Pattern feature or click Flatten.

     

  6. Step 6

     If you right click on the Sheet-Metal feature you will find K-Factor. Here you can change it to adjust it so your flat pattern matches you real world part. For more information on K-factor see
     http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-factor_(sheet_metal)#K-factor

  7. Step 7

     Here is the finished file version for your reference.
     Solid to Sheet metal box
     Please click "It Worked" if you like it.

• 
  david avia about 1 year ago

  Nice Answer .... Thanksssss