How To Bend Sheet Metal In Solidworks

The sheet metal tool in solidworks is located in the sheet metal toolbar and drop down menu.

How to bend sheet metal in solidworks.

The sheet metal1 feature contains the default bend parameters. Of all concepts in sheet metal design bending and flattening are two of the most fundamental and important to understand. Under sheet metal gauges select use gauge table and select a table. In this blog article we will look at the basic theory behind sheet metal bends particularly the bend allowance ba and how to apply this knowledge when utilizing solidworks sheet metal tools the main concept revolves around the idea of a neutral axis.

Now the base of the sheet metal has been generated. Draw a line across which the bend has to be done. Select sheet metal bend tables or sheet metal gauge table to see the location where solidworks reads the tables from. In the graphics area select a face that does not move as a result of the bend for fixed face.

Click a bend position of bend centerline material inside material outside or bend outside. Step 6 to bend the sheet metal part sketch lines on the part as shown in the picture. This approach will work for any solid body you have including imported bodies made in other systems. Exit the sketch and select the fixed portion of the base.

Click sheetmetal insert bends click flat face as reference when it flatten. Click sketched bend on the sheet metal toolbar or click insert sheet metal sketched bend. In the featuremanager design tree right click sheet metal and click edit feature. Under sheet metal tab select sketched bend.

Click ok and the bend is generated. Set bend radius to 0 03in and k factor 0 5 and ok. Bend tables and gauge tables come into play when working with sheet metal parts in solidworks. By choosing bend table or bend calculation an excel document can be used.

By choosing k factor bend allowance or bend deduction from the pull down menu a specific value can be entered. Select the top face of the base. Sheet metal parameters in the bend allowance section we can select how solidworks determines where the neutral axis is the flat pattern calculation. Click features extruded boss base set d1 to 0 5in and ok.

Original bend direction in drawing editing the flat pattern feature in the flat pattern folder will display the currently defined fixed face. The stated bend direction in a solidworks sheet metal drawing is based on the defined fixed face of the model. Click on the sheet metal tab select base flange tab and give 1 mm to the sheet metal parameters.