SHEET METAL

Working with non-sheet metal data

 SHEET METAL WORKFLOW
Content : ESTABLISH BASIC PARTCHARACTERISTICS
DEFINE THE BASIC SHAPE OF THE PART
CONSTRUCTING BASE FEATURES
SHEET METAL CORNERS
SHEET METAL CUTOUTS
SHEET METAL DEFORM FEATURES
FLAT SOLID AND FLAT PATTERN
ADVANCED SHEET METAL COMMANDS
ANALYZE FORMABILITY – ONE STEP
AEROSPACE SHEET METAL
WORKING WITH NON-SHEETMETAL DATA
 AEROSPACE SHEET METAL
Purpose
In this lesson you will learn how to:
Use parts created in the Modeling application or
import them from other CAD systems.
You can then use the set of commands available in
Sheet Metal to make them into valid sheet metal
parts.
Rip edges when converting a solid model to a
sheet metal part.
Change the parameters of individual bend regions.
Objectives
• Understand and use the workflow for converting a non-sheet
metal part to a sheet metal part.
• Know what selections are most likely to produce a successful
conversion of a solid model into a sheet metal part.
• Know the benefits and drawbacks of using the Cleanup
Utility when a part does not convert properly.
• Become familiar with the benefits of using the Convert
to Sheet Metal Wizard.
• Resize bend radii and bend angles on a converted sheet metal
part.
• Become familiar with the options available with the Edge Rip
command and create an Edge Rip feature.
• Identify the key elements of the resize sheet metal commands.
• Understand when you would use the resize sheet metal
commands.
Tips and techniques: Converting to Sheet Metal

Key points for successful conversion :

You can convert only a solid body that has some thickness. You cannot
convert a sheet body.

The part you convert must have constant thickness.

Successful conversion of a model into sheet metal depends on the topology of

the part and the base face you select. A face that has tangent continuity
with other faces in the model gives better results after conversion.
Tips and techniques: Converting to Sheet Metal

Ripping edges of the part :

A rip shears or tears your sheet metal along seams, or along profiles that you create. If your
part is a continuous piece of material, it cannot be unbent without ripping the sheet metal. Ripping
edges lets you achieve tangent continuous faces in your part.

Cleanup Utility :

While the Cleanup Utility can resolve many problems with the part, it can change the part
significantly and it creates a new, non-associative body. For this reason, we recommended that you
cleanup the part only if the conversion is not satisfactory.
Tips and techniques: Converting to Sheet Metal

Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard :

The Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard streamlines the workflow by letting you perform the
cleanup and conversion tasks in the correct sequence and ensures a workable sheet metal model.

• Sheet Metal from Solid

When you use the Sheet Metal from Solid command to convert selected faces of a solid body to
a sheet metal part, we recommended that you select an appropriate combination of faces and edges
that will create a valid sheet metal part which can be flattened.
Convert a solid model to a sheet metal part

Optimize Face

Use the Optimize Face command to simplify surface types,

merge faces, improve edge accuracy, and recognize blends.

Use this command on models imported into NX to convert B-

surface faces to analytic faces.
Convert a solid model to a sheet metal part
Optimize Face

This example shows how to convert spline and tolerant edges to

more accurate geometric edges and convert B-surfaces with analytic
surfaces of an imported solid.

1. Choose Home tab→Synchronous Modeling group→Optimize Face

2. Select the faces you want to optimize. For this example, all faces
are selected.
3. In the Settings group, select the options that you want.
In this example, Clean Body before Optimize and Report are selected.

4. Click OK.

The Information window displays the optimize face report.

 Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard
Use the Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard command to convert a non-sheet metal
part to a valid sheet metal part by ripping edges and cleaning up geometry.

The wizard streamlines the workflow by letting you perform the cleanup and
conversion tasks in the correct sequence and ensures a workable sheet metal
model.

The example shows the recommended workflow for converting a non-sheet metal
part to a sheet metal part.

Rip along the corner edges. This step is optional, but if you do not rip edges that
need to be ripped, they are defined as non-sheet metal areas that cannot be bent
or unbent.
 Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard

Convert the non-sheet metal part to a valid sheet metal part on which you
can perform operations like bending, unbending, flattening, and so on.

Clean up imported parts so that the cleaned up part meets the

requirements of the convert to sheet metal step. This is an optional step.

1. The Edge Rip and Cleanup Utility steps in the wizard are
optional, but to create the convert to sheet metal feature you
must perform the Convert to Sheet Metal step.

2. While the wizard guides you through the workflow, separate dialog
boxes for Edge Rip, Cleanup Utility, and Convert to Sheet Metal
commands are also available.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box
The Edge Rip step lets you rip along the corner edges prior to converting a non-sheet metal
part to a valid sheet metal part.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Edge to Rip Select Edge

Lets you select the corner edges that you want to rip.
Select Section
Lets you select an existing section or sketch one on the face of a part.
You can use this option to rip the solid body along linear sections other than
corners.

You can also rip along a linear sketch.

In the following example, the flange is ripped along a linear sketch to create separate independent
edges, and a bend is created along one edge of the original flange.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

The Cleanup Utility step lets you create a new body that meets the requirements of the Convert to
Sheet Metal step.

The Cleanup Utility command can automatically correct the following:

• Non-uniform thickness regions which fall within approximately a 10 percent variation of the
thickness of a selected face.

• Non-concentric bend regions.

• Sliver faces in the part.

Slivers are long and narrow faces that have a very high length (L) to width
(W) aspect ratio.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

faces in the part.

between faces. Non-G1 continuity between a planar face and the bend face is corrected.

B-spline faces in a model. These are converted to a simpler form, such as planar or cylindrical.

Bends that have a zero bend radius, that is, the outside bend radius is equal to the thickness of the part
and the inside bend radius is zero.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Sharp edges in a model.

These are converted to bend regions without splitting the thickness face.

The sharp edges are cleaned up using a bend radius value of 0.02 mm.
The model can have an inner sharp edge with an outer bend face, an
outer sharp edge with an inner bend face, or both sharp edges.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

For example, if a model has an inner sharp edge, the inner sharp edge is replaced with a
bend face of radius 0.02 mm. The corresponding outer bend radius is equal to the sum
of the inner bend radius and the input thickness.

You can also use the Optimize Face

command for additional cleanup if necessary.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Base Face

Select Face lets you specify a base face from which NX will infer the thickness of the cleaned up part.
Because NX uses the thickness of the base face to infer the thickness of the resulting cleaned up part,
select a base face that has uniform thickness.

Thickness
Infer Thickness infers the thickness of the resulting sheet metal part after you select the non-sheet
metal part for cleanup. If you do not select the Infer Thickness check box, NX uses the value that you
enter in the Thickness box. Areas of non-uniform thickness are automatically corrected to match the
thickness value you specify.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Sliver
Sliver Tolerance lets you specify the sliver tolerance value.Slivers are long and narrow faces that have a
very high length (L) to width (W) aspect ratio. If the width (W) of the sliver is less than the specified sliver
tolerance value, the slivers are removed.

Settings

Hide Original hides the original non-sheet metal part after you click OK in the Cleanup Utility dialog
box.

NX performs the cleanup operation using a copy of the original solid body. The result of the cleanup is
not associative to the original body.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Convert to Sheet Metal converts the part to a sheet metal part and creates the Convert
to Sheet Metal feature.

Base Face

Select Face lets you select a base face to anchor the part during conversion. If you do
not select a base face, NX uses the base face selected during the cleanup operation.

For best results, select a face that has tangent continuity with the other faces in the
model, or one that will be tangent continuous after you rip the edges.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Bend Relief Shape lets you specify the type of relief you want to apply to bend regions.

None

Square

Round
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Settings Maintain

Zero Bend Radius converts a non-sheet metal part that has one or more
sharp edges on one side and one or more bend faces on the other side.

If you do not select this check box, NX uses the default value for the bend
radius specified in the Sheet Metal Preferences dialog box, and creates a
bend of consistent thickness.
Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard dialog box

Edge Rip

Use this command to rip edges when converting a solid model to a sheet metal part.

You can: Rip along corner edges.

Rip along a linear sketch.

Edge Rip

In the following example, the flange is ripped along a linear sketch to create separate independent
edges, and a bend is created along one of the separated flanges.
Edge Rip dialog box

Edge to Rip Lets you select the type of geometry to rip.

Select Edge Lets you select the edges to rip.

Select Section Lets you select the section to rip along.

You can select an existing section, or
create a linear sketch.

In the image shown, an open profile sketch was used to rip the
existing flange. A bend feature was then added.
Resize Bend Radius
Use the Resize Bend Radius command to change the radius of a bend by
overriding the feature that created the bend.

You can:
Change the radius of individual bend regions and illustrate over-bending and
spring back effects.

Change individual bends in features such as contour flanges and jogs that create
multiple bend regions.

Modify individual bend regions to suit the demands of the part, when you use
the Convert to Sheet Metal command to convert solid parts to sheet metal parts.

The modifications appear as a separate Resize Bend Radius feature in the Main panel
of the Part Navigator.
Resize Bend Radius

Model History
Datum Coordinate System (0)
SB Tab (1)
SB Flange (2)
SB Resize Bend Radius (3)

As these features are in timestamp order, you can hide, show, or

edit them to display the model in various states of forming.
Resize Bend Radius

The Part Navigator shows a combination of modeling and pre-NX 4 sheet metal features. The Convert
to Sheet Metal feature should be the last feature listed in your Part Navigator before you use the
Resize Bend Radius command.
Model History
Block
SM Flange
SM Cutout
Bead
SB Convert to Sheet Metal
Resize Bend Radius
Resize the bend radius of a flange
Resize Bend Angle

Use this command to change the angle of a bend by overriding the feature that created the bend.

You can do the following:

• Depict a bend in various intermediate stages.

• Study over-bending and spring back effects of selected bends.

• Do forming studies on an already-designed sheet metal part.

For manufacturing, you can visualize parts with bends in interim states.
 Resize Neutral Factor

Use this command to change the Neutral Factor value, overriding the feature that added the bend.
You can change the neutral factor value and control the geometry of individual bend regions
without re-creating the part.
 Resize Neutral Factor

Compression
Tension
Neutral axis — point in a bend where the tension on the
outside of the bend and the compression
on the inside become neutral.

The default Neutral Factor value refers to the neutral axis. This neutral axis is used when figuring the
bend allowance for flat patterns. It depends on the mechanical properties of the material being bent,
and is represented by a percentage of the stock thickness, measured from the inside bend radius. The
default value is 0.33. You can supply a value between 0 and 1.
Summary: Working with non-sheet metal data
In this lesson you:

Identified the key elements and conditions required to create an Edge Rip feature.

Ripped corner edges on a part and created an edge to rip with a sketch.

Learned how and when to use Convert to Sheet Metal Wizard.

Learned what techniques to use to make successful conversion more likely.

Reviewed when you would use the Resize Bend Radius, Resize Bend Angle, and Resize
Neutral Factor commands.

Resized bend radii and bend angles on a converted sheet metal part.