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Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design


Release 2001 T780-320-01

Training Agenda
Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design
Day 1
Introduction to Sheetmetal Design Primary Walls Secondary Walls Unbend, Bend back and Cuts Notches and Punches

Day 2
Duplicating Features Sheetmetal Forms Bend Features Unbending Sheetmetal Geometry Sheetmetal Design Environment

Day 3
Converting Solid Parts Project Laboratory Documenting Sheetmetal Design Sheetmetal Design Information

Table of Contents
Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design
INTRODUCTION TO SHEETMETAL DESIGN 1-1
DESIGNING IN PRO/SHEETMETAL............................................................................. 1-2
Creating Sheetmetal Parts...................................................................................................1-2 Using Sheetmetal-specific Features....................................................................................1-4 Displaying the Sheetmetal Part ..........................................................................................1-4 Orienting the Sheetmetal Part.............................................................................................1-5 Developed Length ..............................................................................................................1-5

INTRODUCTION TO TOP-DOWN DESIGN.................................................................. 1-6


Disadvantages of the Traditional Design Approach ...........................................................1-7 Advantages of Top-Down Design Methodology................................................................1-8

ELEMENTS OF TOP-DOWN DESIGN ........................................................................... 1-8


Defining the Design Intent .................................................................................................1-8 Defining Preliminary Product Structure .............................................................................1-8 Using Skeleton Models.......................................................................................................1-8 Communicating Design Intent............................................................................................1-9 Populating the Assembly....................................................................................................1-9 Managing Part Interdependencies ......................................................................................1-9

PRO/ENGINEER TOP-DOWN DESIGN TOOLS ......................................................... 1-10


Layouts .............................................................................................................................1-10 Skeletons ..........................................................................................................................1-11 Data Sharing Features.......................................................................................................1-12 Managing References / Interdependencies .......................................................................1-14

IMPLEMENTING THE SHEETMETAL DESIGN APPROACH.................................. 1-16 MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1-21

PRIMARY WALLS

2-1

WALL TYPES ................................................................................................................... 2-2 CREATING PRIMARY WALLS...................................................................................... 2-2


Wall Feature Options..........................................................................................................2-2 Sketching Techniques.........................................................................................................2-4

CREATING UNATTACHED WALLS............................................................................. 2-6


Merging Unattached Walls.................................................................................................2-6

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ..........................................................................................2-7


EXERCISE 1: Creating the Cable Box Base ..................................................................... 2-8 EXERCISE 2: Creating an Unattached Wall ................................................................... 2-13

MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................2-25

SECONDARY WALLS

3-1

CREATING SECONDARY WALLS ................................................................................3-2


Using the No Radius options.............................................................................................. 3-2 Using the Use Radius options ............................................................................................ 3-3 Creating a Twist Wall ........................................................................................................ 3-7 Creating an Extended Wall ................................................................................................ 3-8 Creating walls with Relief.................................................................................................. 3-9

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ........................................................................................3-11


EXERCISE 1: Adding Walls to the Cable Box Base....................................................... 3-12 EXERCISE 2: Adding Walls to the Tuner Cover ............................................................ 3-15

MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................3-25

UNBEND, BEND BACK, AND CUTS

4-1

CREATING A REGULAR UNBEND FEATURE ............................................................4-2 CREATING A FLAT PATTERN FEATURE ...................................................................4-3 CREATING A BEND BACK FEATURE .........................................................................4-4 CREATING SHEETMETAL CUTS..................................................................................4-5
Dimensioning Scheme ....................................................................................................... 4-6

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ..........................................................................................4-7


EXERCISE 1: Creating a Sheetmetal Cut.......................................................................... 4-8

MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................4-14

NOTCHES AND PUNCHES

5-1

CREATING NOTCH AND PUNCH USER-DEFINED FEATURES...............................5-2


Using Notch Relief for Design Intent ................................................................................ 5-3 Creating a Punch or Notch UDF ........................................................................................ 5-3 Placing a Punch or Notch Feature ...................................................................................... 5-5

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ..........................................................................................5-6


EXERCISE 1: Creating Notches in the Flat State of the Model ........................................ 5-7

MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................5-16

DUPLICATING FEATURES

6-1

Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 6-1

DUPLICATING FEATURES USING PATTERNS ..........................................................6-2

Creating Patterns ................................................................................................................6-2 Using Pattern Tables ..........................................................................................................6-4

CREATING LOCAL GROUPS......................................................................................... 6-5


Patterning a Local Group....................................................................................................6-6

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 6-10


EXERCISE 1: Modifying the Cable Box Pattern.............................................................6-11 EXERCISE 2: Using Groups on the Tuner Cover............................................................6-18

MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 6-23

SHEETMETAL FORMS

7-1

CREATING FORM FEATURES ...................................................................................... 7-2 CREATING FORM PARTS.............................................................................................. 7-2


Creating Rips in the Geometry ...........................................................................................7-4 Using Multiple Forms on a Single Die Model....................................................................7-5 Using Multiple Forms on a Single Punch Model ...............................................................7-6

PLACING FORM FEATURES ......................................................................................... 7-7


Placing By Reference .........................................................................................................7-7 Copying the Geometry .......................................................................................................7-7

FLATTENING FORM FEATURES ................................................................................. 7-7 CREATING EDGE TREATMENTS................................................................................. 7-8


Determining the Developed Length ...................................................................................7-9

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 7-10


EXERCISE 1: Adding Forms to the Cable Box ...............................................................7-11 EXERCISE 2: Placing Louvers (Challenge Exercise) .....................................................7-19

MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 7-22

BEND FEATURES

8-1

CREATING BEND FEATURES....................................................................................... 8-2


Angle Bend.........................................................................................................................8-2 Roll Bend............................................................................................................................8-2

ADDING BEND LINE ADJUSTMENT ........................................................................... 8-5 CREATING HEMS............................................................................................................ 8-8 LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 8-11
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Model in the Flat.....................................................................8-12

MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 8-28

UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY

9-1

Objectives...........................................................................................................................9-1

UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY.................................................................. 9-2

Unbending Ruled Geometry .............................................................................................. 9-2 Unbending Non-ruled Geometry........................................................................................ 9-2 Adding Tears to the Geometry........................................................................................... 9-3 Creating Deformation Areas .............................................................................................. 9-5

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ..........................................................................................9-9


EXERCISE 1: Creating a Regular Unbend Feature......................................................... 9-10 EXERCISE 2: Cross Sectional Unbend ........................................................................... 9-12 EXERCISE 3: Creating a Deformation Area ................................................................... 9-17

MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................9-22

SHEETMETAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENT

10-1

CALCULATING DEVELOPED LENGTH.....................................................................10-2


Using the Default Formula............................................................................................... 10-2 Using Bend Tables........................................................................................................... 10-3

SETTING UP DEFAULT BEND RADIUS.....................................................................10-6 SETTING DEFAULT FIXED GEOMETRY...................................................................10-7 LABORATORY PRACTICAL ........................................................................................10-8
EXERCISE 1: Calculating the Developed Length of a Sheetmetal Part.......................... 10-9 EXERCISE 2: Setting Up for Sheetmetal ...................................................................... 10-13

MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................10-22

CONVERTING SOLID PARTS

11-1

CREATING SHEETMETAL PARTS FROM SOLID PARTS .......................................11-2 CREATING A DEVELOPABLE PART..........................................................................11-3 LABORATORY PRACTICAL ........................................................................................11-7
EXERCISE 1: Converting a Sheetmetal Part................................................................... 11-8 EXERCISE 2: Using the Sheetmetal Conversion Feature ............................................. 11-10

MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................11-15

PROJECT LABORATORY

12-1

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ........................................................................................12-2


EXERCISE 1: Sheetmetal Part Creation.......................................................................... 12-3 EXERCISE 2: Unbending Complex Geometry ............................................................. 12-11

MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................12-13

DOCUMENTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN

13-1

CREATING FLAT STATES USING FAMILY TABLES ..............................................13-2


Retrieving Instances......................................................................................................... 13-3

CREATING MULTI-MODEL DRAWINGS...................................................................13-3

DOCUMENTING THE BEND ORDER ......................................................................... 13-4 LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 13-6
EXERCISE 1: Documenting the Model ...........................................................................13-7

MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 13-19

SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION

14-1

EXTRACTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION......................................... 14-2


Calculating Measurements ...............................................................................................14-2 Analyzing Surfaces...........................................................................................................14-2 Generating Bend Reports .................................................................................................14-3 Generating Radii Reports .................................................................................................14-4

SETTING UP DESIGN RULES...................................................................................... 14-5


Establishing a Design Rule Table.....................................................................................14-5

LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 14-7


EXERCISE 1: Using Sheetmetal Information Tools........................................................14-8

MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 14-12

Module

Introduction to Sheetmetal Design


In this module you are introduced to the Pro/SHEETMETAL design environment. You learn about the top down design approach for designing sheetmetal models.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Identify the capabilities of the Pro/SHEETMETAL design environment. Identify the sheetmetal-specific feature types. Describe the display and orientation of a sheetmetal part. Define the concept of developed length. Describe the principles of top-down design. Implement the top-down design approach for designing sheetmetal parts in Pro/ENGINEER.

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DESIGNING IN PRO/SHEETMETAL
Using Pro/SHEETMETAL to generate sheetmetal components enables you to do the following: Design a sheetmetal part that defines the supporting structures in an assembly Add sheetmetal-specific features such as walls, bends, cuts, punches, notches, and forms to a model in either the formed or flat condition Control the developed length of the bends when creating a flat instance of the model Create flat patterns and flat states of the model geometry to reflect the manufacturing and design models Create bend order tables that define the bend order, bend radius, and bend angle used in the manufacturing process Document the design by generating production drawings of the flat model and design model, as well as bend order tables

Creating Sheetmetal Parts


You can create sheetmetal parts using the following methods: Sheetmetal Mode Create a new sheetmetal part using the default template.

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Figure 1: Creating a New Sheetmetal Part

You can select the default template or choose one from a list of standard or user customizable templates. When you use a template that contains designated parameters, you can enter parameter values as you create the model. Templates include default datum planes, coordinate system, saved views, and layers. Assembly Mode Create a sheetmetal component in an assembly.

Figure 2: Creating a Sheetmetal Component

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Sheetmetal Applications Convert solid models to sheetmetal models using the Applications pull-down menu as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3: Converting Solid to Sheetmetal Models

Using Sheetmetal-specific Features


Pro/ENGINEER offers the following sheetmetal-specific feature types. notches punches bends unbends and flat pattern Note: bend backs forms walls

Create features in an order that captures your design intent, not in the order that you manufacture the geometry.

Displaying the Sheetmetal Part


A sheetmetal part displays with green and white surfaces with side surfaces in between to define depth. This enables you to visualize the part and geometry selection, since sheetmetal parts tend to be comparatively thin. Sheetmetal parts have a constant thickness. Pro/ENGINEER creates the white surface by offsetting it from the green surface by the amount of the material thickness. The side (depth) surfaces do not appear until the part has been successfully regenerated.

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Orienting the Sheetmetal Part


When orienting a sheetmetal part, the first selection must be a planar surface or a datum plane and the second selection may be an edge. (This orientation method is available in all modes of Pro/ENGINEER.) You can also use saved views if the default or a customized template was used to create the sheetmetal part.

Developed Length
Pro/ENGINEER automatically compensates for stretching that occurs in the area of a bend by calculating the developed length. The system takes into account the thickness of the sheetmetal, the radius of the bend, the bend angle, and other material properties. This capability enables you to capture your design intent through the creation of the formed sheetmetal model. It also enables you to create a flat form of the model for manufacturers to use to develop the actual model.

Figure 4: The Developed Length

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INTRODUCTION TO TOP-DOWN DESIGN


The Top-down design methodology captures the top-level design criteria and passes this information from the top level of the products structure to all related subsystems.

Design Information

Component

Component

Component

Figure 5: Distribution of Information from Top to Bottom

The stages of top-down design are: Planning Creating product structure Sharing design-critical information Capturing interactions between individual components

Top-down design can be conceived as an ongoing process of capturing, communicating, and managing design information. It is the best methodology to harness and control Pro/ENGINEERs associative design tools when conceptualizing and building large assemblies.

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Figure 6: Top-down Design Architecture

In the traditional assembly design approach, an engineer designs individual components independent of the assembly, using a manual approach to ensure that components fit properly and meet design criteria.

Component Design

Component Design

Component Design

Assemble Components

Figure 7: Traditional Design Approach

Disadvantages of the Traditional Design Approach


The designer places components in subassemblies and then brings those subassemblies together to develop the top-level assembly. Often, after creating the assemblies, a designer discovers that the models do not meet the design criteria (for example, a critical interface on two models does not match).

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After detecting problems, the designer manually adjusts each model. As the assembly grows, detecting these inconsistencies and correcting them consume a considerable amount of time.

Advantages of Top-Down Design Methodology


Top-down design methodology can be used to: Manage large assemblies Organize complex designs Control motion Support more flexible assembly designs.

ELEMENTS OF TOP-DOWN DESIGN


Defining the Design Intent
All products are designed with some preliminary planning. Sketches, ideas, proposals and specifications define the products' purpose, function and design. This information helps define the structure of the design and the detailed requirements of individual components within Pro/ENGINEER.

Defining Preliminary Product Structure


The product structure consists of a list of components and their hierarchy within the assembly design. Using Pro/ENGINEER you can create a product structure of the subassemblies and parts without creating any geometry. Existing subassemblies and parts can also be added to the product structure without assembly.

Using Skeleton Models


Skeleton models act as a 3-D layout of the assembly, and serve a variety of purposes defining form, fit, and function of an assembly. Some examples are: Space claim (form / fit) Component to component interface definition (fit)

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Motion representation (function)

The skeleton model stores design intent at different levels of the product structure. Various Pro/ENGINEER data-sharing features such as Copy Geometry and Shrinkwrap can be used to communicate and propagate the design intent from level to level and from model to model.

Communicating Design Intent


Top-level design information, such as important mounting locations and space claim requirements, can be placed in the top-level assembly skeleton model. It can then be distributed to the appropriate subassembly skeleton models as needed. Each subassembly can contain a skeleton model with only the pertinent design information for that subassembly. The subassembly design team can work on their own design with local access to the top-level design criteria.

Populating the Assembly


Once the skeletal representation of the assembly has been defined, and the top-level design criteria have been distributed, individual component design can begin. Many methods exist for populating the assembly structure with detailed parts. Existing components can be assembled, or components can be created in the context of the assembly. These individual parts can be related to each other using other functionality such as assembly relations, skeleton models, layouts, and merge features to further capture design intentions.

Managing Part Interdependencies


Managing interdependencies allows components from one design to be used in another and provides a means for controlled change and update of the entire assembly design. Pro/ENGINEER tools help you to set up, investigate, and understand existing interdependencies between components.

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PRO/ENGINEER TOP-DOWN DESIGN TOOLS


The following Pro/ENGINEER tools enable you to successfully capture design intent using the top-down design approach:

Layouts
Layouts are central locations in which you can capture non-geometrical top-level design criteria. A layout is useful when you do not have exact information about the geometry. Dimensions, parameters, and relations defined in a Layout can be parametrically linked to skeletons or part models.

Figure 8: Layout for a Race-Car Model

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Figure 9: Using Layouts as a Top-Down Design Tool

Skeletons
Skeletons are central locations where you can capture geometrical central design information for a model. You can use skeleton models to represent the design information in a layout in a 3-D representation. There are three typical uses for skeletons: Space claim (form / fit)

Figure 10: Using Skeletons for Space Claimes

Component to component interface definition (fit)

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Figure 11: Using Skeletons for Fit

Motion representation (function)

Figure 12: Using Skeletons for Motion Representation

Data Sharing Features

Publish Geometry Allows you to document the design information,

making it easier for others to use the Copy Geometry function.

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Figure 13: The Publish Geometry Dialog Box

Copy Geometry Allows you to transfer design information such as

surfaces, datum planes, and datum axes from one model to another.

Figure 14: Accessing the Copy Geometry Feature

Shrinkwrap Allows you to shrinkwrap a model or assembly with a

surface, thereby dramatically reducing regeneration time in the recipient model.

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Figure 15: Accessing the Shrinkwrap Feature

Managing References / Interdependencies


Two functions that help the user in the sixth and ongoing step of top-down design are Reference Control and the Global Reference Viewer

Reference Control
The EXTERNAL REFERENCE CONTROL dialog box allows you to define the allowable scope for external references. This function is particularly useful when designing in an assembly, or when creating Copy Geometry features.

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Figure 16: Reference Control Dialog Boxes

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Global Reference Viewer


The GLOBAL REFERENCE VIEWER enables you to find any type of external reference between models in an assembly. It ensures that only desired references have been created and troubleshoots the existing assemblies.

Figure 17: Reference Graph and Global Reference Viewer Dialog Boxes

IMPLEMENTING THE SHEETMETAL DESIGN APPROACH


You can generate sheetmetal models at either the sheetmetal level or the assembly level, but the assembly level enables you to use the top-down design approach. The following is a typical design approach for creating sheetmetal parts at the assembly level: 1. Create the assembly by assembling all major components relative to each other. You can include simple supporting structures, or sheetmetal parts that are not completely defined at this time.

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Figure 18: Assembly of Sheetmetal Components

2. Create or modify sheetmetal parts in Assembly mode using the internal components as references. This process will aid in creating support walls, form features for stiffening panels, and punches and notches for fastening the components. The following figure shows the cover created in the assembly mode referencing internal components and later completed in the Sheetmetal mode by adding additional features.

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Figure 19: Modify Sheetmetal Parts in Assembly Mode

3. After the cabinet and supporting structures are defined relative to the internal components and each other, add any remaining components or features. 4. Create or select a bend table to provide material allowances when unbending the part. The bend table data is used to ensure accurate flat pattern geometry of the sheetmetal part. 5. In the sheetmetal mode, create a bend order table to define the bending sequences for each part. 6. Add a Flat Pattern feature. This will create an automatic unbend feature in the designed sheetmetal model. 7. Create a family table for each sheetmetal part that includes at least two instances, flat state instance and the as designed instance.

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These instances are automatically created using the Flat State menu option. 8. Document the design using a multi-model drawing. You can include both the flat state and as designed instances. Show the feature dimensions for the as designed part and create dimensions for the flat state part. Add the bend order table as a note.

Figure 20: Multi-Model drawing

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Figure 21: Bend Order Table

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MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned about: The capabilities of the Pro/SHEETMETAL design environment. The principles of Top-down design. Implementing the top-down design methodology in designing sheetmetal components.

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Module

Primary Walls
In this module you learn how to create primary walls. The first sheetmetal feature must be a wall. You learn how to create unattached walls and merge them with the final geometry.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Start a new sheetmetal design model with a primary wall Use sketching techniques to create the section for a primary wall Create unattached walls and merge them with the final geometry to gain flexibility in starting a new design.

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WALL TYPES
Pro/SHEETMETAL gives you the ability to create two types of walls: Primary Walls Do not need another wall in order to exist, and are created as unattached walls. Secondary Walls Must be attached to another wall because they cannot exist independently, and are always a child of another wall.

CREATING PRIMARY WALLS


Wall Feature Options
To create any model in Pro/ENGINEER, you start with three default datum planes. If you use one of the sheetmetal templates, the part will automatically include the default datum planes. When creating sheetmetal geometry, you must add a wall as the next feature. The following options are commonly used for creating walls: Sketches the side-section of the wall and extrudes it to a specified depth, as shown in the following figure.
Extrude

Figure 1: Extruding to a Specified Depth

Revolve

Sketches the side-section of the wall and revolves it about a centerline, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 2: Revolving about a Centerline


Blend

Uses parallel, rotational or general blend feature forms to create a wall, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3: Using Blend Feature Forms

Sketches the boundaries of the wall in the Sketch plane, as shown in the following figure.
Flat

Figure 4: Sketching in a Plane

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Offset

Offsets from an existing surface, as shown in the following

figure.

Figure 5: Offsetting from an Existing Surface

Note:
You can also use advanced feature creation options like variable section sweep, swept blend, and so on to create primary walls.

Sketching Techniques
When creating an extruded wall, you insert bends to represent inside and outside radii. Usually, you dimension all bends in sheetmetal parts to the inside. You use the Thicken option to thicken the material and dimension the offset edges, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 6: Thickening the Material

It is common practice to dimension sheetmetal walls to the mold line (the intersection of the flat wall extensions). To create this dimensioning scheme you add Sketcher ctypelines and points while creating the wall section. You then dimension to the Sketcher points instead of the tangent points on the arc, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 7: Defining a Mold Line

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CREATING UNATTACHED WALLS


After you add the first wall of the model, you can create additional unattached walls using the same methods. The following figure shows a primary wall with an additional unattached wall. This enables you to capture the intent of the model with greater flexibility by enabling you to concentrate in more than one area on the model. Once you have created the walls, you can use an unattached or secondary wall to bridge the gap and then merge the geometry.

Figure 8: Unattached Wall

Merging Unattached Walls


To successfully merge an unattached wall with an unattached or secondary wall, the wall geometry must be tangent to the wall with which you are merging it. Also, the corresponding green side of the unattached wall must be adjacent to the green side of the adjacent wall. You can change this, if necessary, by using the Swap Side element, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 9: Matching the Side


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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create the primary wall of a sheetmetal part as an unattached extruded wall, then create additional unattached walls and merge the final geometry.

Method
In the first exercise, you develop the lower housing of a cable box. You thicken the extruded wall and apply an inside bend radius. In the second exercise, you create two unattached offset walls and merge them to complete the geometry of an assembly component using the topdown design.

Tools
Icon Description
Primary Wall creation fly-out icons. Unattached Flat Wall. Unattached Extruded Wall Revolved Wall Blended Wall Offset Wall. Shape and Merge Walls fly-out icons. Corner Relief Punch Notch Rip Merge Walls Assemble at Default Location Done

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EXERCISE 1: Creating the Cable Box Base

Figure 10: First Wall of Cable Box

Task 1.

Start the definition of a sheetmetal model.

1. Click File > Set Working Directory . Set <home directory of user>/Sheetmetal_320 as your working directory. Note:
Ask your instructor for assistance if you cannot find the working directory or if it different for the classroom from what is stated in the previous step.

2. Click File > New from the pull-down menu. 3. Type [CABLE_BOX_BASE] as the name. 4. Select Sheetmetal as the sub-type and the Use default template check-box.

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Figure 11: New Dialog Box

5. Click OK . Task 2. plane. Create an extruded wall on both sides of the FRONT datum

1. Click

[Unattached Extruded Wall].

2. Click Both Sides > Done . 3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane. 4. Click Okay to confirm the direction of viewing the sketching plane. 5. Select datum plane TOP as the top reference plane. 6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 7. Sketch the section.

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Figure 12: The Dimensioning Scheme

Task 3. Change the dimensioning scheme so that the system dimensions the inside radius by thickening the geometry. 1. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken . 2. Click Flip or Okay to add material inside the sketched section. 3. Type [0.08] as the thickness and press <ENTER>. 4. Delete the existing radius dimension. Add a radius dimension to the thicken line, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 13: Dimensioning the Thicken Line

5. Modify the radius dimension to [.13] 6. Click [Done] from the Sketcher.

7. Extrude to a blind depth of [12]. The completed wall feature appears as shown in following figure.

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Figure 14: The Finished Base

8. Save the model and erase it from memory.

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EXERCISE 2: Creating an Unattached Wall

Figure 15: Custom Shield Part

Task 1. Create a new connector assembly and assemble the plastic connector as the first component. 1. Click File > New and select Assembly as the TYPE. Type [connector] as the name of the assembly as shown in the following figure.

Figure 16: New Assembly

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2. Click Component > Assemble . Select PLASTIC_CONNECTOR.PRT and click Open . 3. Click [Assemble at Default location] from the COMPONENT PLACEMENT dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 17: Placing Component at the Default Location

4. Click OK to complete the component placement. Task 2. level. Create a new shield sheetmetal component at the assembly

1. Click Component > Create . Select Sheetmetal as the SUB-TYPE and type [conn_shield], as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 18: New Sheetmetal Component

2. Click OK . 3. Click Data Sharing from the FEAT CLASS menu. Click CopyGeom from the DATA SHARING menu. 4. Select Surface Refs element from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog box. Click Define . 5. Select the surfaces on the right-hand side of the part, as shown in the following figure.

Select these two surfaces

Figure 19: Selecting Surfaces on the Right-hand Side

6. Click Done Sel to complete selecting the first set of surfaces. 7. Click Indiv Surfs from the SURF OPTIONS menu. Select the same set of surfaces on the other side of the plastic shield as shown in the following figure.

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Select these two surfaces

Figure 20: Selecting Surfaces on the Left-hand Side

8. Click Done Sel > Done . 9. Click Misc Refs > Define from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog box. 10. Click Dtm Plane from the MISC REFS dialog box. 11. Click Sel by Menu . This will open up the SELECTION TOOLS dialog box. 12. Click from the LOOK IN area and select the PLASTIC_CONNECTOR.PRT. This will allow you to select the datum planes of the plastic connector part. 13. Click Sel All and Select from the SELECTION TOOLS dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 21: Selecting the Datum Planes

14. Click Done Sel . The datum planes should appear in the MISC REFS dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 22: Misc. References

15. Click OK . Click OK from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog box to complete the copy geometry feature. Task 3. Complete the shield part with sheetmetal walls.

1. Right-click on the CONN_SHIELD.PRT and click Open from the model tree as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 23: Opening the Connector Shield part

Note:
The Copy Geometry feature becomes the first feature of the connector shield part using the references from the assembly. This Copy Geometry feature will become the parent of all the features in the part and will automatically propagate any changes made at the assembly level.

2. Create an unattached offset wall in the part. Click Wall].

[Offset

3. Select the surface on the right-hand side, as shown using the black cursor in the following figure.

Figure 24: Select the Right-hand Surface

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4. This will automatically select the quilt on the other side of the part, since both the surfaces belong to the same copy geometry feature. Type [0] as the offset value and press <ENTER>. 5. If necessary, flip the arrow outward (to the right), as shown in the following figure. Click Okay .

Figure 25: Offset Direction

6. Type [.05] as the thickness and press <ENTER>. 7. Click OK to complete the unattached wall. Notice that the system added offset walls on both sides of the part as one feature. Since both the side surfaces belong to one copy geometry feature a parent child relationship is created between both the offset walls.

Task 4. Create an unattached flat wall that spans the gap between the two offset walls. 1. Click [Unattached Flat Wall].

2. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Flip the arrow outward, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 26: Sketch Viewing Direction

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Note:
Keep in mind that the direction of viewing is also the direction in which Pro/ENGINEER adds the material thickness.

3. Click Okay. 4. Select the TOP datum plane as the top reference plane. 5. Delete any existing references from the REFERENCES dialog box if necessary. Select the TOP datum plane and the two vertical edges as dimensional references for the section, as shown in the following figure.

Select the inside vertical edges and TOP datum plane as dimensional references.

Figure 27: Selecting References

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Figure 28: References dialog box

6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 7. Sketch a horizontal ctypeline aligned to the TOP datum plane. Sketch a rectangle symmetric about the ctypeline. The vertical edges lie on the referenced surfaces and dimension it, as shown in following figure.

Figure 29: Section for Flat Wall

8. Click feature. Task 5.

[Done] from the Sketcher and click OK to complete the

Merge the three walls. [Merge Walls].

1. Click

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2. Select the small bend surface on the right hand offset wall and click Done Sel > Done Refs . 3. Select the back green surface of the flat wall and click Done Sel > Done Refs again, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 30: Merging the Flat Wall with the First Offset Wall

4. Click OK . 5. Create another merge feature for the other offset wall on the left side. Repeat the above steps.

Figure 31: Finished Model

6. Save the part. 7. Activate the assembly window. Click Window . Select CONNECTOR.ASM from the pull-down menu. Notice that the assembly was updated with the changes made to the
CONN_SHIELD.PRT.

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NOTES

Figure 32: Completed Connector Assembly

8. Save the assembly and erase all models from memory.

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned: Primary walls are the first sheetmetal features to be created in a new part. The dimensioning scheme can be controlled using the Thicken option in the sketcher. Final geometry can be merged to unattached walls to gain flexibility in starting a new design.

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Module

Secondary Walls
In this module you learn how to create secondary walls

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create an attached secondary wall to the length of the primary wall edge. Create an attached secondary wall partially along the primary wall edge. Create relief for secondary walls.

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NOTES

CREATING SECONDARY WALLS


You can create several different types of secondary walls by sketching the bend in the wall or automatically creating a bend along the attachment edge.

Using the No Radius options

Flat, No Radius

Sketch the boundaries of the wall attached to the selected edge. The new wall is automatically created parallel to the adjacent wall, as shown in the following figures.

Figure 1: Flat, No Radius

Figure 2: A Wall Partially along the Edge

Extruded, No Radius

Sketch the side section of the wall to extrude along the attachment edge as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3: Extruded, No Radius

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If you sketch an arc to define the bend, you must sketch it tangent to the attachment edge and adjacent to the green or white surface, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Ensuring Tangency

You can also partially extrude the wall along the selected edge using the blind depth option and by defining a sketching plane partially along the edge.
Swept, No Radius

You can attach the wall to a nonlinear edge, but the edge must consist of all tangent entities, as shown in the following figure. The green or white surfaces of the attachment edge do not necessarily have to be planar.

Figure 5: Swept, No Radius

Using the Use Radius options


You can define the sketching plane at a specific angle through a selected attachment edge and then define a radius for the desired bend at the attachment edge, as shown in the following figure.
Flat, Use Radius

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Figure 6: Flat, Use Radius

Extruded, Use Radius

You can sketch the side profile of the wall with a specified angle and then define the radius of the bend, as shown in the following figure. This bend deforms a portion of the existing attachment wall.

Figure 7: Extruded, Use Radius

You can also partially extrude a wall along an edge using a blind depth and relief, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 8: Using Make Datum and Blind Depth Option

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You can sketch the section for the wall, and then specify the radius, as shown in the following figure. With the Use Radius option, you cannot enter a wall angle that is greater than 180 to the adjacent green or white surface of the attachment edge.
Swept, Use Radius

Figure 9: Swept, Use Radius

Resulting Geometry
The Use Radius option produces different results, depending on the attachment edge that you select, as shown in the following figures.

Figure 10: Attached to Inside Edge

Figure 11: Attached to Outside Edge

If you attach the geometry to an edge that is going to be the outside edge of the wall, the length of the original wall does not change. However, if

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NOTES

you attach it to the inside edge, the wall extends a distance beyond the length of the original wall that is equal to the thickness of the geometry.

Figure 12: Flat Walls

When creating a flat wall, Pro/ENGINEER also enables you to automatically miter a corner by sketching outside the attachment edge and aligning to an existing wall, as shown in the following figure. You must add rip relief at the attachment edge.

Aligned to inside edge

Figure 13: Mitered Corner

Specifying Part and Feature Bend Tables


When creating a wall with the Use Radius option, you must specify whether you want to use a part bend table or a feature bend table. Bend tables control the developed length of the bends. Using the Part Bend Tbl option, you can use a single table to control all of the bends on the entire model.

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NOTES

Creating a Twist Wall


A twist takes the form of an extension to a straight edge on an existing planar wall. It can be rectangular or trapezoidal. It has an axis running through it center, perpendicular to the attach edge and it can be twisted around the axis by a specified amount, as shown in the following figure. You cannot use a radius with the twist wall type. You can unbend a twisted wall using the regular unbend feature. You can also add more walls to the end of the wall. To generate the twisted geometry, you must specify the following values: Point of attachment Width at the start Width at the end Length Twist angle Developed length

Figure 14: Twisted Wall

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Creating an Extended Wall


To create an extended wall, you can extend the existing green surface of a wall up to an existing planar surface or to a specified distance. Using this technique, you can close gaps between walls in the geometry by extending up to the inside or outside surfaces of the wall, as shown in the following figure. You cannot use a radius with the extended wall type.

Open Corner

Right wall extended to the inside surface of this wall

Left wall extended to the outside surface of this wall

Figure 15: Closing Gaps between Walls by Extending

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Creating walls with Relief


When creating walls or bends that require relief, the system provides an automatic relief function. The choices are as follows:
No Relief

Attach the wall without relief.

StrtchRelief

Use material stretching to provide bend relief at the wall attachment points, as shown in the following figure. The system prompts for the width and angle of the stretch relief.

Figure 16: Stretch Relief

Rip relief

At the wall attachment points, rip the existing material normal to the edge and back to the tangent line as shown in the following figure.

Figure 17: Rip Relief

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RecRelief

At the wall attachment points, apply a rectangular cut by defining its width and depth, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 18: Rectangular Relief

- At the wall attachment points, apply an obround cut by defining its width and depth, as shown in the following figure.
ObrndRelief

Figure 19: Obround Relief

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create secondary walls with relief.

Method
In the first exercise, you create secondary walls using different types of automatic relief. In the second exercise, you create secondary walls and create additional extruded and extended walls to close gaps in the geometry.

Tools
Icon Description
Flat Wall fly-out icons Flat Wall Use Radius Flat Wall No Radius Extruded Wall fly-out icons Extruded Wall Use Radius Extruded Wall No Radius Extended Wall Unbend and Bendback fly-out icons Unbend Bendback Done

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EXERCISE 1: Adding Walls to the Cable Box Base

Figure 20: Cable Box Base

Task 1. Create a FLAT, USE RADIUS wall with OBROUND relief on one end of the cable box base. 1. Open CABLE_BOX_BASE.PRT. If you did not complete the base of the cable box, open SECONDARY_CABLE_BASE.PRT. 2. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius].

3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Inside Rad > Done/Return . 4. Select the lower green edge to attach the wall, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 21: Attaching the Wall to the Lower Edge

5. Click Done to use the default bend angle of 90 degrees.

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6. Click Okay to accept the viewing direction. 7. Select the dimensional references, as indicated by the black cursors in the following figure.

Figure 22: Sketching an Open Section

8. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 9. Sketch the section as an open section consisting of three lines, as shown in the previous figure. 10. Click [Done] from the SKETCHER. Change the orientation to the default view. 11. Click w/Relief > Done . A point on the attachment edge highlights at the end of the new wall. 12. Click ObrndRelief > Done for the first end of the wall. 13. Click Enter Value , type [0.20] for the reliefs width and press <ENTER>. 14. Click Tan To Bend . 15. Define the same relief for the other end of the wall. Repeat the above steps. 16. Click Enter Value , type [0.13] for the bend radius value and press <ENTER>. 17. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 23: Flat Wall with Obround Relief

Task 2.

Create another wall on the other end of the part.

1. Create a similar flat wall on the opposite end of the cable box. Use Obround relief on both ends of the wall. Repeat the above steps that you used to create the previous wall. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 24: Completed Cable Box Base

2. Save the model and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Adding Walls to the Tuner Cover

Figure 25: Secondary Walls Added to Tuner Cover

Task 1. Create a flat wall on one end of the part that does not extend past the existing wall. 1. Open TUNER_COVER.PRT. 2. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius].

3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Inside Rad > Done/Return . 4. Select the top edge as the attachment edge, as indicated in the following figure.

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Figure 26: Attachment Edge for Flat Wall

5. Click 90.000 > Done . 6. Click Okay for the direction of viewing the sketching plane. 7. Select the bottom surface of the side wall as a dimensional reference, as indicated by the black cursor in the following figure. 8. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 9. Sketch an open section in which the endpoints pass through the Sketcher points provided by the system as shown in the following figure. (Align the horizontal edge to the bottom surface of the side wall if necessary).

Figure 27: Open Section for Flat Wall

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10. Click

[Done] from Sketcher.

11. Click w/Relief > Done . 12. Click Rip relief > Done twice for both ends of the wall. 13. Click Enter Value , type [.05] as the bending radius value and press <ENTER>. 14. Click OK to complete the feature. Task 2. Create an extruded wall on the other end of the model. [Extruded Wall Use Radius].

1. Click

2. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Inside Rad > Done/Return . 3. Click One Side > Done . 4. Select the top white edge to attach the wall, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 28: Attachment Edge for Extruded Wall

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5. Click Default to define the sketching plane 6. Click Flip for the viewing direction. (Arrow should point away from the model). 7. Select the surface indicated by the black cursor in the following figure as a dimensional reference. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 8. Sketch the section as shown in the following figure. Make sure that the endpoint passes through the Sketcher point provided by the system. Align the other end to the dimensional reference that you selected in the previous step.

Figure 29: Section for Extruded Wall

9. Click

[Done] from the Sketcher.

10. Finish the wall definition using Rip relief on both ends. Type [.05] as the bending radius value and press <ENTER>. The part should appear as shown in the following figure. The walls that you created using two different methods look identical.

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Figure 30: Flat and Extruded Walls

Task 3.

Extend the flat wall to the outside of the side walls. [Extended Wall].

1. Click

2. Select the edge indicated by the black cursor in the following figure as the edge to extend. 3. Click Query Sel to select the hidden inside surface of the side wall to define the extension distance.

Select Hidden inside surface of right side wall to define the extension distance

Figure 31: Defining the Geometry to Extend

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4. Click OK . The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 32: Completed Extension

5. Create another wall extension on the other end of the flat wall using the references shown in the following figure.

Figure 33: Defining the Second Wall Extension

Task 4. Use Extruded walls to create tabs on the back wall of the model to close the gap. 1. Click [Extruded Wall No Radius].

2. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return .

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3. Click One Side > Done . 4. Select the attachment edge as shown in the following figure.

Figure 34: Specifying the Attachment Edge

5. Click Default to define the sketching plane 6. Click Okay if the arrow is pointing upward for the viewing direction. (Use Flip if necessary) 7. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 8. Sketch a section consisting of a line and a tangent arc, as shown in the following figure. Sketch the line first and then the tangent arc with the arc center aligned to the horizontal wall surface. Use the dimensioning scheme shown.

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Figure 35: Section for Extruded Wall

9. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken to set the thickness of the wall. Click [Done] from the Sketcher.

10. Click OK to finish the definition of the wall. It should appear as shown in the following figure.(as viewed from the underside of the part)

Figure 36: Tab Created as an Extruded Wall

11. Add another Extruded No Radius wall to the other side of the wall to fully close up the cover. Repeat the above steps. The completed part should appear as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 37: Completed Part

Task 5. Determine if any of the walls that you created overlap in the unbent state of the model. 1. Click [Unbend].

2. Click Regular > Done . 3. Select the top surface of the cover part to remain fixed. 4. Click Unbend All > Done . 5. Click OK to complete the feature. The unbent state of the model should appear as shown in the following figure. If any of the walls overlap, they will be highlighted in red.

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Figure 38: Unbent State

6. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: When creating some secondary wall types, you have the option of having the system automatically apply a radius at the attachment edge. The Use Radius option produces different results depending on the attachment edge selection. You can extrude secondary walls partially along an attachment edge by using the optional Depth element. Automatic relief can be added to walls when necessary.

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Module

Unbend, Bend Back, and Cuts


In this module you learn to create features like sheetmetal cuts in the flat state using a combination of unbend and bend back features.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create unbend features. Create bend back features. Create sheetmetal cut features.

Page 4-1

NOTES

CREATING A REGULAR UNBEND FEATURE


A regular unbend feature unbends the curved surfaces of a part created by walls and bend features. You select a plane or edge to remain fixed while unbending the part. It is good practice to select the same plane or edge each time an unbend or bend back feature is created. This will keep the part in a consistent orientation.

Original Model

Unbend Select

Unbend All

Figure 1: Unbend Sheetmetal Geometry

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CREATING A FLAT PATTERN FEATURE


Flat Pattern is an automatic-unbend feature that unbends the curved surfaces of the part created by walls and bend features. The sheetmetal model is permanently displayed in the fully flat condition once a flat pattern feature is created. You select a plane or edge to remain fixed while unbending the part with a flat pattern feature. The flat pattern feature will automatically reorder itself to be the last feature in the model tree even if walls and bend features are added after the flat pattern was created.

Figure 2: Flat Pattern Feature

The Flat Pattern is an unbend feature created to display the fully flat condition of the design model. A Flat State instance should be created in order to document both the fully formed Design State and the fully flat state of a sheetmetal part.

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CREATING A BEND BACK FEATURE


The bend back feature is used to return an unbent feature to its original condition. When you create a bend back feature, you can specify contours to remain fixed (that is, unbent) by selecting on the edge of that contour.

Figure 3: The Bend Back Feature

Note:
When a sheetmetal wall overlaps and intersects in the unbent position, the system highlights it and issues a warning.

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CREATING SHEETMETAL CUTS


A sheetmetal cut feature enables you to create Thru All and Thru Next cuts. The techniques for creating the cuts are the same as in Part mode. Unlike the solid cut, the sheetmetal cut removes material normal to the green or white side of the model in order to emulate common sheetmetal manufacturing processes. The solid cut removes material normal to the sketching plane.

Solid cut

Sheetmetal cut projected on the white side

Sheetmetal cut projected on green side

Figure 4: Removing Material Using a Sheetmetal Cut

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Dimensioning Scheme
Features may be added to the sheetmetal part while the part is in any design condition (that is, completely bent, completely unbent in its flat condition, or at any stage in-between). It is easier to design sheetmetal parts in the completely bent condition. When you create an unbend feature, it is important to select sketcher references carefully. See the example in the following figure.

Cut created before bend

Cut created after bend and unbend features

When bend is created, new surfaces result. Cut section stays in old surface location.

When bent back, cut section stays with cut feature. The cut could have been created in the bent state.

Figure 5: Creating a Cut in the Flat Condition

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create sheetmetal cuts across bent geometry that result in flat contours.

Method
In this exercise, you create a wall with two bends. You create an unbend feature followed by a sheetmetal cut. A bend back feature is then created, but with a contour remaining flat.

Tools
Icon Description
Primary Wall fly-out icons. Unattached Extruded Wall Done Unbend and Bend back fly-out icons Unbend Bend back

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EXERCISE 1: Creating a Sheetmetal Cut

Figure 6: Sheetmetal Cuts with Flat Contours

Task 1.

Create a new sheetmetal part.

1. Using the default template, create a new sheetmetal part named


UNBEND.

2. Click

[Unattached Extruded Wall].

3. Click Okay to accept the default direction. 4. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Accept the default direction. Select the TOP datum plane as the Top reference plane. 5. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 6. Sketch three line segments using the dimension scheme shown in the following figure.

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Figure 7: Extruded Wall

7. Click

[Done].

8. The arrow should point outward. Click Okay . Type [.5] as the thickness and press <ENTER>. 9. Click Blind > Done . Click OK to complete the feature. Task 2. Create an unbend feature [Unbend].

1. Click

2. Click Regular > Done . 3. Select the surface shown in the following figure to remain fixed.

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Select this surface to remain fixed

Figure 8: Surface to Remain Fixed during Unbend

4. Click Unbend All > Done and click OK to complete the feature. Task 3. Create a Sheetmetal cut on the part.

1. Click Insert> Create > Sheet Metal Cut > Thin from the pulldown menu. 2. Select the large top surface as shown in the following figure as the sketching plane.

Select this surface as the sketching plane

Figure 9: Sketching Plane for Cut

3. Select the FRONT datum plane as the Bottom reference plane. 4. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 5. Sketch three line segments for the cut, and dimension the cut as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 10: Section for Cut

6. Click [Done]. Flip the arrow to point outside the section. Click Okay. 7. Type [0.25] for the width of the cut feature and press <ENTER>. 8. Click Thru Next > Done for the depth of the cut. Click OK to complete the feature. The completed feature should appear as shown in the following figure. Task 4. Create a Bend Back feature. [Bend Back].

1. Click

2. Select the same surface that you used for the unbend feature to remain fixed, as shown in the following figure.

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Select this surface to remain fixed

Figure 11: Specifying the Fixed Surface

3. Click BendBack Sel > Done . 4. Select the unbent surface as shown in the following figure.

Select the unbend surface to bend back

Figure 12: Select References for Bend Back

5. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . 6. Type [yes] at the prompt for the contour to remain flat and press <ENTER>. 7. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 13: Completed Part

8. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned: Selected curved surfaces created by Wall and Bend features can be unbent. A Flat Pattern feature can be used to set the design model to a fully flat condition. An unbent surface can be returned to the bent condition using an Bend Back feature. Sheetmetal cuts can be created Thru All or Thru Next . Sheetmetal cuts always remove material normal to the green or white surface of the model. When bending back a contour, that partially intersects a bend, the system gives you a choice for the contour to remain flat.

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Module

Notches and Punches


In this module you learn how punches and notches are used to create cuts and capture manufacturing information.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create user-defined features. Create notch and punch features using user-defined features.

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NOTES

CREATING NOTCH AND PUNCH USER-DEFINED FEATURES


Notches are used to relieve material that interferes with bending in places such as the corners of flanges. Punches are template cutouts. Punches and notches are manufacturing operations. In Pro/ENGINEER notches and punches are created using cuts and userdefined features (UDF); in manufacturing, each punch or notch has a specific tool that defines its shape. Punches and notches can be used to create cuts and capture manufacturing information such as the tool name. The following figure shows examples of notches and a punch that can be defined with user-defined features (UDF).

Notches

Punch

Figure 1: Sheetmetal Notches and Punch

To create a notch or punch UDF, you use the following parameters that are specific to sheetmetal design and manufacturing: A coordinate system to locate tooling for automated punch and notch operations. A specific tool ID to specify the proper tool for the manufacturing operation. A single sheetmetal cut feature, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 2: Using a Notch UDF

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Using Notch Relief for Design Intent


When you create a sheetmetal part, you add the notch relief before bending. However, you can capture your design intent more accurately by creating the part in the formed state. Instead of adding relief and then creating the wall, you focus on dimensioning the walls to preserve your design intent. Using this method, you increase your regeneration speed by suppressing the notches, since the walls are not children to those entities.

Creating a Punch or Notch UDF


Use the following steps to create a notch or punch UDF: 1. Create a simple sheetmetal part to serve as a reference part. 2. Create a cut feature. Sketch the desired section for the punch or notch. Be sure to include the coordinate system. When you align and dimension, keep in mind the convenience of eventual placement of the UDF. Notes:
If a notch is intended to relieve material in bend areas, create a bend and unbend it. When sketching the cut, align its sides to the bend edges.

Note:
If you set up relations for the feature, it reduces the number of variable dimensions you have to type when placing the punch or notch.

3. Click Feature > UDF Library. The UDF menu displays. 4. Click Create , then type the name of the UDF. The UDF OPTIONS menu displays. 5. Click Stand Alone > Done . 6. The system prompts you to indicate whether you want to include the reference part. If the part is simple, type [Y]; otherwise, type [N]. The UDF STANDALONE dialog box appears.

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7. The UDF FEATS menu appears with Add pre-selected. This, in turn, diplays the SELECT FEAT menu. Select the cut feature, then click Done > Done/Return . 8. Type [Y] when the system prompts you to indicate whether you are defining this UDF for a punch or a notch feature. Note:
If a coordinate system is not included in the feature, the UDF creation is aborted at this point.

9. In response to the system prompt, type the tool name. 10. The SYMMETRY menu displays to define the symmetry of the tool relative to the feature coordinate system. Click one of the options. 11. Respond to prompts for the reference geometry. 12. Click OK in the dialog box. The system creates and stores the UDF. 13. Click Done/Return in the UDF menu.

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NOTES

Notes:
All punch and notch UDF feature attributes, including Tool Name and Symmetry Flags, can be redefined after the UDF has been placed on the base part. When you are creating a table-driven punch/notch group, you can modify any instance Tool Name in the table.

Placing a Punch or Notch Feature


1. Click or .

2. Select the UDF, .gph, from the OPEN dialog box. 3. Specify whether the reference part should be retrieved or not. The GROUP ELEMENTS dialog box dislpays. 4. The SCALE menu appears. Click one of the first two options, then click Done . 5. The DISP OPTION menu displays. Click one of the first three options, then click Done . 6. The SEL REF menu appears. Select the placement references to place the UDF

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use UDFs to simplify the creation of multiple notch features and to incorporate non-constant wall thickness into a sheetmetal part.

Method
In this exercise, you create a cut that is used to define a UDF. The UDF is then used to define notch features in the flat state of another part.

Tools
Icon Description
Unbend and Bend back fly-out icons Unbend Bend back SMT cut Sketcher coordinate system and point fly-out icons Sketcher coordinate system Done Relief fly-out icons Notch

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NOTES

EXERCISE 1: Creating Notches in the Flat State of the Model


Task 1. Unbend the reference part.

1. Open SQUARE_NOTCH_REF.PRT.
Surface to remain fixed

Figure 3: SQUARE_NOTCH_REF.PRT

2. Click

[Unbend].

3. Click Regular > Done . Select the top surface to remain fixed as shown in the above figure. 4. Click Unbend All > Done . 5. Click OK to complete the feature. Task 2. Create a sheetmetal (SMT) cut to define a notch. [SMT cut].

1. Click

2. Select the top surface of the bend to be the sketching plane, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Sketching plane

Bottom reference plane

Figure 4: References for Sheetmetal Cut

3. Click Okay to accept the default direction of viewing the sketching plane. 4. Select the small edge surface of the bend to be the BOTTOM reference plane, as shown in the preceding figure. 5. Specify the references, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Select vertical tangent bend edge as a reference

Select vertical axis A_1 as a reference

Select horizontal axis A_2 as a reference

Figure 5: Sketching the Cut

6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 7. Sketch horizontal and vertical centerlines along the bend axes. 8. Sketch a rectangle, as shown in the above figure. Do not use any other alignments to the part. [Sketcher Coordinate System]. Sketch a coordinate 9. Click system at the intersection of the two centerlines (at the center of the rectangle). 10. Click [Done].

11. Click Okay to remove the material from the inside of the section 12. Click Thru All > Done . 13. Click OK . The part should display, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 6: Completed Cut

Task 3.

Define a UDF from the finished cut.

1. Click Feature > UDF Library > Create and type [square_notch] and press <ENTER>. 2. Click Stand Alone > Done . 3. Type [yes] to include the reference part and press <ENTER>. 4. Select the square sheetmetal cut that you just created in the previous task. 5. Click Done Sel > Done > Done/Return . 6. Type [Y] to confirm that you are defining a UDF for a notch and press <ENTER>. 7. Type [square] as the tool name and press <ENTER>. 8. Click Both to have the tool symmetric about both axes. 9. Enter prompts for the five references, as shown in the following figure. Repaint the screen and use the Next and Previous menu manager options to verify the prompts that you have entered. When you have finished, click Done/Return . Note:
The section of the cut and the axes will be highlighted in blue along with the reference that you are entering the prompt for.

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NOTES
Vertical bend axis (A_1)

Placement plane (vertical bend surface)

End surface (small horizontal bend surface) Vertical bend tangent edge

Horizontal bend axis (A_2)

Figure 7: Defining a UDF from the Cut

10. Click Var Elements > Define from the FEATURE dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 8: Feature Dialog Box

11. Select the square sheetmetal cut feature. 12. Check the MaterialSide option from the SEL ELEMENT dialog box. 13. Click Done . 14. Click Done Sel and OK to complete the UDF.

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NOTES

15. Save the model and close the window. Task 4. Place the UDF on the tuner cover model to create notch relief at the corners. 1. Open TUNER_COVER.PRT. If you did not complete the secondary walls on the part, retrieve NOTCH_TUNER_COVER.PRT. The part opens in the unbent state as shown in the following figure.

Figure 9: The tuner cover part

2. Click

[Notch].

3. Select the SQUARE_NOTCH.GPH file that you just created. Click Open . 4. Type [yes] to retrieve the reference part and press <ENTER>. You can use the reference part to help place the UDF. 5. Click Same Dims > Done > Normal > Done . This defines the group to have the same dimensions as the UDF and displays them so they may be modified.

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NOTES

6. Respond to the prompts by specifying the appropriate references, as shown in the following figure. You can start applying the notch for the lower, right-hand corner of the part.
Vertical bend tangent edge Placement plane

Vertical bend axis

End surface Horizontal bend axis

Figure 10: Adding the Square Relief

7. Click MaterialSide > Define from the FEATURE dialog box. Make sure that the arrow points inside the cut section of the notch. If necessary flip it. Click Okay. 8. Click OK to place the notch UDF. 9. Click Done . The completed notch is shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 11: Defining the Notch

10. Add the notch relief to the other three corners on the part repeating the above steps. Make sure that the Material Side is towards the inside of the cut section when you place the notches.
Add the other three notches

Fixed surface for bend back

Figure 12: Adding Notch Relief to Other Corners

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NOTES

Task 5.

Bend back the model to its formed state. [Bend Back].

1. Click

2. Select the large top surface to remain fixed as shown in the previous figure. 3. Click BendBack All > Done . 4. Click OK to complete the feature as shown in the following figure.

Figure 13: The Completed Part

5. Save the model and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: Notches and punches are created by first defining a UDF. A simple sheetmetal part can be used to define the notch or punch UDF. A coordinate system must be included in the UDF if it is to be used as a notch or punch UDF.

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Module

Duplicating Features
In this module, you learn the different options available for duplicating features in sheetmetal models.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create multiple instances of a feature using patterns. Create and modify instances of a feature using a pattern table. Create instances of a group of different features using local groups.

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NOTES

DUPLICATING FEATURES USING PATTERNS


A Pattern enables you to create many duplicates, or instances, of a single feature, referred to as the lead feature. Using the patterning technique to design your models offers you the following benefits: You can increase your productivity by quickly and easily reproducing a feature multiple times. You can perform operations on an entire pattern, rather than the individual features. For example, you can easily suppress a pattern or add it to a layer. You can control a pattern parametrically by changing pattern parameters such as the number of instances created in one or two directions, or the spacing between instances. You can increase your efficiency by modifying a pattern rather than changing many individual features. In a pattern, when you modify the dimensions in the lead feature, the system changes all instances automatically.

Creating Patterns
Pattern instances can affect the dimensioning scheme of your model and the order in which you create features. Therefore, before using patterns in a model, you should perform some work in advance. In Pro/ENGINEER, you can create two types of patterns to define the location of instances: dimension patterns and reference patterns. With a dimension pattern, you can use dimensions to control the position of the instances. With a reference pattern, you can reference an existing pattern.

Dimension Patterns
The default method for creating a dimension pattern is to increment the driving dimensions of the lead feature as shown in the following figure. After you select the dimensions to increment, you must specify an incremental value for each, as well as the number of instances that the system should pattern in each direction.

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NOTES The Pattern dimension

The lead feature and dimensions

Figure 1: Dimension Pattern

Notes:
When incrementing dimensions to create a dimension pattern, the system creates parameters for the number of instances in each direction as well as the incremental spacing. The dimensioning scheme of the lead feature is important. You cannot add dimensions to increment in the pattern; the system must use the dimensions that already exist in the feature.

Reference Patterns
When you reference an existing pattern in a model, the reference must be the leader of the pattern as shown in the following figure. To create this type of pattern, you choose the Ref Pattern option as the pattern type, and the system creates a pattern of the feature by following the existing pattern.

Note:
Contrary to the dimension pattern, the system does not provide parameters for the number of instances or increment values in a reference pattern. It obtains this information from the pattern that it references. A reference pattern updates automatically when the pattern that it references changes.

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NOTES

Secondary wall built on lead features edge

Figure 2: Reference Pattern

Using Pattern Tables


You can locate the instances of a dimension pattern by using a pattern table. With a pattern table, you control the location of the instances by creating an absolute dimension to the same reference as the leader. You enter the dimensions in tabular format and edit each instances dimensions independently. You can also remove the individual instances from a pattern by removing the entries from the table. This technique enables you to create more complex configurations of instances with unequal spacing or irregular sizes, as shown in the following figure.

Cut location driven by a table

Figure 3: Table-driven Pattern

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NOTES

A Pattern table is useful when: A Pattern is too complex or irregular to use incremental dimensions. The design intent requires you to locate each instance to the same reference, rather than incrementally from the previous instance. Multiple models must share the same pattern. You need to create multiple pattern configurations for different variations of the model.

CREATING LOCAL GROUPS


To pattern multiple features simultaneously, you must create a local group. A Local group allows you to create multiple reference patterns of a set of features so that they behave as a single entity. The Model Tree reflects this grouping as a single feature in the models structure as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Grouping Features

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NOTES

The CORNER CUT group

Figure 5: Creating a Local Group

Note:
You can only group features that are in consecutive order in the regeneration cycle.

Patterning a Local Group


Using the Pattern option in the GROUP menu, you can create a dimension pattern or a reference pattern of a local group, as you would for other patterned features. In some cases, you can use a local group pattern or a regular feature pattern.

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NOTES

Figure 6: Patterning a Local Group

Breaking a Pattern Definition


Once you have created a group pattern, you can use the Unpattern option in the GROUP menu to break the pattern definition without removing the instances that the pattern created. After unpatterning the group, the features continue to behave as one feature, but you can move or delete the individual groups.

Modified location after unpatterning

Figure 7: Unpatterning

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NOTES

Breaking a Pattern Group


To work on individual features, you can break up a group. However, you must unpattern the group before you can ungroup it.

Wall and Round deleted after ungrouping

Figure 8: Ungrouping

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NOTES

Breaking Dimensional Dependency


After unpatterning or ungrouping, the dimensions of the group are still dependent on the leader instance. To break this dependency, you use the Make Indep option in the MODIFY menu.

Breaking Dimensional Dependency of this instance

Figure 9: Breaking Dimensional Dependency

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NOTES

LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use patterns and local groups to duplicate features.

Method
In the first exercise, you modify a pattern of mounting forms by using a pattern table to dimension from the original reference. In the second exercise, you create local groups, then pattern and unpattern them to break the dimensional dependency of the instances.

Tools
Icon Description
Flatten Form

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NOTES

EXERCISE 1: Modifying the Cable Box Pattern

Figure 10: The Finished Model

Task 1. Redefine the pattern of mounting forms and drive the pattern using a table. 1. Open PATTERN_CABLEBOX.PRT. 2. Redefine the pattern of mounting forms. Click Feature > Redefine ; then select one of the mounting forms. 3. Click Pattern > Done . 4. Use a table to drive the pattern. Click To Table ; type [mounts] as the name and press <ENTER>. Click Done/Return and Done. Task 2. Modify the location of an instance independent of the other instances of the pattern. Also, edit the table directly to change the location of the instances. 1. Move one instance in the pattern. Click Modify and select the instance as shown in the following figure. Change the 2.25 dimension to 5.00. Click Regenerate.

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NOTES

Modify this instance

Modify 2.25 dimension

Figure 11: Modifying the Location of an Instance

2. Modify the pattern table. Click Modify > Pattern Table . Select and edit the MOUNTS table using the edit option, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 12: Editing the Mounts Pattern Table

Note:
Pro/TABLE displays the table instances (denoted by the column idx). The * indicates that the value is set by the leader of the pattern.

3. Change the entry in the 2nd column for IDX 1 from * to 1.5. 4. Delete the row for entry IDX 4. Highlight the row. Click Edit > Delete > Rows , and OK .

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NOTES

Figure 13: Pro/TABLE Display for Patterned Mounting Form

5. The edited table should display as shown in the following figure.

Figure 14: Edited Mounts Table

6. Save the file and exit the Pro/TABLE editor. 7. Click OK . Click Regenerate . The system removes the form feature.

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NOTES

Figure 15: Modified Mounting Pattern

Task 3.

Flatten the lead form feature.

1. Create a flatten form feature from the leader of the pattern. Click [Flatten Form]. 2. Select the Form element from the model dialog box and click Define . 3. Select the leader form feature as shown in the following figure. Click Done Sel > Done Refs .

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NOTES

Flatten this form.

Figure 16: Creating a Flatten Form Feature

4. Click OK to complete the feature. Task 4. Define a reference pattern for flattening the other form features of the original pattern. 1. Create a reference pattern for the flatten form feature. Click Feature > Pattern and select the flatten form feature that you just created. The system automatically references the other pattern forms.

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NOTES

Figure 17: Creating a Reference Pattern for the Flatten Form Feature

2. Save the model and erase the part from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Using Groups on the Tuner Cover


Task 1. Pattern the form in the top of the cover.

1. Open ADV_PATTERNS_COVER.PRT. 2. Try to pattern the form in the top of the cover. Click Feature > Pattern . Select the form feature. Warning:
The system warns you that you cannot pattern this feature because the form was placed on the part using the Copy option. When Pro/ENGINEER copies forms, it copies all of the features into the part independently.

Figure 18: ADV_PATTERNS_COVER.PRT

3. Click Quit to exit patterning. Task 2. Group these features so that you can pattern them.

1. Create a local group of the form features. Click Group > Local Group , then type [TOP_FORMS] as the name and press <ENTER>.

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NOTES

2. Specify the features of the form to use in the group. Select the features from the model tree, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 19: Selecting Features for Grouping

3. Click Done Sel > Done to complete creating the group. Task 3. Manipulate the features of the group using various options.

1. Pattern the group. Click Pattern from the GROUP menu. Select TOP_FORMS from the model tree.

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NOTES

Increment these dimensions in the second direction.

Increment these dimensions in the first direction.

Figure 20: Patterning the Group

2. For the first direction, select the 1.00 dimension (locating the form from the front wall). Type [1] as the dimension increment and press <ENTER>. 3. Select the .5 dimension (representing the depth of the form features cut). Type [.2] as the dimension increment and press <ENTER>. 4. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances in this direction and press <ENTER>. 5. For the second direction, select the .70 dimension (locating the form from the right side wall). Type [1] as the dimension increment and press <ENTER>. 6. Select the .63 dimension (representing the width of the form features cut). Type [.2] as the dimension increment and press <ENTER>. 7. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances in this direction and press <ENTER>. 8. Note that all four forms are of different sizes.

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NOTES

Figure 21: Completed Pattern of the Group

Task 4. According to the design intent, you should be able to control each of the forms independently of one another. Break the pattern relationship. 1. Unpattern the group. Click Unpattern from the GROUP menu. Select any of the form instances. 2. Click Done Sel > Done . 3. Click Done/Return > Done to get to the PART menu. 4. Modify one of the forms independently. Change the location of the form feature. Click Modify. Select the form, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Move this form

Figure 22: Breaking the Pattern Relationship

5. Click the 2.00 dimension. Type [2.5] and press <ENTER>. Click Regenerate . 6. Save and erase the model.

Figure 23: Completed Tuner Cover

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned how to: Use Pattern to create instances of a feature. Modify instances of a feature using a pattern table. Use Local Group to duplicate a group of different features.

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Module

Sheetmetal Forms
In this module, you learn how to complete a forming operation to plastically deform a sheetmetal model. Plastic deformation changes the material properties of the metal as it flows under the force of the forming operation.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create form features. Create form parts. Place form features. Create a flatten form feature. Use solid features to show edge treatments.

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NOTES

CREATING FORM FEATURES


To create a form feature, you use reference geometry. You can create two types of sheetmetal forms: die and punch. A die form represents the forming geometry (convex or concave) surrounded by a bounding plane. The surface that surrounds the forming geometrythe base planemust be planar, and the base plane must completely surround the forming geometry. You can reference multiple die forms from a single model. A punch form represents only forming geometry, using the entire model to form the sheetmetal part.

Die Form

Punch Form

Figure 1: Forms

CREATING FORM PARTS


The form model can be a solid part or another sheetmetal part. You start the creation of both types of form models using default datum planes. To make it easier to place the form, the datum planes should intersect at the center of the form feature. If you use a sheetmetal model, the form should conform to the green side of the sheetmetal component. When creating a form model, keep in mind the following: Any convex surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is mated to the sheetmetal geometry.

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NOTES

Convex radius greater than thickness

Figure 2: Convex Surface

Any concave surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is aligned to the sheetmetal geometry.
Concave radius greater than thickness

Figure 3: Concave Surface

The form can contain a combination of convex and concave geometry, creating hollows. It is recommended that the hollows in the form not drop below the base plane or mating surface.

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NOTES

H ollo w ab ove base p lane

Figure 4: Hollows

The model can contain a coordinate system that you can reference to determine where a forming die should strike the part in the manufacturing process.

Creating Rips in the Geometry


Some forming operations consist of two tasks: plastically deforming the sheetmetal and actually cutting the sheetmetal. The following figure shows an example of a cooling fin that is cut through the side of the sheetmetal housing. You can represent the shearing of the material by excluding surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model.

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NOTES

Excluded surface

Figure 5: Shearing Material

Using Multiple Forms on a Single Die Model


In some cases, it may be more convenient to store multiple forms on a single form die model.

Figure 6: Using Multiple Forms in a Single Die Model

For Pro/ENGINEER to distinguish one set from another, however, you must specify a seed surface. The seed surface gathers all surfaces that are surrounded by the base plane to create the form. You must select the seed surface in all die forms, even if there is only one set of form geometry.

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NOTES

Seed surface

Base plane

Figure 7: Specifying a Seed Surface

Using Multiple Forms on a Single Punch Model


To reduce the number of models stored for punch forms, you create a punch model with two sides, as shown in the following figure. You select one side or the other, with respect to the mating surface that you use in the punch model.

Figure 8: Using Both Sides of a Punch Model


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NOTES

PLACING FORM FEATURES


When placing a form feature, you should consider the design intent, particularly in terms of how the form feature references other features in the model, as well as how it is referenced when you place it. The system uses assembly type constraints to determine the location of the form feature on the model. If you move a feature that the form references, the system updates the forms location parametrically.

Placing By Reference
You can place a form feature so that it references the original forming model at all times. If the original form model changes, the geometry on the sheetmetal part also changes. If the sheetmetal model cannot find the referenced form model, the system freezes the geometry on the component.

Copying the Geometry


When you do not want to associate the geometry of the form to the reference model, you can place the form model by copying all of the form geometry into the sheetmetal model. This copy operation creates a completely independent version of the form geometry; therefore, when you make a change to the form, the system does not reflect it in the component.

FLATTENING FORM FEATURES


In some cases, you may have to return a sheetmetal model to its original flat state after you have placed form features on it. The form features do not get flattened along with the bend features in the model. You can use [Flatten Form] to flatten the form geometry in the model.

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NOTES

Figure 9: Flattening the Form

Note:
You should use the as a tool to create the flatten form feature, not to reduce regeneration time.

CREATING EDGE TREATMENTS


Some solid features are available for use in sheetmetal parts. They can be added in Sheetmetal mode, as well as in Part and Assembly modes. Holes, rounds, chamfers, cuts, and protrusions are available. All features can be placed on white surfaces and edges, as well as green surfaces and edges. You can create solid features, such as round and chamfers, to denote multiple types of sheetmetal geometry (for example, a radius in the corner of a cut). You can also use them to show edge treatments in order to make the sheetmetal a nonconstant wall thickness, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 10: Edge Treatments

Determining the Developed Length


If you apply an edge treatment to the edge of a sheetmetal model using a forming operation such as rolling, you must adjust the developed length of that model. Using the optional Edge Treatment element of [Flatten Form], you can adjust the length based on the volume of material that you remove, as shown in the following figure.

Chamfer

Model shortened to keep same volume

Figure 11: Determining the Developed Length

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NOTES

LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to reference the geometry in another model to create form features in a sheetmetal part.

Method
In the first exercise, you use two different form models to create geometry in a sheetmetal part. In the second exercise, you place a die form that represents louvers on a part for ventilation.

Tools
Icon Description
Form fly-out icons Form Flatten Form SMT cut Unbend fly-out icons Unbend

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NOTES

EXERCISE 1: Adding Forms to the Cable Box

Figure 12: Form Geometry

Task 1.

Create the formed feature for the recess on the cover part.

1. Open SHEET_FORM_CABLEBOX.PRT. 2. Click [Form]. Click Die > Reference > Done .

3. Open MOUNT_FORM.PRT for the referencing geometry. The form part opens in a second window along with a component placement window. 4. Click Mate from the PLACE menu. Select the top surface of the form and the underside surface on the cable box part, as shown in the following figure. 5. Click Align Offset from the PLACE menu. Select FRONT on the form part, Yellow from the DTM ORIENT menu and the front wall of the cable box, as shown in the following figure. Type [2] as the offset value and press <ENTER>. 6. Click Align Offset from the PLACE menu. Select SIDE on the form part, Yellow from the DTM ORIENT menu and the inside surface of the left wall in the cable box, as shown in the following figure. Type [.75] as the offset value and press <ENTER>.

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NOTES

Mate top of form to the underside of cable box

Align Offset FRONT and the front of cable box by 2

Align Offset SIDE and the left wall inside surface of cable box by .75

Figure 13: Assembling the Form to the Cable Box

Note:
If you have selected the wrong constraint or entered the wrong value, use the COMPONENT PLACEMENT window to redefine it.

7. The Message Window prompts, Form feature can now be placed. Click Show Placement from the MOD COMP PLACE menu to preview the placement of the form, then click Done to complete the placement. 8. Refer to the MOUNT_FORM.PRT in the sub-window. Select the top surface of the form as the boundary plane, as shown in the following figure. Select the round that touches the bounding plane as the seed surface.

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NOTES Select these surfaces to exclude

Seed Surface (Round)

Boundary Plane (Top planar surface)

Figure 14: Seed and Boundary Surfaces

9. Click Exclude Surf > Define from the model dialog box. Select the three surfaces to exclude, as shown in the above figure. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . 10. Click Preview to preview the form feature. Click OK to complete placing the form.

Figure 15: Completed Form Feature

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Task 2.

Create multiple instances of the form.

1. Click Feature > Pattern . Select the form that you just placed.

Figure 16: Patterning the Form

2. Select the 2.00 dimension and increment the value by 4. Click Done . Type [3] as the total number of instances for the first direction and press <ENTER>. 3. Select the 0.75 dimension and increment the value by 1.5. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances for the second direction and press <ENTER>. Task 3. Create the knockouts on the side of the box as a pattern of form features. 1. Click [Form].

2. Click Punch > Reference > Done . 3. Open COAX_FORM.PRT as the reference part. 4. Place the form on the cable box using the assembly constraints, as shown in the following figures.

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NOTES Align offset FRONT (Yellow side) datum with inside surface of the back wall. Enter [3] as value.

Mate offset hidden surface on form with right wall surface on the cable box. Enter [.04] as value.

Align offset TOP datum (Yellow side) with top surface of the box. Enter [1.25] as value.

Figure 17: Punch Form References

5. Click Show Placement > Done . Flip the arrow towards the model and click Okay.

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NOTES

Figure 18: Placing the punch form

6. Select the optional Exclude Surf element in the FORM dialog box and click Define . 7. Select the two cylindrical surfaces to exclude from the form feature, as shown in the following figure.

Exclude two side cylindrical surfaces

Figure 19: Exclude Surfaces

8. Click OK to complete the punch form feature.

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NOTES

Task 4.

Duplicate the punch form feature.

1. Click Feature > Pattern . Select the knock out form feature that you just created.

Increment by 1 to create two instances

Figure 20: Patterning the punch form

2. Select the 3.00 dimension as the dimension to increment in the first direction. 3. Type an increment value of [1] and press <ENTER>. 4. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances press <ENTER>. 5. Click Done when asked for the second direction. The completed part should appear as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 21: Completed Cable Box

6. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Placing Louvers (Challenge Exercise)

Figure 22: Ventilation Louvers

Task 1. Add the form model as a reference die form, pattern the form, and mirror the part. 1. Open FORM_BOX.PRT. 2. Add the FORM_LOUVER.PRT form model as a Die By Reference . Locate the form, as shown in the following figure. Exclude the surface to create a vent opening.

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NOTES Boundary plane

Seed (Round) surface

Excluded surface Align offset DTM1, yellow side from this top surface of the box by 1.0 Align offset the yellow side of DTM2 from this hidden surface of the box by 2.5

Mate these surfaces

Figure 23: Form References

3. Pattern the form to match the dimensioning scheme shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 24: Patterning the Form

4. Click Feature > Mirror Geom to mirror the part. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 25: Mirroring the Part

5. Save the part and erase it from memory.


Sh e etmet al Fo rm s Pag e 7- 21

NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned: You use a reference model to create a form feature. A form model can be a solid part or a sheetmetal part. You can represent rips or the shearing of the material by excluding surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model. The [Flatten Form] option is used to flatten form geometry in the sheetmetal model.

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Module

Bend Features
In this module, you learn how to develop a sheetmetal model from the flat definition and then add bends and other geometry to reflect the true manufacturing process.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create Angle or Roll type bends on flat geometry. Add bend line adjustment to obtain the desired location of the bend feature. Create hem features.

Page 8-1

NOTES

CREATING BEND FEATURES


A bend feature adds a bend to a flat section of the part. A bend cannot be added where it crosses another bend feature. There are two types of bend options.

Angle Bend
An Angle type bend creates a bend with a specified radius and angle, as shown in the following figure. An angle appears along the axis of the radius to show bend direction. The angle can be flipped to change the direction of bending.

Figure 1: Bend Feature Using the Angle Option

Roll Bend
A Roll type bend creates a bend with a specified radius, but the resulting angle will be determined by the radius and the amount of material to bend, as shown in the following figure.
Fixed Side

Bend Side

Figure 2: Bend Feature Using the Roll Option

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NOTES

For each Angle or Roll bend there are three options to choose from Regular , W/Transit , and Planar .

Regular Bend Option


A regular bend creates a bend with no transitional surfaces.

W/Transit (With Transition) Bend Option


A bend with a transition deforms the surface between the bend and an area that is to remain flat, as shown in the following figure.
Bend line

Transition lines Surfaces remain fixed

Figure 3: Bend with Transition

Planar Bends
A planar bend creates a bend feature around an axis that is perpendicular to the green surface and sketching plane, as shown in the following figure. The neutral point for planar bends is placed according to the current yfactor, and bend tables are not applicable.

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES

Axis normal to surface

Figure 4: Planar Bend

You can specify automatic bend relief for bend features using the w/Relief option. The system highlights each end of the bend entity for specifying bend relief. You can also create a bend or unbend feature over a form feature, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 5: Bend over a Form Feature

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NOTES

ADDING BEND LINE ADJUSTMENT


A bend line is used as a reference point for developed length calculation when creating bend geometry. The location of the resulting wall depends on which side of the bend line you create the bend as shown in the following figures.

Bend Side and Fixed Side

Figure 6: Bend Side Down

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES

Bend Side

Fixed Side

Figure 7: Bend Side Up

Bend Side (Both) Fixed Side

Figure 8: Both Sides


Pag e 8- 6 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

NOTES

You can control the location of a bend feature by adding a bend line adjustment (BLA). BLA is the dimension that locates the sketched bend line from a reference. It can be modified to manipulate the placement of the bend. For two surfaces to be coplanar, the developed length of the bend (L) would have to be equal to the sum of the inside radius (R) and the thickness (T), as shown in the following figure.

These surfaces are not coplanar

BS

FS

L = developed length of bend R = inside bend radius T = material thickness

Figure 9: Zero BLA

Since the system calculates both the radius of the bend and developed length of the bend, a relation can be written to drive the BLA. Any change to the model will be reflected in the bend line placement, as shown in the following figure.

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES

BLA = L - (R + T)
These surfaces are coplanar

BS

FS

Figure 10: Relationship for BLA

CREATING HEMS
A hem is a finishing feature used to bend sharp edges of a sheetmetal part. There are five types of hem options.
Open Hem

The open hem option bends and flattens a section of sheetmetal wall 180 about a selected edge. You can define the radius of the bend and the width of the wall to be bent, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 11: Open Hem

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NOTES Flushed Hem

The flushed hem option sets the radius of the bend to be equal to the thickness of the wall. You have to define the width of the wall to be bent as shown in the following figure.

Figure 12: Flushed Hem

The duck hem option interlocks and flattens two pieces of sheetmetal to make them coplanar. This is sometimes more useful than using a single large piece of sheetmetal. You define the bend radii, the bend angle, the overall width, and the offset for a duck hem, as shown in the following figure.
Duck Hem

Figure 13: Duck Hem

The C hem option is similar to the open hem option, but you define an offset from the plane of the sheetmetal wall containing the select edge for bending, thus creating a C-shaped hem.
C Hem

Figure 14: C Hem

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES Z Hem

The Z hem option bends a section of sheetmetal wall about a selected edge twice (double hem) to create a Z shaped hem, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 15: Z Hem

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NOTES

LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create a model in Sheetmetal mode entirely with flat walls and bends.

Method
In this exercise, you create a part with flat walls and then bend the geometry into shape using a combination of Angle and Roll bends. Then you add rounds and hems to finish the part.

Tools
Icon Description
Bend fly-out icons Bend Hem Primary wall fly-out icons Unattached Flat Wall Unbend fly-out icons Unbend Bend back Flat Wall fly-out icons Flat Wall No Radius Done Apply changes and close; Commit and Exit

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES

EXERCISE 1: Creating a Model in the Flat

Figure 16: Final Geometry

Task 1.

Create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall as the base feature.

1. Create a new sheetmetal part named CLIP using the default template. 2. Click [Unattached Flat Wall].

3. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Click Okay. Select the TOP datum plane as the Top reference plane. 4. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 5. In Sketcher, click Utilities > Sketcher Preferences from the pulldown menu. 6. Click the Parameters tab and change the Num Digits value to [3]. Click [Apply changes and close].

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NOTES

7. Sketch the section, as shown in the following figure. Hint:


Sketch a centerline aligned to the Right datum plane and make the Tsection symmetric about the centerline using the [Constraints] option.

Figure 17: Sketching the First Base Feature

8. Click

[Done]. Type a thickness of [0.01] and press <ENTER>. Click OK to complete the feature.

Task 2. Create a roll bend with transition areas where the clip attaches to the pencil. 1. Click [Bend].

2. Click Roll > w/ Transition > Done. 3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Inside Rad > Done/Return .

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 13

NOTES

4. Select the green side of the part as the sketching plane. Click Okay for the viewing direction, and select the lower edge of the T as the Bottom reference plane. 5. Select left hand surface and bottom surface of the T as the dimensional references, as shown in the following figure. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 6. Sketch the single vertical bend line, then dimension it, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 18: Sketching the Bend Line for the Roll

7.

Click [Done]. When the system prompts you to indicate which side to create the feature, click Both to center the roll bend on the sketched line, then click Okay to fix the area. Note:
The system grays out the previous sketch, waiting for you to sketch the transition areas. The first line that you sketch for a transition area dictates the side that should remain bent.

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NOTES

8. Select the dimensional references, as shown in the following figure. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch two horizontal lines.

Figure 19: Sketching Transitional Areas

9.

Click [Done]. When the system prompts you to define another transition area, type [no] and press <ENTER>.

10. Click Enter Value . Type [0.16] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should appear as shown in the following figure. Note that the bend starts its transition at the first sketched line and is completely flat at the second.

Bend Featu r es

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NOTES

Select the front green edge to remain fixed while unbending

Figure 20: Roll Bend with Transition

Task 3. Create an Unbend All feature, add two additional walls without a radius, and bend back the geometry. 1. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done . Select the edge indicated in the previous figure to remain fixed. 2. Click Unbend All > Done . Click OK . Note that the bend axis is now visible. 3. Create a flat wall attached to the lower edge. Click No Radius]. [Flat Wall

4. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return . Select the lower green edge of T as the attachment edge. 5. Click Okay to accept the viewing direction. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 6. Sketch three lines to complete the wall section with a centerline aligned to the axis of the bend to make the sketch symmetric. Also, make sure the two line entities on either side of the centerline are of equal length, as shown in the following figure. Note:
Do not sketch a line over the attachment edge between the two sketch points. There should be only three line entities and a centerline aligned to the bend axis.

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NOTES

Figure 21: Sectioning the Additional Wall

7. Click

[Done]. Click OK to complete the feature.

8. Create another flat wall repeating the above steps, as shown in the following figure.

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 17

NOTES

Figure 22: Second Additional Wall Section

9. Create a bend back feature to bend back all of the geometry. Click [Bend Back]. 10. Select the same front green edge on the left-hand side of the T wall that you used for the Unbend feature to remain fixed. 11. Click BendBack All > Done . Click OK to complete the feature. The part should display as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 23: Clip after Creating the Two Additional Flat Walls

Task 4. Create a series of angular bends on the lower portion of the clip to fold up the various walls. 1. Click [Bend].

2. Click Angle > Regular > Done. 3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Outside Rad > Done/Return . 4. Select the green side of the wall that you just created in the previous task as the sketching plane. 5. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction. Select the lowest horizontal green edge as the Bottom reference plane. 6. Select the two vertices, as shown in the following figure.

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 19

NOTES

Side to remain fixed Sketch this line

Side to create bend feature

Select these vertices as dimensional references and align the sketched line to them

Figure 24: Creating a 90-Degree Bend

7. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. 8. Sketch a horizontal line aligned to the two vertices that you selected as references in the previous step, as shown in the previous figure. 9. Click [Done].

10. Create the bend feature below the sketched line. Click Flip from the BEND SIDE menu, so that the arrow points down below the sketched line. Click Okay. 11. Click Okay from the DIRECTION menu to accept the area above the sketched line as the side to remain fixed. 12. Click No Relief > Done . 13. Rotate the model to view the bend angle of 90 degrees. Click Flip , if necessary. Click Done . Tip:
The most effective way to work with bend angles is to choose a direction, preview the bend, and then flip, if necessary.

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NOTES

14. Type [0.012] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. Click Preview . Make sure the bend is in the correct direction. Click OK to complete the feature. 15. Create a vertical bend. Click 16. Click Angle > Regular > Done. 17. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Outside Rad > Done/Return . 18. Select the green side of the wall that you just created in the previous task as the sketching plane. 19. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction. Select the bottom green surface of the bent wall as the Bottom reference plane. 20. Delete the existing reference from the REFERENCES dialog box. Select the bottom edge and the left edge as dimensional references, as shown in the following figure. [Bend].

Sketch this line Bend side

Fixed side

Align to edges, not to vertices

Figure 25: Creating the Second 90-Degree Bend

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 21

NOTES

21. Sketch the vertical bend line and dimension it, as shown in the previous figure. 22. Create the bend on the left-hand side of the line toward the outside of the model. Click Flip > Okay . 23. Click Okay to set the right-hand side as the side to be fixed. Click No relief > Done . Accept the 90 -degree angle. 24. Click Flip if necessary to create the bend on the correct side. Click Done . 25. Type [0.012] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. Click Preview . Make sure the bend is in the correct direction. Click OK to complete the feature. 26. Create the another vertical bend on the other side of the clip using the same sketching and reference planes as the previous bend that you just created. Repeat the above steps that you used for the previous vertical bend. The part should appear as shown in the following figure. Hint:
You can use the Use Prev option when prompted to select the sketching and reference plane. This will use the sketching and reference plane that you selected for the previous bend.

Top reference plane

Sketching plane (green side)

Figure 26: Specifying the Sketching Plane and Top Reference Plane

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NOTES

27. Create a 90 angular bend on the bottom wall. Click 28. Click Angle > Regular > Done. 29. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Outside Rad > Done/Return .

[Bend].

30. Select the green side of the bottom wall as the sketching plane. Click Okay to accept the viewing direction. Select the white side of the larger flat wall as the TOP reference plane, as shown in the previous figure. 31. Delete the existing references in the REFERENCES dialog box. Select the dimensional references, as shown in the following figure. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box.
Bend side

Fixed side Select the small horizontal edge as dimensional reference

Select the vertical edge as dimensional reference

Select the vertical edge as dimensional reference

Figure 27: Creating the Next 90-Degree Bend

32. Sketch a bend line and dimension it, as shown in the above figure. Click [Done].

33. Make sure the bend side is the above the sketched line, as shown in the above figure. Click Okay . 34. Click Flip if necessary to fix the side below the sketched line. Click Okay. 35. Click No Relief > Done . Accept the 90 -degree angle.

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 23

NOTES

36. Click Flip if necessary to create the bend on the correct side. Click Done . 37. Type [0.012] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. Click Preview . Make sure the bend is in the correct direction. Click OK to complete the feature. 38. Create the final 90 bend using the approach that you used to create the previous bend. Use the information shown in the following figure to complete the bend feature.

Sketch this line

Bend side

Fixed side

Figure 28: Creating the Last Bend

Task 5. Create solid rounds on the sharp corners of the bottom portion of the clip.
1.

Click Insert> Round > Simple > Done . Chain > Done.

Click Constant > Edge

2.

Click Tangent Chain and select the four edges, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Select these edges to create the round

Figure 29: Specifying the Edges for the Round

3. Click Done . Type [0.012] as the radius and press <ENTER>. 4. Click OK to complete the feature. Task 6. Add hems to finish creating the clip part. [Hem].

1. Click

Select this outer edge as a hem reference

Select this outer edge as a hem reference

Figure 30: Selecting Hem Reference Edges

2. Select the outer edge of the left wall as the edge reference. Click Done . Click Done again to accept the direction of the hem. 3. Click Okay to accept upward direction of the horizontal plane.

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 25

NOTES

4. Change the radius to [0.012] and press <ENTER>, as shown in the following figure.

5. Click

[Commit and Exit] to complete the hem.

6. Create another hem using the outer edge of the right hand side bend as reference. Repeat the above steps. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Figure 31: Finished Hem

7. Save the file and erase it from memory.

Bend Featu r es

Pag e 8- 27

NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: An angle type bend creates a bend with a specified radius and angle. A roll type bend creates a bend with a specified radius, but the resulting angle will be determined by the radius and the amount of material to bend. A regular bend creates a bend with no translational surfaces. A bend with transition deforms the surface between the bend and an area that is to remain flat. Planar bends create a bend feature around an axis that is perpendicular to the green surface and sketching plane. You can specify automatic relief for a bend feature. You can control the location or placement of a bend feature by adding bend line adjustment. You can create finishing features like solid rounds and chamfers and hems to remove sharp corners and edges of a sheetmetal part.

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Module

Unbending Sheetmetal Geometry


In this module, you learn to unbend deformed sheetmetal geometry.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Unbend ruled geometry. Unbend non-ruled geometry. Add tears to geometry. Create deformation areas.

Page 9-1

NOTES

UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY


Depending on the complexity of the sheetmetal design model, to unbend the geometry you can: Create a regular unbend feature to unbend ruled geometry. Create a cross section driven unbend feature to unbend non-ruled geometry. Create tears in geometry by ripping. Create deformation areas.

Unbending Ruled Geometry


You can unbend ruled bends and walls in the sheetmetal model using the Regular unbend feature. The material must be unbendable or developable in order for the system to successfully create an unbend feature. You cannot unbend non-ruled surfaces using a regular unbend feature.

Unbending Non-ruled Geometry


To unbend non-ruled sheetmetal geometry, you can create the crosssection driven unbend feature, as shown in the following figure. The cross section term refers to the curve that you use to influence the shape of the unbent wall.

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NOTES

Selected curve Sketched section

Figure 1: Cross Section Driven Unbend Feature

Note:
The system does not determine a developed length for cross sectional driven unbends.

Adding Tears to the Geometry


Using the following methods, you can unbend sheetmetal geometry by tearing it:

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 3

NOTES

Cut the geometry by creating a sketched section to use as the rip line.
Regular Rip

Sketch

Rip created

Figure 2: Regular Rip

Select existing edges to define references for a zero volume cut.


Edge Rip

Figure 3: Edge Rip

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NOTES

Surface Rip

Select a surface patch on the geometry and exclude the entire surface from the model by creating a cut in the geometry.

Corner removed using a surface rip

Edge rip added along this edge

Figure 4: Surface Rip

Creating Deformation Areas


When creating a regular unbend feature, Pro/ENGINEER highlights geometry that it is going to deform as a result of the operation. If the deformed surface does not extend to the edges of the model, you must specify a surface to deform so that it does extend to its boundaries, as shown in the following figure.

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 5

NOTES

Select this surface

Figure 5: Selecting an Area to Deform

If an appropriate surface does not exist on the model, you can break up a surface into multiple patches by creating a deformation area, then specify this area as the area to deform during the unbend operation. This gives you the advantage of creating geometry that closely reflects the developed part, as shown in the following figure.

Deformation only in these areas

Developed length calculated

Figure 6: Deformation Areas

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NOTES

The developed lengths of the unbent geometry reflect the proper values. Pro/ENGINEER approximates the geometry in the deformation area by attaching the vertices with a line segment. The geometry does not become thinner or thicker. Pro/ENGINEER also enables you to sketch the deformed geometry since the flat pattern is typically determined empirically. The part shown in the following figure has a deform area defined and the default flat pattern is shown on the right-hand side.

Figure 7: Flat State with Automatic Deform Control

By redefining the Deform Control element in the FEATURE dialog box, you can sketch the deform area's shape using the current sketcher constraints. In the following figure, a tangent arc has been sketched to change the deformed geometry.

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 7

NOTES

Figure 8: Flat State with Manual Deform Control

In addition to using the Deform Area feature during unbending, you can also use it to define edges for edge rips, or to split surfaces for bend line development.

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NOTES

LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to unbend both ruled and non-ruled geometry.

Method
In the first exercise, the geometry contains some walls with curvature in two directions. You cannot automatically unbend the walls using the Regular Unbend option. You deform some surfaces to unbend the part and then extend the deformation to the outside of the model. In the second exercise, you use the cross section driven unbend feature to unbend the part. In the third exercise, you create a deformation area feature to unbend the part.

Tools
Icon Description
Unbend and Bend back fly-out icons Unbend Form fly-out icons Deform Area Edge fly-out icons Use Edge Done

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 9

NOTES

EXERCISE 1: Creating a Regular Unbend Feature


Task 1. Open the TRANS sheetmetal part and create a Regular Unbend feature by selecting deformation areas. 2. Open TRANS.PRT. 3. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done .

4. Select the surface to remain fixed, as shown in the following figure. Click Unbend All > Done .
Surface to remain fixed (can be the white or green side)

Figure 9: Specifying Surface to Remain Fixed

5. Pro/ENGINEER highlights two of the curved surfaces on the model and warns you that some deformation surfaces do not reach outside the part. Select the surfaces to deform, as shown in the following figure.

Select these surfaces adjacent to the boundary (green or white)

Figure 10: Specifying Additional Surfaces to Deform

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NOTES

6. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . 7. Click OK to complete the feature. The unbent part should appear as shown in the following figure

Figure 11: Finished Model

8. Save the file and erase it from memory.

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 11

NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Cross Sectional Unbend

Figure 12: Cross Sectional Unbend

Task 2.

Open XSEC.PRT and unbend the left-hand side of the part.

1. Open XSEC.PRT. 2. Click [Unbend]. Click Xsec Driven > Done .

3. You are prompted to select the fixed edges. Click Surf Chain in the CHAIN menu. Select the surface shown in the following figure.

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NOTES Select these two vertices

Select this surface for Surf Chain

These edges make the desired chain

Figure 13: References for First Unbend

4. Click From-To . Select the highlighted vertices shown in the above figure. Click Next or Accept to select the three edges for the chain, as shown in the above figure. 5. Click Done when the chain has been selected. 6. You are asked to specify a curve to control the cross sections. Click Select Curve > Done . 7. Select the same three edges for the curve. Click Done . 8. Keep the inside area fixed (right side of curve). Click OK . The part should display, as shown in the following figure.

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 13

NOTES

Figure 14: First Unbend

Task 3. unbend.

Unbend the right-hand side of the part with a cross section

1. Create another Xsec Driven unbend feature. When prompted to select fixed edges, click One by One in the CHAIN TYPE menu. Select the edge shown in the following figure. Click Done .

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NOTES Select this edge for the second unbend

Select this surface as the sketching plane for the control curve

Figure 15: References for Second Unbend

2. Click Sketch Curve > Done . Select the surface shown in the above figure as the sketching plane and DTM3 as the Bottom reference plane. 3. Select the following vertices as dimensional references. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch a line as the control curve section, as shown in the following figure.

Sketch line referencing these vertices

Fixed Side

Figure 16: Section for Cross Section Unbend

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 15

NOTES

4. Click

[Done].

5. Select the side shown in the previous figure to keep fixed, then click OK to complete the unbend. (Click Flip if necessary). The finished part should display as shown in the following figure.

Figure 17: Completed Part

6. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 3: Creating a Deformation Area

Figure 18: Final Geometry

Task 1. feature.

Open DEFORM_AREA.PRT and create a Regular Unbend

1. Open DEFORM_AREA.PRT. 2. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done . Select the surface to be fixed as shown in the following figure.

Select this surface to remain fixed

Figure 19: Specifying Surface to Remain Fixed

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 17

NOTES

3. Click Unbend All > Done . Pro/ENGINEER highlights the deformed surfaces inside the model. Select the surfaces to deform when unbending, as shown in the following figure.

Select these surfaces to deform

Figure 20: Specifying Surface to Deform

4. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . 5. Click OK to complete the unbend. The unbent part should display, as shown in the following figure.

Distorted surfaces

Figure 21: Distorted Surfaces Resulting from Automatic Selection

6. Delete this undesirable unbend feature.

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NOTES

Task 2. Create deformation areas; then use one of the deformation areas to create a Regular Unbend feature. 1. Click
[ Deform

Area] .

2. Select the front surface for a sketching plane and DTM1 to face the Right side of the screen, as shown in the following figure.

Sketching Plane

Figure 22: Selecting the Sketching Plane

3. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Click Yes from the MISSING REFERENCES dialog box. 4. Sketch the deformation area shown in the following figure. Click [Use Edge]. Select the curves. Click Close . Sketch two lines connecting the vertices of the two arcs.

Select these curves for Use Edge

Figure 23: Deformation Area Sketch

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 19

NOTES

5. Click [Done]. Click OK to complete the deform area feature. A second identical deform area feature has already been created on the opposite side of the model for you. 6. Create a Regular Unbend feature. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done . Specify the top surface to remain fixed, as shown in the following figure.
Fixed surface

Deform area (similar surface on other side)

Figure 24: Specifying the Deformation Area

7. Select the deformation areas as the additional surfaces to deform, as shown in the previous figure. Click Done Sel > Done Refs .

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NOTES

Figure 25: Unbent Geometry with Deformation Areas

8. Click OK to complete the feature. Note that the system isolated the large deformation in the deformation areas, which it was forced to stretch considerably, as shown in the above figure. 9. Save the part and erase it from memory.

Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry

Pag e 9- 21

NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned: A regular unbend feature can be used to unbend ruled geometry. A cross section driven bend can be used to unbend non-ruled geometry. Rip features can be created to enable sheetmetal geometry to be unbent. When creating a regular unbend feature, Pro/ENGINEER highlights geometry that it is going to deform as a result of the operation. If the deformed surface does not extend to the edges of the model, you must specify a surface or deformation area to deform so that it does extend to its boundaries

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Module

Sheetmetal Design Environment


In this module, you learn to configure the Pro/SHEETMETAL design environment to effectively capture design intent when designing sheetmetal models.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model. Setup bend tables. Specify a default radius for bends. Specify default fixed geometry for unbend and bend back features

Page 10-1

NOTES

CALCULATING DEVELOPED LENGTH


When you unbend a sheetmetal model, the developed length that Pro/ENGINEER calculates may not be appropriate for your particular manufacturing process. You can override the bend calculation by modifying the bend. If you change the dimension of the developed length manually to override the system calculation, you can reset it at any time in the design cycle.

Using the Default Formula


Pro/ENGINEER uses a standard bend formula to calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model. If you currently use this formula to calculate the developed length of bends, you should not need to make any further adjustments: L = (/2 x R + yfactor x T) /90 where: L = developed length R = inside radius T = material thickness = bend angle

The y-factor
The developed length calculation includes a parameter called the y-factor, which is a ratio based on the neutral bend line with respect to the thickness of the material, as illustrated in the following figure. The y-factors default value is 0.50, but you can modify it using the following methods: Enter a new value using sheetmetal setup menu option. Enter a new value for the K-factor (default is 0.318310) Specify a new value using the configuration file option
INITIAL_BEND_Y_FACTOR. This setting only affects new parts.

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A. Before the Bend B. After the Bend 1. Neutral bend line

y factor = ( / 2) * K factor K factor = / T

Figure 1: The y-factor

Using Bend Tables


Instead of using the default formula to calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model, you can use a bend table. Bend tables consist of tabulated data, as shown in the following figure, with the radii in columns across the top and varying thicknesses in rows. The body of the table documents the various developed lengths. If the radius and thickness exactly match the values in the table, the system uses the exact value. If a value falls between two table values, it is interpolated. If a value is outside the table, it uses the tables formula, if it has one. If it does not have a table formula, it uses the default formula and the y-factor.

Figure 2: Radius and Thickness Entries


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NOTES

Tip:
To be sure that the bend table uses the same material type that you have specified in the SETUP menu, you can assign materials within the bend table to check the material properties of the sheetmetal model.

Predefined Bend Tables


The three bend tables listed below are available with Pro/ENGINEER. You can use them without changing them, or use them as a starting point to develop your own company standard table.
TABLE1 Used for Soft Brass and Copper, as shown in the following

figure.
TABLE2 Hard Brass, Copper, Soft Steel, and Aluminum TABLE3 Hard Copper, Bronze, Cold Rolled Steel, and Spring Steel

Figure 3: Standard Bend Table

You can customize the standard bend tables to suit your company standards. You can setup the materials and conversion factors when

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You can customize the standard bend tables to suit your company standards. You can setup the materials and conversion factors when customizing a bend table. An example of a customized bend table is shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Customized Table

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SETTING UP DEFAULT BEND RADIUS

Figure 5: Setting up parameters

To incorporate the company standards for your sheetmetal models, you can use the parameter SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS to define a default radius for bend features. When you add this parameter to your model, the system makes the By Param option available. If you choose this option when adding bends or using radius walls, the system automatically adds a relation to drive the dimension.

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NOTES

Notes:
If you sketch a bend in Sketcher, you cannot make the dimension equal to the default radius parameter. You must manually write a relationship to drive the bend with the default parameter. If the value of the default radius is changed, all of the radii that you set using the By Param option and any relations that you wrote using the parameter automatically updates.

SETTING DEFAULT FIXED GEOMETRY


When unbending and bending back sheetmetal geometry, it is always good practice to specify the same surface or edge to remain fixed. You can use the SETUP menu option Fixed Geom to automatically specify the same reference when creating unbend and bend back features.

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use set up options to control the default bend radius, default fixed geometry, and developed length.

Method
In the first exercise, you calculate and modify the developed length of a sheetmetal part. In the second exercise, you setup the default bend radius, fixed geometry and a bend table to configure the sheetmetal design environment.

Tools
Icon Description
Unbend and Bend back fly-out icons Unbend Bend back Flat Wall fly-out icons Flat Wall Use Radius Extended Wall Done

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EXERCISE 1: Calculating the Developed Length of a Sheetmetal Part


Task 1. Open the MEASURE part and create an unbend feature.

1. Open MEASURE.PRT. 2. Create a regular unbend all feature. Click [Unbend]. Complete the unbend feature using the surface indicated in the following figure as the fixed surface.

Select this surface to remain fixed

Figure 6: Specifying the Fixed Surface

Task 2.

Measure the length of the fixed part.

1. Click Analysis > Measure . 2. Click Distance on the TYPE drop-down list in the MEASURE dialog box. Specify the FROM and TO surfaces shown in the following figure using Query Sel .

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Select this hidden surface as the From reference

Select this surface as the To reference

Figure 7: Measuring the Distance Between the Two End Surfaces

Task 3.

Save this analysis for future use.

1. The system calculates the distance as 3.91040 and displays it in the RESULTS box. Click Saved Analyses to expand the area in the MEASURE dialog box. 2. Type [distance] in the NAME text box and press <ENTER>. The analysis is stored, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 8: Saving the distance analysis

3. Close the dialog box. Task 4. length. Change the thickness of the first wall to update the developed

1. Click Modify from the PART menu and select FIRST WALL from the Model Tree. Select the .25 THICK dimension, as shown in the following figure. Type [.1] and press <ENTER>.

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Modify the thickness

Figure 9: Modifying the Thickness

2. Regenerate the part. 3. Check the analysis that you saved earlier. Click Analysis > Measure . Click Distance from the SAVED ANALYSES area of the dialog box. 4. Click Retrieve and notice that the distance value is now 3.83540 5. Close the dialog box. Task 5. Manually change the developed length so that an internal equation does not drive it. 1. Click Modify. Select FIRST WALL from the Model Tree again. 2. Select the .84 DEV .L dimension. Click Enter Value . Type [1.00] as the length and press <ENTER>. 3. Regenerate the part. 4. Retrieve the saved measure analysis DISTANCE again. Notice that the distance is listed as 4.00000. 5. Save the model and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Setting Up for Sheetmetal Design


Task 1. Open the U_SHAPE sheetmetal part and set the default radius using the SETUP menu. 1. Open U_SHAPE.PRT. 2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Parameters. 3. Type [0.25] as the value for the SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS parameter as shown in the following figure.

Figure 10: Setting the Default Bend Radius

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Note:
You will be informed by the system status that you have not used the thickness or 2 * thickness default settings. You have specified a numeric value as the default bend radius for all bend features.

4. Click OK . Task 2. Create a flat wall that uses the default radius.

1. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius]. Create a flat wall with a radius and that uses the part bend table and an inside radius. Select the white edge as shown in the following figure to attach the wall. Specify an angle of 90.

Attach wall to this white edge

Figure 11: Specifying the attachment edge.

2. Sketch the wall, as shown in the following figure.

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Reference the top wall surface for alignment

Sketch to points

Figure 12: Sketching the First Wall

3. Finish the sketch and then click W/Relief > Rip relief for both ends of the wall. 4. Click By Param from the SEL RADIUS menu. Click OK to complete the wall. The completed wall should appear as shown in the following figure. The inside radius was automatically set to 0.25. Task 3. Extend the flat wall to close the gap.

1. Create an extended wall. Click [Extended Wall]. Specify the top green edge to extend and the outside right-hand surface as the Up to Plane reference, as shown in the following figure.

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Extend to this outside surface

Specify this top green edge to extend

Figure 13: Creating Extend Wall feature

Wall extended to outside

Figure 14: Extended Wall Feature Geometry

Task 4. Define a default surface to remain fixed and create unbend and bend back features. 1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Fixed Geom > Select . 2. Select the white surface shown in the following figure.

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Select this surface to remain fixed

Figure 15: Specifying a Surface to Remain Fixed

3. Click Done/Return > Done/Return . 4. Click [Unbend]. Unbend the entire part. Note that you did not have to specify a fixed surface. 5. Click [Bend Back]. Bend back the entire part. Again, note that you did not have to specify a fixed surface. 6. Since you do not need the two features that you just created, Delete them. Task 5. Create an additional flat wall and check the relations that the system created as a result of using the By Param radius option. 1. Create a flat wall with a radius and that uses the part bend table and an inside radius. Select the white edge shown in the following figure to attach the wall. Specify an angle of 90.

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Attach to this inside edge

Figure 16: Specifying Attachment Edge for the Wall

2. Sketch the wall, as shown in the following figure.

Reference sketch to outside wall

Reference endpoints to attachment edge

Figure 17: Sketching the Additional Wall

3. Click

[Done] to complete the sketch. Click W/Relief > Strtch Relief > Done > Enter Value . Type [0.25] as the width value of the stretch and press <ENTER>. Type [45] as the angle and press <ENTER>. Repeat this step for the other end too.

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NOTES

4. Click By Param for the radius of the bend and OK to complete the feature. The part appears as shown in the following figure.

Figure 18: Geometry after Creating the Wall

5. Click Relations from the PART menu. Click Part Rel> Show Rel . These relations set the bend radius of the wall features equal to the parameter for the default radius that you set in a previous step. Close the window. 6. Click Done from the MODEL REL menu. Click Modify and select the flat wall you just created in the previous step. Note that the developed length of the bend is 0.52. Click Done . Task 6. part. Modify an existing bend table and assign it to the sheetmetal

1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Define > From Part . Type [U_SHAPE] as the name and press <ENTER>. 2. Select the END MATERIALS row. Click Edit > Insert . Select Before current selections . Click OK , as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 19: Inserting a row

3. Enter [Brass] as the material in the newly inserted row.

Figure 20: Editing the Bend Table

4. When finished editing, save and exit the Pro/TABLE editor. Click Done/Return until you reach the PART SETUP Menu.

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5. Define a material file named Brass. Click Material from THE PART SETUP menu. Click Define . Type [brass] as the name and press <ENTER>. 6. In the text editor, scroll down to BEND_TABLE. At the end of this line (next to '='), type [u_shape], which was the bend table that you created in the previous step. Save the file and exit the editor. 7. Click Assign from the MATL MGT menu. Click From Part >BRASS > Accept to assign the material to the part. 8. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Set > Confirm > From Part > U_SHAPE to assign the bend table to the part. The system regenerates the model. If you made an error, the system displays a warning. Click Done/Return until you close all the sub menus. 9. Click Modify from the PART Menu. Select the last wall feature. The developed length is now 0.53. Click Done . 10. Click Setup > Sheetmetal > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Show > From Part > U_SHAPE. Confirm that the developed length of 0.53 is correct for a thickness of 0.25 and radius of 0.25. 11. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: Pro/ENGINEER uses a standard bend formula to calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model. Instead of using the default formula to calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model, you can use a bend table. You can use the SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS parameter to set a default value for bend radius. The system automatically adds a relation to drive the dimension, if you choose the By Param option when adding bends or use-radius walls. You can use the SETUP menu option Fixed Geom to automatically specify the same reference when creating unbend and bend back features.

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Module

Converting Solid Parts


In this module you learn how to convert solid parts to sheetmetal parts. You also learn to use the conversion feature to make the converted sheetmetal part developable.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Convert a solid part into a sheetmetal part Add a conversion feature.

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CREATING SHEETMETAL PARTS FROM SOLID PARTS


Solid Pro/ENGINEER parts that are retrieved in Sheetmetal mode can be converted to sheetmetal parts using two methods. You can use this option to convert a solid part that has a uniform thickness and can be offset by the material thickness. The system prompts for a surface to use as the driving (green) surface.
Driving Srf

Figure 1: Using a Driving Surface


Shell

If the part does not have uniform thickness, the Shell option can be used to shell the solid part and convert it at the same time.

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Figure 2: Shelling a Model

Once converted to a sheetmetal part, all of the existing geometry is referenced to define the base wall feature. Any feature created in Sheetmetal mode has to be deleted to convert the part back to a solid part.

CREATING A DEVELOPABLE PART


Once the part is converted into a sheetmetal part, it may still be undevelopable. To convert the geometry so that it can be developed, a single feature can be added to the part. A Conversion feature enables multiple elements to be defined at once. These elements are as follows:
Point Reliefs

This element creates points along an edge to break the edge into multiple segments.

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Figure 3: Splitting an Edge

This element rips the geometry along an edge, similar to the Rip feature. The rip can then be converted from an open type edge to one in which the wall has overlap.
Edge Rip Rip Connect

This element rips the geometry between two points or vertices in the model.

Edge rips added

Rip connect

Figure 4: Using Rip Connect

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NOTES Bends

This element creates edge bends along non-tangent edges.

Figure 5: Edge Bend

Creates round or obround corner relief at eligible corners. The vertices selected or affected are highlighted with symbols that indicate the type of conversion feature or relief feature defined.
Corner Relief

Corner relief created in combination with edge rip and bends

Figure 6: Circular Corner Relief

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Table 1: Conversion Feature Symbols

Symbol
Ob Cir None No

Conversion Feature
Obround Circular Square corner is generated No relief is applied, the default V-notch is applied

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to convert a solid part into a developable sheetmetal part.

Method
In the first exercise, you retrieve a solid part and use the shell method to convert it into a sheetmetal part. You then, unbend the model by adding a rip feature. In the second exercise, you use the special sheetmetal conversion feature to convert a solid part into sheetmetal.

Tools
Icon Description
Unbend fly-out icons Unbend Relief fly-out icons Rip Conversion

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EXERCISE 1: Converting a Sheetmetal Part

Figure 7: Solid Part to Flattened Sheetmetal Part

Task 1. Open the CONVERSION sheetmetal part and convert it to sheetmetal geometry. 1. Open CONVERSION.PRT. 2. Convert the part to sheetmetal. Click Applications > Sheetmetal . 3. Click Shell and specify the removal of the three hidden surfaces as shown in the following figure.
Select these three hidden surfaces to remove (two sides and bottom)

Figure 8: Specifying the Surfaces to Remove

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4. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . Type [0.25] as the shell thickness and press <ENTER>. Task 2. Add an edge rip feature to one of the edges and then unbend the geometry. 1. Click [Rip]. Click Edge Rip > Done .

2. Select two edges (white or green) as shown in the following figure.


Fixed surface for Unbend

Select these edges for the edge rip

Figure 9: Specifying the Edges to Create the Edge Rip

3. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . Click OK to complete the rip. 4. Create a regular unbend feature. Click [Unbend].

5. Click Regular > Done . Specify the top surface to remain fixed as shown in the above figure. 6. Click Unbend All > Done . Note that some deformation of the convex triangular corner occurs as the system unbends it. Click OK to complete the feature. Note:
If your unbent wall contains a square rather than a small triangle in the corner, you selected only one edge for the rip feature. Repeat the previous step to select the other edge also.

7.
Co n v e r t i n g So l i d P a rt s

Save the part and erase it from memory.


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EXERCISE 2: Using the Sheetmetal Conversion Feature

Figure 10: Converting a solid part

Task 1.

Open the CONVERT part and convert it to sheetmetal.

1. Open CONVERT.PRT. This part was created as a solid part. It consists only of default datum planes and two rectangular protrusions. 2. Click Applications > Sheetmetal . 3. Click Shell on the SMT CONVERT menu. 4. Select the three surfaces, as shown in the following figure to remove with the shell. Type [0.20] as the thickness and press <ENTER>.
Select these three surfaces to remove (one on top and two hidden back and side surfaces

Figure 11: Selecting Surfaces to Remove

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Task 2. Convert the geometry to sheetmetal geometry using the conversion feature. 1. Click [Conversion]. Note that all five elements in the dialog box are optional. 2. Click Point Reliefs > Define . 3. Click Create to create a datum point to locate the point relief. 4. Select the edge indicated in the following figure, click Offset , and select the right hand surface as the offset plane to locate the point.

Select this green edge

Select this side surface as offset plane

Figure 12: Creating the Datum Point

5. Type [1.8] for the offset distance and press <ENTER>. Click
Done.

Note:
Do not click OK . You still have to define the other elements for the conversion feature.

6. Double-click Edge Rip from the dialog box. Select the three edges shown in the following figure. Click Done Sel > Done Sets .

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Select these three green edges for edge rip

Figure 13: Specifying Edges on Which to Create the Edge Rip

7. Double-click Rip Connect in the dialog box and click Add . 8. For the first end, select the datum point you created for the point relief. The system then highlights all of the possible corners and other rip features to connect the rip. Select the bottom vertex of the other rip, as shown in the following figure.

Select this vertex for second end

Select the datum point for first end

Figure 14: Creating the Rip Connect

9. Click OK > Done Sets .

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NOTES

10. Double-click Corner Reliefs in the dialog box and click Add . One corner of the model has a note attached to it that reads, No. This note indicates that this corner is eligible for corner relief, but currently has none. 11. Select the note and click Redefine . 12. Click Corner # 1 > Done . 13. A dialog box appears. Double-click Corner Relief . 14. Click Circular > Enter Value . 15. Type [0.5] for the dimension value and press <ENTER>. 16. Click OK > Done Sets. 17. Click Preview to preview the conversion feature. Note:
Note that the conversion feature is about to add edge bends automatically to all remaining sharp corners, using the thickness of the material as an inside radius. Instead of selecting the Bends element to manually add or remove edges, you allow the system to select them all automatically.

18. Click OK to complete the conversion feature. The part should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 15: Final Geometry after Using the Conversion Feature

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Task 3.

With the conversion feature in place, unbend the part.

1. Create a regular, unbend feature. Click [Unbend]. Specify an appropriate surface of your choice to remain fixed. The finished part should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 16: Final Geometry

2. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: Solid parts can be converted to sheetmetal parts using Pro/SHEETMETAL. A Conversion feature can be used to make the converted sheetmetal part developable.

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Module

Project Laboratory
In this project module, you practice how to create sheetmetal models using the top-down design approach. You will also use Pro/ENGINEERs sheetmetal design tools to unbend complex geometry.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Design sheetmetal models using the top-down design approach. Unbend complex geometry.

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create a sheetmetal component in an assembly using the top-down design approach. You also unbend a sheetmetal part using deformation areas.

Method
In the first exercise, you complete the battery bracket part located in the routed system sub-assembly of a car that was created using the top-down design approach. The necessary assembly information has been copied into the battery bracket part. The changes made to the top-level assembly will automatically be reflected in the battery bracket part. In the second exercise, you unbend a connector part where the ends were created first and completed by blending the wall in between them. Pro/ENGINEER will indicate that some of the geometry needs to be deformed to create the flat pattern.

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EXERCISE 1: Sheetmetal Part Creation

Finished Battery Bracket

Figure 1: Routed System Assembly

Task 1.

Open the BATTERY_BRACKET part from the ROUTED_SYSTEM assembly and add the first extruded wall. 1. Click File > Set Working Directory and change your working directory to <user home directory>\Sheetmetal_320\Project. 2. Open ROUTED_SYSTEM.ASM. Review the assembly. 3. Right-click on BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT and open it from the Model Tree. 4. Switch to the 1_WALL view from the saved view list. Adjust your model orientation by panning and zooming in for better viewing. 5. Create an Extruded Use Radius wall with an Inside Radius and to One Side of the sketching plane. Select the edge shown in the following figure as the attachment edge.

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Select the bottom edge as attachment edge

Figure 2: Specifying the Attachment Edge

6. Use the Default sketching plane and accept the default viewing direction of the sketching plane. 7. Select the edge of the copied geometry feature as a dimensional reference, as shown in the following figure.

Select this copy geometry edge as dimensional reference

Figure 3: Specifying Dimensional Reference

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8. Sketch four line segments and three fillets of equal radii, and dimension the section, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Sketching the First Extruded Wall

9. Complete the wall with No Relief and set the Bend Radius to be equal to the thickness of the part. Task 2. Setup Sheetmetal Parameters as default values for commonly used feature options. 1. Click Setup > Sheetmetal >Parameters . 2. Click Edit > Set Attribute to Auto > Yes in the SHEETMETAL PARAMETERS dialog box. 3. Set the Value Yes for SMT_PART_BEND_ALLOW_DFLTS, SMT_SHARPS_TO_BEND and Thru all depth value for SMT_DFLT_DEPTH_OPTION, as shown in the following figure. Click OK to apply these parameters.

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Figure 5: Setting Up Sheetmetal Parameters

Task 3.

Create another extruded wall on the other side of the bracket

1. Switch to the view labeled 2_WALL. Create another Extruded Use Radius wall, similar to the first one, using the attachment edge, as shown in the following figure.

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Select bottom edge as attachment edge

Figure 6: Specifying the attachment edge

2. Sketch the wall and dimension it, as shown in the following figure.

Select this copy geometry edge as dimensional reference

Figure 7: Sketching the Second Extruded Wall

3. Complete creating the wall. Notice that the system did not prompt you for some of the attributes, since you set default values using the SHEETMETAL PARAMETERS dialog box. Task 4. Setup automatic bend relief for secondary walls

1. Set the SMT_DFLT_BEND_REL_TYPE to Rip , as shown in the following figure. Click OK to apply it.

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Figure 8: Setting Up Automatic Bend Relief

Task 5.

Create a flat use radius wall

1. Switch to the view labeled 3_FLAT_WALL. Create a Flat Use Radius wall using the attachment edge, as shown in the following figure.

Select bottom edge as attachment edge

Figure 9: Specifying Attachment Edge

2. Sketch the wall and dimension it, as shown in the following figure.

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NOTES

Align end points to the attachment edge

Select these edges as dimensional references

Figure 10: Sketching the Flat Wall

3. Complete the wall. Notice that the system added a rip relief automatically. Task 6. Create extend walls on both ends of the flat walls.

1. Create an Extend wall on the right-hand side end of the flat wall by selecting the edge and up to the surface, as shown in the following figure.

Select outside edge and outside surface to extend upto.

Figure 11: Extending the Right-hand Side of the Flat Wall

2. Create another extend wall on the left-hand side using the edge and surface, as shown in the following figure.

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Select outside edge and outside surface to extend upto

Figure 12: Extending the Left-hand Side of the Flat Wall

3. Save the BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT and open the ROUTED_SYSTEM.ASM. The system automatically updated the assembly with the changes to the BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT. 4. Save the assembly and erase all the models from memory.

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NOTES

EXERCISE 2: Unbending Complex Geometry

Select the top flat surface to remain fixed

Figure 13: Connector Part

Task 1.

Open the CONNECTOR.PRT and create a regular Unbend.

1. Open CONNECTOR.PRT. Create a Regular Unbend All feature. Select the surface shown in the above figure to remain fixed. 2. Switch to the views labeled 1_DEFORM and 2_DEFORM to select the surfaces to deform, as shown in the following figure.

Select these side surfaces as deform areas

Figure 14: Selecting the Deform Areas

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3. Refine the shape of the deformed sections. Click Deform Control > Define > Auto Area #1 > Deform Type > Manual . 4. Sketch a spline, as shown in the following figure, and complete the feature.

Sketch a spline for the deform area

Figure 15: Refining the Deform Area

5. Save the completed connector part and erase it from memory.

Figure 16: Unbent Connector

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NOTES

MODULE SUMMARY
You have learned to: Create a sheetmetal component using the top-down design approach and unbend complex sheetmetal geometry using deformation areas.

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Module

Documenting Sheetmetal Design


In this module you learn how to create a multi-model production drawing. You learn how to document the bend order sequence of a sheetmetal part.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Create a production drawing showing the flat and designed states of a sheetmetal part. Document the bend order sequence of a sheetmetal part using a bend order table.

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CREATING FLAT STATES USING FAMILY TABLES


You can assist manufacturing by creating Flat Pattern representations from the sheetmetal design model using the Flat State option in the SETUP menu. The system creates a simple family table with the as designed model as the generic and the Flat State as the instance. The system will automatically update the flat state with all modifications made to the design model. Family tables offer an efficient method for developing variations of your sheetmetal design. You can generate variations of the original model by reusing the existing data. The variations are referred to as instances and the original model is known as the generic model. Using this method, you can increase your productivity by: Storing multiple similar models within the same file. Saving different steps of the manufacturing of a model. Saving a developed flat instance inside a formed generic model.

The instances created with the Flat State option are initially completely unbent. Features created in Flat State instances behave just like those created in regular family table members. You can create the first flat state instance from a generic model that is either fully formed or fully flat. If the generic model is (fully) formed, the UNBEND FEATURE dialog box prompts for the unbends necessary to make it fully flat. The system then creates the instance. The family table for the generic model now contains a new column listing the new unbends. The unbends are suppressed for the generic model and enabled for the instances. If the generic model is already flattened (fully flat), the system prompts you to select the unbends that you created to make it that way. It creates the first flat state instance and bends back the generic (by suppressing the unbend). The Family Table for the generic model now contains a new column listing the unbends. The unbends are suppressed for the generic and enabled for the instances.

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Retrieving Instances
Once the family table resulting from the flat state is created, you can retrieve the flat state instance using one of the following three methods: Highlight the instance name in the FAMILY TABLE dialog box and click Open . Open the generic model to obtain a list of its instances. You can retrieve either the generic model or a specific instance. When retrieving an instance, you can select the instance by its name or by a specific parameter. If an instance index file is present, retrieve the instance directly.

CREATING MULTI-MODEL DRAWINGS


Once you have defined a flat state, you can use both instances of the model in a production drawing. By creating a multi-model drawing, you can add details, drawing annotations and dimensions for both states, as well as independently scale views of the instances.

Note:
When you add a model to a drawing, Pro/ENGINEER only associates that model. Once you have associated both instances of the sheetmetal model to the drawing, you can change the active model using the Set Model option in the DWG MODELS menu.

Tweaking the Flat Pattern


The flat pattern that the system generates when you create an unbend feature may not represent the exact outline of the model because deformation areas may exist in the model geometry. Using your knowledge of sheet geometry, you can add material to the flat pattern by using the Deform Control element discussed earlier.

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Figure 1: Using Deform Control to Tweak the Flat Geometry

DOCUMENTING THE BEND ORDER


To document the bend order for manufacturing, you can use a bend order table, as shown in the following figure. With the model completely unbent, you can select the bend or groups of bends in sequence; then save the bend order table to a file named PARTNAME.BOT. You can show it on a production drawing by creating a note and reading it in the .BOT file. If you change the table in Sheetmetal mode, the note on the drawing automatically updates; however, you must add any new bends to the table manually.

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Sequence 3, Bend 1 Sequence 2, Bend 1

Sequence 1, Bend 1 Sequence 1, Bend 2

Sequence 4, Bend 1

Sequence 2, Bend 2

Figure 2: Creating a Bend Order Table

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to document the manufacturing process of a sheetmetal model.

Method
In this exercise, you add a solid protrusion to a sheetmetal part and document the manufacturing process by creating a production drawing.

Tools
Icon Description
Flat Wall fly-out icons Flat Use Radius Wall Unbend fly-out icons Unbend Done Show/Erase Axes Show All detail items Show/Erase Notes

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EXERCISE 1: Documenting the Model


Task 1. Retrieve the DOC_CONVERSION sheetmetal part and create a flat state. 1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select the GENERIC and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. This part contains an edge rip feature that enables it to be flattened.

Select this surface to remain fixed

The edge rip feature is located along this edge

Figure 3: Specifying the Surface to Remain Fixed

2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Flat State > Create . 3. Accept the default name of DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1 for the flat pattern instance. Press <ENTER>. Click Fully Formed from the PART STATE menu. 4. Select the top surface, as shown in the above figure, to remain fixed. It highlights the corner surface in red and indicates that it will be deformed. 5. Click OK . The system automatically creates a third version of the model in the family table, which now includes the following: A fully formed version (the generic). A fully flat version (the flat state named DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1) using edge rips. A special version for the bend order table with the corner removed by a surface rip.

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Task 2.

Open the flat state instance.

1. Click Window > Close to close the active window. 2. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1 and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. Task 3. Redefine the unbend feature to define Deform Control to better represent the flat state geometry. 1. Select the Unbend feature from the model tree and right-click Redefine as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Redefining the Unbend

2. Select the DEFORM CONTROL element and click Define . 3. Click Auto Area # 1 . The UNBEND dialog box displays. 4. Select the DEFORM TYPE element and click Define . 5. Click Manual . The system automatically places you in Sketcher, so that the deform area can be sketched. 6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch a single arc, as shown in the following figure, to define the deformed area.

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Have the endpoints and center of the arc snap to these vertices

Figure 5: Sketching Protrusion to Add to the Instance

7. Click [Done]. Click OK > Done > OK . Set the unbent part to its default orientation, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 6: Unbent with Deform Control

8. Save the model and close the active window. Task 4. Create an additional wall on the generic model. Check the Model Tree for the suppressed unbend feature. 1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select the GENERIC and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box.

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2. Create a flat use radius wall. Click [Flat Use Radius]. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return . Click Inside Rad > Done/Return . 3. Select the green edge as shown in the following figure. Accept the default bend angle of 90 degrees, and click Done . Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction.

Select this edge (green side)

Figure 7: Specifying the Edge for the Wall Feature

4. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch three lines and dimension them, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 8: Sketching Section of the Additional Wall

5. Click

[Done].

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6. Click No Relief > Done. Click Enter Value and type [0.25] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. 7. Click OK to complete the feature.

8. Save the model and close the active window. 9. Open the fully flat state (i.e., DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1). Notice the new wall in the flat instance. Click Regenerate , if necessary. 10. Close the window. Note:
Any changes made to the fully formed generic will be propagated to the flat state instance automatically.

Task 5. Create a bend order table for the DOC_BND_ORD_TBL instance. 1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select DOC_BND_ORD_TBL and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. Set the model to the default orientation. Note:
Since the bend order table cannot unbend any geometry that has to be deformed, this instance contains a surface rip that removes the convex corner from the model.

Specify this surface to remain fixed

Figure 9: Specifying the Top Surface to Remain Flat

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2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Order > Show/Edit . Select the top flat surface of the part, as shown in the above figure. 3. Select the first two bends, as shown in the following figure. These will be included in the first bend sequence.

Select these two bends

Figure 10: Specifying Bends for Bend Order Table

4. Click Done Sel > Next . Specify the top same surface to remain fixed. The system bends back the two selected bends and displays the model, as shown in the following figure. 5. Select the bend for the second sequence, as shown in the following figure.

Select this bend for the second sequence.

Figure 11: Specifying Bend for Second Sequence

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6. Click Done Sel > Next , and specify the same top surface to remain fixed. 7. The model should now have the bend in the second bend sequence bent back, as shown in the following figure. Select the last bend, as shown in the following figure.

Select this bend

Figure 12: Specifying Bend for Third Sequence

8. Click Done Sel > Done , and specify the same surface to remain fixed. The system should now inform you that the bending sequence is successful. 9. Click Info to view the bend order table. The table should appear as shown in the following figure.

Figure 13: Bend Order Table

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Note:
The out and in references in the bend order table refer to the GREEN side of the sheetmetal. Since it is a text file, you can modify text in the .bot file at any time.

10. Close the INFORMATION window. 11. To create a drawing with the bend order table that includes the notes to the appropriate bend, create a regular unbend all feature in [Unbend]. the DOC_BND_ORD_TBL instance. Click 12. Click Regular > Done . Select the same top surface of the model to remain fixed. 13. Click Unbend All > Done . Click OK to complete the unbend feature. 14. Save the model and close the window. Make sure you close all active windows, if open. Task 6. Create a two-sheet multi-model drawing to document the flat state and bend order table that you just created. 1. Create a new drawing. Click File > New . Click Drawing as the file type. Type [DOC_CONV]. Remove the check mark from the Use default template check mark at the bottom of the NEW dialog box. Click OK . 2. Click Browse to select DOC_CONVERSION.PRT as the default model, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 14: Selecting the default model

3. Click Open . Accept all other defaults and click OK . 4. Select THE GENERIC and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. 5. Create a general view of the generic model. Click Views > Add View > General > Full View > No Xsec > Scale > Done . 6. Select a point in the right upper corner of the drawing to place the view. 7. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>. Leave the view in the default orientation. Click OK from the ORIENTATION dialog box. 8. Add the flat state instance to the drawing. Click Dwg Models >
Add Model.

9. Select the DOC_CONVERSION.PRT and click Open. Select the DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1.PRT from the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box and click Open .

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10. Click Add View > General > Full View > No Xsec > Scale > Done . 11. Select a point in the lower left-hand corner. 12. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>. 13. Orient the view. Select the top green surface as the FRONT reference and the top green edge of the model as the TOP reference. Click OK . If necessary move the view to locate it, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 15: Design and Flat State Models

14. Click View > Show and Erase . This should open up the SHOW/ERASE dialog box. 15. Click SHOW tab and . Click in the SHOW BY area of the dialog box. Click Yes to confirm the Show All. Click Accept All in the PREVIEW tab. 16. Click Close to close the dialog box. 17. Click Insert > Dimension > New References . Create the dimensions shown in the following figure.

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Note:
Use the same technique to create dimensions as you would in the sketcher. Select the entities. Middle-click to place the dimension.

Figure 16: First Sheet of Drawing

18. Click Return from the ATTACH TYPE menu. Make sure you are in the DRAWING menu. 19. Create a second sheet to display the bend order table. Click Sheets > Add > Done/Return . The system will add a sheet and make that active. 20. Click Views > Dwg Models > Add Model . 21. Select DOC_CONVERSION.PRT and click Open. Select DOC_BND_ORD_TBL. Click Open from the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. 22. Click Add View > General> Full View> No Xsec > Scale > Done . 23. Select a point in the middle of the screen.

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24. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>. 25. Select the top green side as the FRONT reference and the top green edge as the TOP reference. Click OK from the ORIENTATION dialog box. If necessary, move the view to locate it to the middle of the drawing. 26. Click Done/Return . 27. Click View > Show and Erase . 28. Click the SHOW tab. Click and . Click in the SHOW BY area of the dialog box. Click Yes to confirm the Show All. Click Accept All in the PREVIEW tab. This will display the bend order table, as shown in the following figure. 29. Click Close to close the dialog box.

Figure 17: Second Sheet of Drawing

30. Save the drawing and erase it from memory.

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MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that: You can create a flat state instance of a sheetmetal part for use in documenting the design for manufacturing. You can create the flat state instance from a generic sheetmetal part that is either fully formed or fully flat. Once you have defined a flat state, you can use both instances of the model in a production drawing. You can tweak the flat pattern by creating a flat wall or solid protrusion in the model. To document the bend order for manufacturing, you can use a bend order table.

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Module

Sheetmetal Design Information


In this module, you learn how to extract design information from a sheetmetal part. You learn to setup standard sheetmetal design rules.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Calculate measurements on a sheetmetal model. Use Gaussian Curvature analysis to identify surfaces that cannot be unbent without deformation. Generate sheetmetal bend reports. Generate sheetmetal radii reports. Set up design rules.

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EXTRACTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION


Pro/ENGINEER provides you with unique tools that you can use to extract design information from a sheetmetal part.

Calculating Measurements
Using the Measure option from the ANALYSIS menu, you can determine the curve length, angle, surface area, and distance. For example, you can compare the length of an edge on a bend in its bent state versus its unbent state or check complex angles between walls.

Analyzing Surfaces
One of the most common problems encountered when modeling sheetmetal components is an inability to unbend the geometry. Surfaces that curve in two directions must deform drastically to form that shape in a sheetmetal model. Pro/ENGINEER cannot capture this deformation through empirical formulation. Using the Gaussian curvature tool, you can calculate a summation of the maximum and minimum curvature vectors at any point on a surface, as shown in the following figure.

Fringe Plot surfaces with non-developable geometry

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Figure 1: Using the Gaussian Curvature Tool

Pro/ENGINEER highlights the model with a fringe plot, distinguishing any surface that curves in two directions (non-developable) from those with zero curvature. Planar surfaces and ruled surfaces (cylinders and cones) have a Gaussian curvature value of zero, since there is no curvature in at least one direction on the surface.

Generating Bend Reports


By generating a bend report, as shown in the following figure, you can interrogate bends on a model to obtain information on the overall calculation parameters used in the component. The report can also provide you with information concerning bends that are not 90 degrees, so that you can interrogate them further. This can be very helpful when you use bend tables or a bend formula that does not consider the bend angle in its calculation.

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Figure 2: Typical Bend Report

Generating Radii Reports


Using a sheetmetal radii report, as shown in the following figure, you can investigate the bend radii of a model, including the feature ID, dimension parameter name, and the radius value. You can use radii reports to also quickly determine if the radii values adhere to the company standard.

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Figure 3: Typical Radii Report

SETTING UP DESIGN RULES


Design rules vary according to the materials and manufacturing process that you use to develop your model. To set up design rules for a model, you can use the Design Rules option in the SHEETMETAL SETUP menu.

Establishing a Design Rule Table


To set up design rules, you must establish a design rule table, as shown in the following figure, and assign it to the model. You can develop as many tables as you would like, based on the different manufacturing practices and materials that you use. Using the tables, you can establish rules for values such as minimal slot widths and depths, minimal cut distances from boundaries, and minimal wall heights.

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Figure 4: Default Settings

After you set up the rules for your model, you can check for design violations in the model. An information window displays the rule name and formula, along with the dimensional values, enabling you to determine why it did not meet the rule criteria, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 5: Violated Rules

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LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to learn how to obtain information and verify that your design rules have not been violated before sending the sheetmetal part to manufacturing.

Method
In this exercise, you use sheetmetal information tools to obtain design information about the sheetmetal part.

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EXERCISE 1: Using Sheetmetal Information Tools


Task 1. Open the DOC_CABLEBOX sheetmetal part and review the geometry. 1. Open DOC_CABLEBOX.PRT.

Figure 6: DOC_CABLEBOX.PRT

2. Click Info > Feature from the pull-down menu and select the last three features in the model tree, one by one, to review them. Close the information window. Click Done Sel after reviewing the features. Task 2. Create a bend report.

1. Click Info > Sheetmetal from the pull-down menu. 2. Click Bend Report from the SHEEMETAL INFO dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 7: Sheetmetal Info Dialog

3. Clear the File check box to write output only to the screen. Click OK . 4. Click View > Line Numbers in the information window. Note that the part information is displayed on lines 2 through 8, including the part name, material, thickness, y-factor and k-factor. 5. Note that the two bend IDs use a feature bend table (lines 10 through 15). In the Model Tree, identify the two bends with the IDs shown in the information window. Select the two bends and notice that the system highlights them on the model. Note:
You may need to click View > Model Tree Setup > Highlight Model in the MAIN window.

6. Note that the same two bend IDs are listed on lines 17 through 22 as being non-90-degree bends. After reviewing the information, close the information window. Task 3. Create a sheetmetal radii report.

1. Create a radii report. Click Info > Sheetmetal from the pull-down menu. Click Radii Report and clear the File check box to write output only to the screen. 2. Click View > Line Numbers in the information window. 3. Note that the part information is displayed on lines 2 through 8, including the part name, material, thickness, y-factor and k-factor.

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4. Four bends were created (on lines 10 through 17) with nonsuggested radii. Use the Model Tree to determine the location of these bends on the model, then close the window. Task 4. Create a design rule, assign it to the part, and check the design.

1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Design Rules > Define . Type [rule_set1] as the name and press <ENTER>. A Pro/TABLE editor appears. 2. Investigate the seven default design rules. Notice that the left column contains parameter names for each design rule, and the right column contains the design rule in the form of a value or equation involving R and T. The design rule value or equation is always the minimum allowable value. 3. Change the MIN_CUT_TO_BEND to [4*T+R], change MIN_LASER_DIM to [1.25*T], change MIN_WALL_HEIGHT [0.5*T+R], and change MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND to [5*T]. Save and exit Pro/TABLE editor. 4. Assign the rule set to the part. From the RULE MGMT menu, click Assign > From Part > RULE_SET1 . Note the message that appears in the message area. 5. From the INFO pull-down menu click Sheetmetal > Design Check to check the design rules. Clear the File check box. Click OK . 6. Click View > Line Numbers to display line numbers in the information window. 7. Review the information window. Notice that line 3 displays the design rule set that you assigned to this model. 8. Read the information in line 1. Select line 9 and observe the model as it highlights the violating dimension [0.38]. The current value column corresponds to the highlighted dimension. Using the RULES VIOLATIONS DIAGNOSTIC window, investigate the model further, and then click Cancel . Task 5. Modify the model to avoid the two MIN_CUT_TO_BEND violations. 1. Click Modify > Query Sel and select the rectangular form, as shown in the following figure.
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Use Query Sel to select this rectangular Form feature.

Figure 8: Modifying the Dimension

2. The system does not show the actual violated dimension of 0.38 because the form was placed with the offset dimension of 0.75. Click the 0.75 dimension and change it to [0.85]. Regenerate the model. 3. Click Info > Sheetmetal > Design Check . Use the RULES VIOLATIONS DIAGONISTICS window to verify that the modification eliminated the violation. 4. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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Module

Additional Exercises
This appendix provides you with additional practice of some of the concepts covered in this training course. The exercises can be completed during class if time permits, or they can be done on your own time as they require no pre-existing files.

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EXERCISE 1: Creating a Blended Primary Wall


In this exercise, you create a blended wall as the sheetmetal primary wall.

Figure 1: Blended Primary Wall Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part with a blended wall.

1. Create a new sheetmetal part named BLEND.PRT using the default template. 2. Click [Blended Wall]. Accept the defaults Parallel > Regular Sec > Sketch Sec > Done > Straight > Done .

3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane and Flip the arrow for the direction of feature creation. 4. Select datum plane TOP as the Top reference and sketch the first section, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 2: First Blend Section

5. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Toggle Section (or click Toggle Section from the pop-up menu) to toggle to sketch the second section. 6. Sketch the second section within the first, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3: Second Blend Section

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Tip:
If you need to change the start point of one of the blend sections, select the desired vertex on the section and click Start Point from the pop-up menu.

7. After exiting from Sketcher, flip the arrow to the inside. Type [0.1] as the thickness and [7.0] as the depth for the second section, and press <ENTER>. The part should display as shown in the following figure.

Figure 4: Completed Part

8. Save the file and erase it from memory.

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EXERCISE 2: Creating a Flat Primary Wall


In this exercise, you create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall as the sheetmetal primary wall.

Figure 5: Flat Primary Wall

Task 1.

Create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall.

1. Create a new sheetmetal part named SWEEP.PRT using the default template. 2. Click [Unattached Flat Wall].

3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane and datum plane TOP as the Top reference. 4. Sketch the section as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 6: Section Dimensions

5. Type [0.1] as the thickness and press <ENTER>. The completed part should display as shown in the following figure.

Figure 7: Completed Part

6. Save the file and erase it from memory.

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EXERCISE 3: Creating a Swept Secondary Wall


In this exercise, you create a swept secondary wall along a tangent edge.

Figure 8: Swept Secondary Wall

Task 2.

Retrieve the sweep sheetmetal part and create a swept wall.

1. Open SWEEP.PRT. 2. Click [Swept No Radius Wall].

3. Click Tangnt Chain and select the green edges indicated in the following figure. Note the location of the start point, and click Start Point to change its location if necessary.
Start point here

Select this green edge for the tangent chain

Figure 9: Defining the Trajectory Path

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4. Accept the default upward direction, and create the cross-section of the swept hem. Sketch the section as shown in the following figure. Use a 270-degree 3-point arc, a tangent arc, and a line.

Figure 10: Section for the Swept Blend

5. When you have finished sketching, click No Relief > Done > OK . The part displays as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 11: Completed Part

6. Save the file and erase it from memory.

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EXERCISE 4: Creating a Twisted Secondary Wall


In this exercise, you create a twist wall along an edge, and then unbend the geometry to observe the changes that occur in the developed length.

Figure 12: Twisted Secondary Wall

Task 1.

Create a flat primary wall.

1. Create a new part named TWIST.PRT using the default template. 2. Create a flat primary wall as shown in the following figure.

Figure 13: Flat Primary Wall

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Task 2.

Create a twisted wall along the bottom of the part.

1. Click Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Twist. 2. Select the green or white lower edge of the wall, as indicated in the following figure.

Select bottom edge to attach the twist wall

Figure 14: Attachment Edge

3. Click Use Middle to create a datum point at the midpoint of the selected edge to locate the twist axis. 4. Type [2.0] as the start width and press <ENTER>. The default value is the length of the selected edge. 5. Type [2.5] as the end width and press <ENTER>. 6. Type [2.5] as the twist length (length after twisting) and press <ENTER>. 7. Type [90] as the twist angle and press <ENTER>. 8. Type [4.0] as the developed length and press <ENTER>. This represents the length of the wall if you unbend it. 9. Click OK . The completed part displays, as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 15: Completed Part

10. Save the part and erase it from memory.

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EXERCISE 5: Bend Line Adjustment


In this exercise, you control bend line placement with relations.

Task 1.

Create a new sheetmetal part named BLA.PRT.

1. Create a sheetmetal part named BLA.PRT using the default template. 2. Create a flat wall, sketched on datum plane FRONT, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 16: Section for Flat Wall

Task 2.

Create two angular bend features.

1. Create a regular Angle bend using the part bend table and an inside radius. Sketch the section shown in the following figure on the large front face of the part.

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BS = bend side FS = fixed side


Sketched bend line Use RecRelief here

BS

FS

Figure 17: Flat Wall Section

2. Specify the bend and fixed sides, as shown in the following figure. 3. Use RecRelief on the right side (inside) and no relief on the other side. For the rectangular relief, specify a width of [0.5] and Up To Bend depth. 4. The bend angle should be 90 degrees and the radius is [1.0]. If the wall bends the wrong direction, Flip the direction. The part should display as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 18: First Bend Feature

5. Create the same bend on the other side of the part as shown in the following figure.

Figure 19: Second Bend feature

Task 3.

Determine if bend line is in the desired location.

1. Click Analysis > Measure . Click Distance from the TYPE pulldown menu. 2. Select the two surfaces shown in the following figure. The distance reported should be 0.054. The two surfaces are not coplanar because the bend line adjustment is incorrect. You used a value of 0.5. The formula for the BLA is BLA= L - (R+T), where L is the developed length, R is the inside radius, and T is the thickness.

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Measure between these surfaces

Figure 20: Distance Measurement

Task 4.

Add a relation to control the BLA.

1. Click Modify and select the left bend. The dimensions should display as shown in the following figure. The developed length (L) is 1.70.

Figure 21: Bend Dimensions

2. Click Modify and select the original flat wall feature. 3. With the dimensions shown, click Relations . 4. Identify the symbolic form for the appropriate dimensions shown in the following figure. Find the developed length (d14), the inside radius (d13), the thickness (d8), and the BLA (d9). Your dimension symbols may be different.

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Figure 22: Dimensions Required for Relation

5. Click Add . The relation you need is the equation for the BLA. For this example in the following figure, the relation is d9= d14 (d13+ d8). Enter your relation. Be sure to use your dimension symbols. Press <ENTER> twice. 6. Regenerate the part. 7. Measure the distance again to ensure that the surfaces are coplanar. 8. Create a relation for the right-side bend. 9. To test the relations, modify both of the bend radii to [2.00]. 10. Regenerate the part twice. 11. Measure again to ensure that the surfaces remain coplanar. 12. Save the part and erase it from memory.

Addit ional Exe r cis es

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EXERCISE 6: Creating an Edge Bend and a Rip


In this exercise, you create a part with a constant thickness in Part mode, convert the part into a sheetmetal part, and unbend it using the edge bend and rip features.

Figure 23: Part with Edge bend and Rip

Task 1.

Create a new solid part named RIP.PRT.

1. Create a new solid part named RIP.PRT using the default template. 2. Create an extruded thin protrusion with a rectangular section as shown in the following figure. 3. Create the feature on both sides of the section. 4. Enter [0.1] as the width (thickness) of thin feature, and [4.0] as the blind depth.

Figure 24: Sketch for Thin, Solid Protrusion

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Task 2.

Convert the solid part into a sheetmetal part.

1. Click Applications > Sheetmetal . 2. Click Driving Surface for the conversion method. 3. Specify the outer surface, as indicated in the following figure, as the driving surface (the driving surface is the green side of a sheetmetal part). 4. Accept the default value of [0.1000] for the thickness. The system automatically converts the part into a sheetmetal part.
Select this surface as the green surface

Add Edge Bend to these edges

Figure 25: Specifying Driving Surface and Adding Edge Bends

Task 3.

Create edge bends on the four corner edges. [Bended Edge].

1. Click 2.

Select all four edges shown above in the above figure (you can select inside or outside). Complete the feature. The system creates the edge bends using the thickness of the material as the inside radius of the bend.

3. Modify the radii of each bend to [2.0]. The model should display as shown in the following figure.

Addit ional Exe r cis es

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NOTES

Sketch the rip on this surface

Figure 26: Sketching Plane for the Rip Feature

Task 4.

Create a regular rip. [Rip]. Click Regular Rip > Done .

1. Click

2. Select a surface, as indicated in the above figure, as the sketching plane. Use the Default reference plane. 3. Sketch a spline shown in the following figure. Reference and dimension the ends of the spline and complete the rip feature.

Figure 27: Section Sketch for the Rip Feature

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Task 5.

Create a flat pattern of the model. [Flat Pattern].

1. Click

2. Specify a surface to remain fixed, as indicated in the following figure.

Select this surface to remain fixed for flat pattern

Figure 28: Specifying Top Flat Surface to Remain Fixed

3. The completed flat pattern should display as shown in the following figure.

Figure 29: Final Geometry

4. Save the part and erase it from memory.

Addit ional Exe r cis es

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Appendix

Using PTC Help


You can use PTC Help to quickly search for Pro/ENGINEER information. PTC Help includes quick references and detailed information on selected topics.

Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to: Start PTC Help. Search for specific information about Pro/ENGINEER. Obtain context-sensitive help while performing a task.

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PTC HELP OVERVIEW


PTC Help is a fully functional help system that is integrated into Pro/ENGINEER.

PTC Help Features


PTC Help offers: A new help system with a table of contents, an index, and searching capability Context-sensitive help, allowing access to PTC Help with a click of the mouse Online Tutorials focussed on teaching different aspects of the software Expanded help topics available as special dialog boxes

Please visit the PTC Technical Support Online Knowledge Database , which features thousands of Suggested Techniques. For more information, see the Technical Support Appendix.

USING THE Pro/ENGINEER HELP SYSTEM


Launching Help: Four Methods
There are four procedures for launching the help system.

1. From the Main Menu


This is the standard way of accessing the full-blown help system complete with contents, index, and search capabilities. Depending on your system speed, it may take a few seconds to launch the entire help system. Click Help > Contents and Index from the main menu as shown in the following figure.

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Figure 1 Starting PTC Help The Pro/ENGINEER Online Help homepage appears in your web browser window.

Figure 2: Contents and Index in PTC Help

In the left frame of the window, you see a list of topics arranged in a tree structure. By clicking on each higher level topic, you can access subtopics, and by clicking the sub-topics you can access detailed instructions, explanations, and tips.

Usin g PT C Help

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NOTES

2. Through Context-Sensitive Help


1. Click on the right end of the main toolbar.

2. Click on any icon or any part of the Pro/ENGINEER main window about which you want an explanation. 3. A browser window opens that explains the topic. 4. In the following example, clicking on the model tree icon in the toolbar launched a browser window that explained the icon functionality.

Figure 3: Context-Sensitive Help

5. In addition, you will also notice at the lower left there is a See Also link which on clicking provides a list of related topics that may be of immediate interest.

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6. You may click on any topic you want to read additionally.

Figure 4: The See Also List of Topics

3. Through Pro/ENGINEER Menu Manager


1. Click on the right end of the main Pro/ENGINEER toolbar.

2. Click any menu command from the menu manager. 3. A TOPIC ROUTER browser window opens with a list of topic links that explain the menu command. 4. Click the topic you want to read. 5. In the following example, clicking on X-Section in the menu manager launched the TOPIC ROUTER browser window with a list of two useful topics.

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Figure 5: Launching Help through Menu Manager

4. By Right-Clicking on Vertical Menu Commands


1. Right-click and hold on a menu command until the GETHELP window appears.

Figure 6: Right-Clicking in Menu Manager

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PTC HELP MODULE LIST


There are four main branches in the PTC Help table of contents: Welcome, Pro/ENGINEER Foundation, Using Foundation Modules, and Using Additional Modules.

Figure 7: Four Main Branches in Help System

Consult the following list to find a particular module in the table of contents:

Figure 8: Foundation and Additional Modules in Help

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