Sheet metal Modeling

Construct Base Flange

Construct Edge Flange
Construct Miter Flange
Close Corners
Apply Corner Treatments
Add Tab features
Add Jogs
Unfold and refold the bends
Cut across bends
Perform Forming Operations
Add Hems
Add Vents
Add Gussets
Make Fill Patterns
View Flat Pattern

TUTORIAL 1
In this tutorial, you construct the sheet metal model shown in figure.

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Opening a New File

1. Open a new part file.

2. On the CommandManager, click the right mouse button on anyone of the
tabs and select Sheet Metal, if the Sheet Metal tab is displayed.

The Sheet Metal tab appears.

Constructing the Base Flange

1. To construct a base flange, click Sheet Metal > Base Flange/Tab on

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 the CommandManager.
2. Select the front plane.
3. Construct the sketch, as shown.

4. Click Exit Sketch.

5. On the PropertyManager, under Direction 1 section, type-in 150 in the
Depth box.
6. Check the Use gauge table option.
7. Select SAMPLE TABLE –ALUMINIUM-METRIC UNITS.
8. On the PropertyManager, under the Sheet Metal Parameters section,
select Gauge 14.
9. Set the Bend Radius value to 2.
10. Leave the Auto Relief section to default settings.
11. Click OK to construct the base flange.

Adding an Edge flange

1. To add the flange, click Sheet Metal > Edge Flange on the
CommandManager.
2. Select the edge on the top face.

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 3. Move the pointer upward and click.
4. On the PropertyManager, under the Flange Length section, set Length to
100.
5. Click on the Inner Virtual Sharp icon in the Flange Length section.
This measures the flange length from the outer face.
6. Under the Flange Position section, click the Material Outside icon.
7. Click OK to add the flange.

In SOLIDWORKS 2016, you can use the Edit Flange Profile button to change
the shape of the flange. The sketch mode is activated when you click this button.
Use the sketch tools to change the flange shape.

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Constructing the Miter Flange

1. To construct the miter flange, click Sheet Metal > Miter Flange on the
CommandManager.
2. Click the top edge left flange.

3. Draw the sketch, as shown.

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 4. Click Exit Sketch.
5. Click on the vertical edge of the left flange.

6. On the Miter Flange PropertyManager, set the Flange Position to

Material Inside and Gap distance to 1.25.
7. Under the Start/End Offset section, set the Start Offset Distance and End
Offset Distance to 10.
8. Click OK to construct the miter flange.

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Closing the Corners

1. To close the corners, click Sheet Metal > Corners > Closed Corner .
2. Select the corner face of the miter flange.

3. On the PropertyManager, set the Corner type to Butt .

4. Rotate the model and select the other corner faces.

5. Click OK to close the corners.

Adding Corner Reliefs

1. To add corner reliefs, click Sheet Metal > Corners > Corner Relief .
This selects the entire part.
2. On the PropertyManager, under the Corners section, click Collect all
corners.

3. Under the Relief Options section, set the Relief type Circular .

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 4. Type 2 in the Slot Width box.
5. Click OK to add the corner relief.

The different types of the reliefs are:

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Adding a Tab feature
1. To add a tab, click Sheet Metal > Base Flange/Tab on the
CommandManager.
2. Click on the right side of the base flange.

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 3. On the CommandManager, click Sketch > Line.
4. Click on the vertical edge of the face and move the pointer toward left.
5. Again, click to draw a horizontal line.

6. Move the pointer toward endpoint of the line. The arc mode gets active.

7. Move the pointer toward left, and then downwards.

8. Click to create an arc.

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 9. Close the sketch and add dimensions.

10. Exit the sketch and click OK on the PropertyManager.

Adding a Jog
1. To add a jog, click Sheet Metal > Jog on the CommandManager.
2. Click on the tab face and draw a line.

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 3. Click Exit Sketch.
4. Click on the base flange to define the fixed face.

5. On the PropertyManager, under the Jog Offset section, set the Offset
Distance to 20.
6. Set the Dimension position to Outside Offset .
7. Set the Jog Position to Bend Centerline .
8. Set the Jog Angle to 75.
9. Click OK.

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Unfolding the bends
1. To unfold a bend, click Sheet Metal > Unfold .
2. Click on the tab face to define the fixed face.
3. Click on the bends of the jog feature.

4. Click OK.

Creating Cuts across bends

1. To create cuts across bends, click Sheet Metal > Extruded Cut on the
CommandManager.

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 2. Click on the tab and draw the sketch, as shown.

3. Click Exit Sketch.

4. Set the End Condition to Up To Next.
5. Click OK on the PropertyManager.

Folding the Unfolded bends

1. To fold the unfolded bends, click Sheet Metal > Fold on the
CommandManager.
2. Click on the jog bends.

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 3. Click OK.

Performing the Forming Operations

1. To perform forming operations, click Design Library on the Task pane.

2. If the Design Library is not displayed, click Add File Location .

3. Browse to the location: C:\ProgramData\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS

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 2016\design library
4. Click OK.
5. In the Design Library, click the right mouse button on the forming tools
folder and select Forming Tools Folder.
6. Click Yes on the SOLIDWORKS message box.

7. Double-click on the Louvers folder.

8. Click and drag the Louver onto the flange face.

9. On the PropertyManager, type-in 90 in the Rotation Angle box.

10. Under the Link section, uncheck the Link to form tool option.
11. Under the Flat Pattern Visibility section, check the Override document
settings option.
12. On the PropertyManager, click the Position tab and add dimensions to

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 position the louver.

13. Click OK.

Making the Linear Pattern

1. On the CommandManager, click Features > Linear Pattern .

2. Click on the horizontal edge of the flange to define the first direction.
3. On the PropertyManager, under the Direction 1 section, type-in 50 in the
Spacing box and 2 in the Number of Instances box.
4. Click the Reverse Direction button.
5. Click on the vertical edge of the flange feature to define the second
direction.
6. Under the Direction 2 section, type-in 20 in the Spacing box and 4 in the
Number of Instances box.
7. Select the louver feature.

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 8. Click OK to construct the pattern.

Adding a Hem
1. To add a hem, click Sheet Metal > Hem on the CommandManager.
2. Click on the inner edge of the right side flange.

3. On the PropertyManager, under the Type and Size section, click the
Closed icon.
4. Type-in 15 in the Length box.
5. Click OK to add the hem.

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Adding a vent
1. Construct a sketch on the right side face of the base flange.

2. Click Exit Sketch.

3. On the CommandManager, click Sheet Metal > Vent .
4. Click on the outer most circle of the sketch to define the boundary of the
vent.

5. On the PropertyManager, click in Ribs selection box and select the line
segments from the sketch.
6. Type-in 2 in the Width box.
7. Click in the Spars selection box and select the two middle circles.

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 8. Type-in 2 in the Width box.
9. Click in the Fill-In Boundary selection box and select the inner most
circle.
10. Click OK.

Adding Sheet Metal Gussets

1. To add gussets, click Sheet Metal > Sheet Metal Gusset on the
CommandManager.
2. Click on the left side bend face of the base flange.
3. On the PropertyManager, under the Position section, set the Offset value to
30.
4. Under the Profile section, set the Indent depth to 12.
5. Click the Rounded gusset icon.
6. Under the Dimensions section, set the Indent Width value to 10.
7. Set Indent Thickness to 2.
8. Set Side face draft to 2.
9. Set Inner corner fillet and Outer corner fillet to 1 and 2, respectively.

10. Click OK.

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11. Make a linear pattern of the gusset.

12. Mirror the gusset and the linear pattern about the right plane.

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Making a Fill Pattern

1. Draw a sketch on the top face of the base flange.

2. Click Exit Sketch.

3. To make a fill pattern, click Features > Linear Pattern > Fill Pattern
on the CommandManager.
4. Select the sketch to define the fill boundary.
5. On the PropertyManager, under the Features and Faces section, select
Create seed cut and select the Polygon icon.
6. Set the options in the Features and Faces section, as shown.

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 7. Under the Pattern Layout section, select the Perforation button.
8. Type-in 8 in the Instance Spacing box.
9. Set Stagger Angle to 46.
10. Set Margins to 1.

11. Click OK to make the fill pattern.

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12. Mirror the fill pattern about the right plane.

View the Flat Pattern

1. To view the flat pattern, click Sheet Metal > Flatten on the
CommandManager.

2. Again, click the Flatten button to switch back to the model view.

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3. Save the sheet metal part.

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