SHEET METAL

AEROSPACE SHEET METAL

 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
Aerospace Sheet Metal accelerates the design of
the most common sheet metal parts found in
airframes. The features provided by Aerospace
Sheet Metal let you define flanges that are
associated with mold line surfaces and are
joggled around other supporting structures.
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
• Identify the key preferences and environment
settings for Aerospace Sheet Metal.
• Create Aerospace Flange features.
• Create Aerospace Joggle features.
• Create Lightening Cutout features.
• Add reliefs and cutouts.
• Unform and reform Aerospace Sheet Metal parts.
Aerospace Sheet Metal application
The features provided by Aerospace Sheet Metal let you define flanges that are
associated with mold line surfaces and are joggled around other supporting structures.
Aerospace Sheet Metal application

There are three ways to start the Aerospace Sheet Metal application:

• Choose File tab→All Applications→Sheet Metal→Aerospace Sheet Metal.

• Click Aerospace Sheet Metal on the Application tab.

• Open a new part using the Aero Sheet Metal template.

 Aerospace Flange
• The Aerospace Flange command lets you quickly construct complex flanges along non-linear
edges. The flange may also be associated with, and be formed to align with, non-planar surfaces.

• A flange consists of a region known as the bend region and a flange body known as the web. The
bend region attaches the flange to the body of a selected base edge.
 Sheet Metal Relief

This feature is designed to work with flanges, bends, profile flanges,

general flanges, and corners. It can also be applied to planar geometry.

Internally, the Sheet Metal Relief feature is composed of several hidden

cutout features.
Sheet Metal Relief dialog box

Center Radius The radius of the center circle that defines the relief
between two adjacent bend areas.

Center Offset The distance between the intersection of the bend lines and
the center point of the center circle.
Sheet Metal Relief dialog box

Tangent Offset The distance between the intersection of the bend lines and the closest
point on the center circle.

Radius 1 The radius used to blend the first corner.

Radius 2 The radius used to blend the first corner.

Radius 2 The radius used to blend the second corner.

Offset 1 The distance from the first bend tangent line for V relief construction.

Offset 2 The distance from the second bend tangent line for V relief construction.
Sheet Metal Relief dialog box

Relief Line The bisector line of the angle between the bend lines.

Angle 1 and Angle 2 Two positive values that define the angle of the first or the
second leg of V relief, measured from the relief line.

Cycle Direction Lets you change the bisecting quadrant of the Offset Vector. There
are four options for the four quadrants.
Unform and Reform
Unform

Use this command to unform aerospace flanges, including flanges containing joggles. Flanges can
be unformed before adding a corner relief, flange relief, or flange shaping. For instance, if a cutout
needs to cross a bend region, it may be necessary to unform the flange before adding the cutout.
 Reform

Use the Reform command to return a flange to the formed state after it has been
unformed. You generally unform a flange in order to add a feature in the flat state.

For instance, to add a Sheet Metal Relief feature, first unform the flanges. Then add
the relief and use the Reform command to return the flanges to their formed state.
Aerospace Joggle

Use the Aerospace Joggle command to quickly construct the geometry that is required to offset a
portion of a flange so it can be matched to other parts in the assembly.

A minimum set of inputs results in a flange that is divided into three regions:

1. A region that does not change (stationary region)

2. A joggled region

3. A transition region between the stationary and joggled regions

Aerospace Joggle

Two types of joggles can be created:

A Single Joggle and a Twin Joggle. A Twin Joggle contains

two transition and two stationary regions, both on each
side of a single joggled region.
Aerospace Joggle dialog box

Type

Single creates a joggle defined by a single joggled region,

transition region, and stationary region.

Twin creates a joggle defined by a single joggled region and

two transition and two stationary regions.
Aerospace Joggle dialog box

Selections
Select flange bend faces
Identifies the flange to joggle by selecting a bend face of the flange.
Select Start Plane
Lets you select or define a datum plane. The datum plane is used to
define the location of the joggle on the selected flange.
Select End Plane
(For twin joggles only) Lets you select or define a second datum plane.
The datum planes define the limits of the joggled region.
Joggle Properties

Depth
Defines the distance and direction that the joggled faces of the flange are offset
along the Side 1 datum plane.

Symmetric Sides
Specifies that both sides of the joggle have the same properties.
If this check box is cleared, separate options are available for Side 1 and Side 2.

Apply Compensation
Applies flat pattern compensations to joggles when they are unformed by the
Flat Solid feature.
Joggle Properties
Runout (R)
Defines the normal distance and direction between the start and the end of the transition region.
For single joggles, it also defines the direction of the transition region relative to the datum plane.

Clearance (C)
Defines the normal distance between the datum plane and the start of the transition region.

Stationary Radius (R1)

Specifies the radius of the blend between the stationary region and the transition region.

Offset Radius (R2)

Specifies the radius of the blend between the transition region and the joggled region.
 Aerospace Lightening Cutout

The Aerospace Lightening Cutout command allows you to quickly

construct flanged cutouts on Aerospace Sheet Metal parts.

You can define the cutout by:

• Sketching the outline.

• Specifying the length of the flange.

• Rounding the sketch vertices.

• Defining the draft angle

 Aerospace Lightening Cutout

Aerospace Lightening Cutout is similar to Drawn Cutout in Sheet Metal; however, the Aerospace
Lightening Cutout feature can be unformed while the Drawn Cutout feature cannot.
 Aerospace Lightening Cutout

Type

By Section lets you select an existing sketch or a placement face on which

to sketch the cutout shape.

Hole creates a hole with a center point and diameter that you specify.
 Aerospace Lightening Cutout
Section or Center Location
• Select curve
• (Appears when type is set to By Section)
• Lets you select an existing curve or sketch one.
• Select Planar Face
• (Appears when type is set to Hole)
• Lets you select a planar face on which to create the hole.
Specify Point (Appears when type is set to Hole)
Lets you select or create a center point to define the center of the
Circular cutout.
Cutout Properties
Diameter (Appears when type is set to Hole)
The diameter defines the size of the cut, and the flanged region is then
added to the inside of this cut hole.
Length
Specifies the length of the flanged region. This distance is measured from
the relative intersection of the flange to the end of the web.
Angle
Sets the draft angle for the flanged region.

Check Clearance
Specifies that NX checks the minimum distance between the cutout feature
and the part edges or bend regions. You supply the Clearance value.
 Aerospace Lightening Cutout

Rounding

Die Radius sets the radius for the inside of the bend on the flanged region.
Corner Radius (Appears when type is set to By Section) Sets the value for the
rounding of the sharp edges of the sketch profile.
Summary: AEROSPACE SHEET METAL

Use Aerospace Sheet Metal for designing structural support ribs and various other types
of brackets that typically mate with the mold line of an aircraft body.

In this lesson you:

• Identified the key preferences and environment settings for Aerospace Sheet Metal.

• Created Aerospace Flange, Aerospace Joggle, and Lightening Cutout features.

• Added relief and cutout features.

• Unformed and reformed Aerospace Sheet Metal parts.