Bending a non Sheet Metal Part 1

[MattP]

Say I wanted to take a structural angle shape, cut a V in one of the legs and bend the angle 90 degrees as if I welded 2 mitered pieces together. Can I add bends to a part that still keeps it's angle shape (ie. sharp outside corner)? I know I can do this using a sweep command but is it possible using sheet metal commands?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The Sheet Metal module tries to emulate the real world conditions & you cannot get a sharp edge on an outside bend in the real world.

You can make the part using Sheet Metal, but it will not give you a truly sharp outside corner. Even if the inside bend is set at .001" radius, the outside bend will be .001"+ material thickness.

& all the best.

 

[MattP]

Yeah, I think I could manage making it from sheet metal from the get go (with rounded outside corner). I was just wondering if you could bend non sheet metal shapes. Example, bending a round bar to make a handle or a hook. I guess I should look elsewhere from sheet metal and look at features like deform, etc.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

What's wrong with using the Sweep?

& all the best.

 

[MattP]

Not much wrong with the sweep, I guess. I just like to try to think like a fabricator when I design sometimes. I often wished for a hammer tool. "That doesn't quite fit right. Let me just hit a couple of times with my hammer." Might have to make the enhancement request.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Yeah, a Hammer tool would be good sometimes ... might get a bit expensive with Monitors though

& all the best.

 

[J-C]

Maybe the Flex Feature would work for this. There is a bend option, just move the planes to bend between to the region with the v-cut. Not sure what all options are available as I don't have Solidworks in front of me right now.

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

 

[MattP]

That might be the ticket. I'll have to work with it a bit but I can see how that it may do the trick. May also be good for rolling an arc in structural shapes.

 

[Regg]

MattP

You could also create what you want using the structural member tools. Also SW2005 allows you to follow a curved surface.

Regg

 

[Regg]

I meant curved profile not surface.

 

[cninneman]

MattP,

I too wondered this very question. We also do a lot of forming of "structural" materials, angles, channels, rounds, etc... My reasoning for this feature was to have a formed and unformed profile, much like sheetmetal, without having to create a configuration of one of the two shapes.

I tried using flex command to get the desired result, but on some parts it took more time, than I felt it was worth, to get the coordinate system setup for the trim planes. Quite some time back I had a short disscusion with Mark Biasotti of SolidWorks, on the SW forum, he told me this command was in no way created with this type of use in mind. So, it would definately have it's shortcomings.

I did send in an enhancement request for such a feature. Maybe you could too, at least I know I'm not the only one wanting something like this. If you're interested, I did model up a formed angle, much like you first asked about. Copy and paste this link(don't click on it), and you should be able to download it.

http://nutting.150m.com/SW_Parts/2x3x1875 NO HOLES.SLDPRT

As everyone mentioned, it's not going to give you square outside corners, but you don't get them in a real life situation anyway.

Have a good one,
Chris

 

[rgrayclamps]

Hi, Mattp:

You can bend your structual angle shapes (or any shapes) if you want to. Just make a "V" cut sketch where you want and split the part. Then you can rotate either of the bodies 90 degrees.

Alex