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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

Student Guide
Revision 1.0 November 2007

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Chapter 1

Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling


Autodesk Inventors sheet metal environment enables you to create features that are specific to the sheet metal modeling process. This chapter introduces you to some of the tools and terminology used to create these types of parts.

This chapter introduces:

Sheet Metal Concepts

Sheet Metal Terminology

Sheet Metal Environment Viewing Sheet Metal Models Sheet Metal Design Process

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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

1.1 Sheet Metal Concepts


Uses for Sheet Metal Components
The sheet metal application in Autodesk Inventor enables you to effectively capture design intent while creating sheet metal parts. An example is shown in Figure 11.

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Figure 11

You can design components within the sheet metal environment. Keep the following in mind: Create features specific to the sheet metal manufacturing process. Design a sheet metal model within the context of an assembly so that all 3D information is present. Create different instances of the model to use at different times or for varied situations. Extract information, and establish dimensional and geometric controls that are beneficial to the manufacturing process. Generate views and information to document the design of sheet metal parts.

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Similarities to Solid Models


Considering the order in which the part is bent or cut during fabrication is equally important to considering the design intent in sheet metal.

The creation of a sheet metal model is similar to the creation of a solid part in the following ways:

Differences from Solid Models

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Figure 12

Sheet metal models are feature-based. Sheet metal parts can include sketched and placed features. Individual sheet metal features (e.g., faces, flanges, bends, folds, hems, cuts, and holes) are created in sequence and reference one another, resulting in parent-child feature relationships. Reference geometry can be created when adding certain types of features, such as flanges, or holes, just as extrusions and cuts can reference other features on solid parts. Depth options can use named parameters and equations.

The creation of a sheet metal model is different from the creation of a solid part in the following ways: Sheet metal parts have a constant thickness. Radii and bend relief sizes are generally consistent within a part. Flat patterns can be created for manufacturing drawings. Features can be added to a flat pattern but do not appear on the model in the folded state.

Several simple sheet metal parts are shown in Figure 12.

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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

1.2 Sheet Metal Terminology


It is helpful to become familiar with some of the standard terminology used in sheet metal design. Figure 13 shows a part with a few of the features labelled. Cut Face

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Figure 13

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Bend

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Flange Hole

Sheet Metal Features Styles

Various sheet metal features can be produced (such as a hems, flanges, cut-outs, holes, and punches).

Sheet metal styles include settings such as material thickness, default bend radius, and type of bend relief for a part. Much of the style information is stored in standard parameters.

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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

Face

A sheet metal Face feature is a flat area of the sheet metal model. It is created from a closed loop sketch profile with thickness added. Its final shape is controlled by the shape of the closed sketch and other features that are attached to (or removed from) it. Inventors Face command creates planar (flat) sheet metal features, which are often the building blocks for sheet metal parts. Faces can have a simple rectangular profile, as shown on the left of Figure 14, or a more complex profile as shown on the right.

Flange

Contour Flange

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Figure 14 Figure 15

A standard Flange feature is a type of secondary planar feature added to a sheet metal part. When you create a flange, Inventor also creates a Bend feature between the flange and the face feature that the flange is built on. A flange can be added to a single edge of a face, or to an edge loop on a face. Figure 15 shows a face with two flanges added.

A Contour Flange feature is a feature created from an open loop sketch profile. Inventor extrudes the profile to create a surface and then adds thickness to turn it into a sheet metal feature. Contour flanges can be used as either base features or secondary features. They are often used to create a rolled feature or multiple flanges on a sheet metal part.

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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

Figure 16 shows a part made from an open loop sketch on the left, which is turned into a contour flange on the right.

Open loop sketch

Holes and Cuts

Hem

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Figure 17 Single Double Rolled Figure 18

Figure 16

Hole and Cut features remove material, similar to the methods used in solid models, as shown in Figure 17. Cuts require a closed loop sketch to define the profile of the cut.

Adding a Hem feature creates a folded edge along sheet metal edges to strengthen the part, and/or to eliminate sharp edges. Four standard hem styles are shown in Figure 18.

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Teardrop
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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

Fold

To create a Fold feature, sketch a straight folding line on an existing metal face, as shown in Figure 19. The fold becomes a dependant feature of the face.

Sketch line for fold Fold feature

Figure 19

Corner Seam

Bend

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Corner seam with gap between faces Figure 110 Face2 Face 1 Figure 111

Corner Seam features create an overlap or a gap at the intersection of two or three faces. Examples with a gap and overlap are shown in Figure 110. Corner seam with overlap between faces

You can add a Bend feature between two sheet metal faces that are parallel or at an angle to each other. A bend is a feature that is dependant on two existing faces. It alters the length of a face, if necessary, so that the two faces can meet at the bend, as shown in Figure 111. Face 2 extended to added bend feature

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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

Bend Relief

Bend Relief features are defined to enable bends to be fabricated. In some cases, they remove material to enable clearance between edges. Figure 112 shows straight, round, and tear style bend reliefs applied on the three flanges from left to right.

Flat Pattern

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Figure 112 Figure 113

Flat Pattern features are used to provide information about a part before bending and other manufacturing processes as shown in Figure 113.

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1.3 Sheet Metal Environment


Autodesk Inventor includes tools specifically used for creating sheet metal parts. Figure 114 shows Inventors user interface with the sheet metal application active. After creating a sketch for your base feature, you can add faces, contour flanges, cuts, folds, and other features.

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Figure 114
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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

Sheet Metal Tools

After you create a sketch for your base feature, the sheet metal feature tools are available in the Sheet Metal Features panel bar and in the Sheet Metal toolbar, as shown in Figure 115.

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Figure 115

The sheet metal application includes several tools that should be familiar from working with features in solid parts (such as Hole, Work Plane, and Pattern). Also included are tools specific to sheet metal fabrication (such as Face, Flange, Fold, and Corner Seam).

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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

1.4 Viewing Sheet Metal Models


As with solid models, you can view sheet metal models in shaded, hidden edges displayed, or wireframe display, as shown in Figure 116. Use the display icons in the Inventor Standard toolbar.

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Shaded Figure 116 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Hidden Edges Displayed

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Wireframe

Redefining the Default Isometric View

If the Isometric view already established in the model file is not the view you prefer, it can become tedious to constantly rotate the model to different positions. You can use the Redefine Isometric option to set a different Isometric view position as the default. Use the following steps to redefine the default Isometric view:

Select the (Free Rotate) icon to spin the model to the view you want to use as the new default. While still in Free Rotate, right-click and select Common View.

Select the green arrow closest to the center of the Common View box. The model rotates to an Isometric view. Right-click and select Redefine Isometric. (The option is grayed out if the current view is already the defined Isometric view.) Exit the Rotate/Common View command and save the model.

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Figure 117 shows the process of redefining the Isometric view.

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4. Select green arrow closest to center of common view. Figure 117

5. Right-click and select Redefine Isometric.

1. Default Isometric view

2. Rotate closer to a view you prefer.

3. Right-click and select Common View.

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1.5 Sheet Metal Design Process


The process of creating sheet metal models is similar to the process of creating solid part models. Individual features are created in sequence and reference one another, resulting in parent-child relationships. When modeling a sheet metal part, remember that the part always has a consistent wall thickness.

You can also convert a solid part into a sheet metal part by clicking Convert > Sheet Metal.

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1. 2. 3. Create the base feature. 4. 5. Create the flat pattern if needed. 6. Create the deliverables (drawings).

Sheet Metal.ipt template ( ). Several sheet metal templates are available in the Default, English, and Metric tabs of the New File dialog box. Use the following steps to create a new sheet metal part: Start a new part using the sheet metal template (IPT) file. Define the sheet metal style parameters as needed.

Add secondary features (such as flanges, hems, and cut-outs).

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To start a new sheet metal part, select the icon in the Inventor Standard toolbar, or click File>New in the pull-down menu. Select the

Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

Exercise 1a

Opening a Sheet Metal Model I


In this exercise, you use the Inventor sheet metal environment and tools to identify sheet metal features.

Goal

After you complete this exercise, you will be able to:

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Task 1: Open a sheet metal model. 1. Figure 118 1.

Open a sheet metal model Identify sheet metal features in the browser Identify parent-child feature relationships View the model in alternate visual styles

Open sm_door_bell_base.ipt. The part appears as shown in Figure 118.

The End of Folded icon is placed just below Flange1 and Bend1.

Task 2: Identify sheet metal features in the browser. Drag the End of Folded icon through the individual features in the browser, stopping in the browser under each feature to see how the sheet metal part was created (you might need to rotate the model to see the features).

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2.

When the End of Folded icon is at the bottom of all the features, the part displays a variety of bends, folds, cuts, and faces, as shown in Figure 119 .

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Figure 119 3. 4. 5. 1. 2. Unsuppress Flange2.

Expand Face1 in the browser, and click on the sketch to see its sketch dimensions.

Expand each of the four Flange features to see that each one has a Bend feature as a dependent (child) feature. Hover the mouse over Face5 in the browser and notice that the corresponding feature highlights in the model.

Task 3: Identify parent-child feature relationships. Right-click on Flange2 in the browser and suppress the feature. Select in the Warning dialog box. Inventor automatically suppresses Bend2 because it is a child feature of Flange2.

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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

3.

Suppress Bend9 in the browser. A Warning dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 120.

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4. 5. Unsuppress Bend9. 1. Figure 121 2. Figure 122

Figure 120

Select . The part is still displayed but the bend feature between Face4 and Cut2 is suppressed.

Task 4: View the model in alternate visual styles. Use the viewing tools to spin the model to the approximate position shown in Figure 121.

Change the display to hidden edges displayed and to wireframe. The model appears as shown in Figure 122.

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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

Task 5: Save the file. 1. Save and close the file.

Task 6: Review a second simple model. 1. Open sm_endplate.ipt, shown in Figure 123. Review the features in the sheet metal browser.

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Figure 123 2. 3. Rotate the part. Change the view to wireframe. Close the part without saving. 4.
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Introduction to Sheet Metal Modeling

Review Questions
Question 1 Describe two basic methods of creating a sheet metal part.

Question 2

Describe two typical characteristics of a sheet metal part.

Question 3

Sheet metal parts are feature-based. True or False?

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Question 7

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Describe a Face feature. What are Flat Pattern features used for? List four types of sheet metal features.

In what way is a Fold feature different from a Bend feature, regarding how many faces it is dependant on?

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Inventor 2008 Sheet Metal Design

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