Convert to sheet metal in NX 5.0.4.1

[DieMan44]

I have a sheet metal part that I am trying to develop a flat blank for. The shape looks a double "S" attached verticaly with (7) steps running the other direction that are offset the metal thickness and blended together. I extracted the planar surfaces and the blends that make the double "S" shape ingoring the the small blends that run the other direction. So I have (7) double "S" shaped surfaces that vary in length and radii. I have sewn and thicked them to match metal thickness. When I try to convert these to sheet metal inorder on unbend them I get an error saying unable to determine metal thickness regardless of what face I select. Can someone adivise on an other way of tackling this problem?

Thanks!!

 

[JohnRBaker]

A picture would really help, even if it was nothing more than a 'freehand sketch'.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[DieMan44]

Here's a jpeg.

 

[DieMan44]

Let's try again.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Now that I see your part file I can say that this is beyond the scope of NX Sheet Metal which was designed for straight-break sheet metal parts, such as enclosures, electrical chassis, machine guards, etc. What you have is an example of a 'Stamping'. There are other tools available, but that may depend on how this is going to be manufactured. If this is a 'one-off' or the quantity is small, in the 10's or 100's, then a simple die might do which you can model directly from the 3D model. However, if you're taking 1000's then you may be better served by looking at the 'Progressive Die Wizard'.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[DieMan44]

Yes, it is a stamping, however what I show is planar surfaces with tangent radii. The sheet metal features should be able to flaten these. Then I could create the ajoining surfaces that makes it a "stamping". FYI, we have the Progressive Die Wizard but we do not find it useful except for a few tools that are in it.

 

[JohnRBaker]

But I think you will find that the transition 'blends' between the raised and lowered areas are doubly curved, despite them being tangent with circular cross-sections. This alone puts it beyond the 'flattening' tools of the basic NX Sheet Metal, since in order to accomplish this the metal has to 'move' (strech and compress) based on physics which is much more complex than what can be predicted using netual axis and setback calculations.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[DieMan44]

I see what you mean. I did end up using the one-step unforming which worked fine, I just thought the way I was trying would be more accurate.