Bend an extrusion

[DM300]

Hi all,

I have a some parts, long I-beams cross drilled, but the beam itself is on a radius (150metres).

To make this the flat beam is put up on a mill and drilled, then run through a press to get the radius.

However, if I sweep a section, then put the holes through at the spacing they mill them to, they are out, equally working out the individual angles for each hole has and will take an long time.

The question, is there a way of extruding the I-beam, putting the holes in, then bending it to the radius (following the manufacturing route)? I have always thought you model something how you would make it, but!

Thanks
Mac

 

[JohnRBaker]

What version of NX are you running?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[DM300]

NX6 soon to be NX8

 

[eex23]

We have the same problem, only we are working with various types of railway rails. In a workshop at first we drill stright rail (up to 25 meters length) and then bend it (radius from 200 to 1000 meters). But in designing mode, you cannot follow that workflow. You design already finished model (bended and drilled). We also facing with problems, then we need to give coordinates for drilling.

 

[uwam2ie]

One Way could be, not tested
design the straight rail add holes then use global shaping or Global Shaping by Function. give it a try

 

[swale74]

Try this method sheet metal-> contoured flange. Create the blank and then use a similar file to project your holes to the final formed rail. Trick seems to be to keep the thickness of the blank small as possible to represent the median of the panel.

Another method to try Insert->Curves from Curves -> wrap/unwrap curves.

NX 6.0.5.3 in Windows 7
Mechanical designer

 

[JohnRBaker]

What is the length of the beam and what is the size (the section standard)? Also are the holes being drilled in the flanges or through the web?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[DM300]

They vary in sizes, most common would be 200 high, flange width about 125 the bottom flange is thicker then the top. Total lengths change to, 5 to 25 but have gone to 50 meters. The holes that go though the web range in diameters, 20-30ø average.

The radius goes through the web centre line in the vertical plane.

It would be much the same issue as the railway rails.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Are the flanges or the web parallel to the axis of the bend radius?

In other words, is it this shape (we'll call it 'A'):

Or this ('B'):

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Assuming that it's 'A' above, see the attached NX 6.0 model. Note that I used the...

Edit -> Surface -> Global Shaping by Surface...

...function to 'deform' the original extruded 'beam'. And despite the fact that this is ostensibly an 'Surface' editing function, there is an option to use it with Solid bodies, which is how I used it.

Anyway, take a look and see is this is what you were looking for. Note that ALL aspects of this beam in terms of size and bending radius are fully parametric (simply go to the Part Navigator and expand the 'User Expressions' folder). Note that the Beam Length and Bend Radius are in Meters while all of the other Dimensions are in Millimeters.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Replace the file from my last post with this one as it's more robust if you start to make longer beam (over 25 Meters long).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[DM300]

That's fantastic, had a play with it today you made it look easy.

Thanks