Help mirroring sheet metal part.

[doodman]

I can't mirror a sheet metal part in Solidworks 2005. I have made half a section and just want to mirror it. It says bend face is an invalid face for sheet metal. Yet it wants me to select a face of the actual sheet metal part for it to work. Any ideas?

 

[JMirisola]

Try mirroring the body versus the feature. It would help, too, if you were to post your file(s) or provide a better description.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[doodman]

I am mirroring the body. Its a simple sheet metal part. I made the left hand side, now I want to mirror it and have it merge the two solids in order to obtain a single part. I'd like to provide a better description, but don't know what else to say.

I've uploaded the file but don't know if you can read it as it's built on a skeleton part in the assembly.

 

[doodman]

theres the file.

 

[rlj4794]

You can mirror your sketches.

 

[doodman]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but no I cannot mirror sketches. I can only mirror features, faces and bodies according to solid works. Anybody else? Am I just not seeing this or is it just ridiculous that you can't mirror sheet metal?

 

[ShaggyPE]

You can mirror sketch entities. There is an icon that looks like a bell.

As far as being able to mirror sheet metal features, like edge flanges and the like, I don't recall.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional

 

[ctopher]

doodman,
What version are you using?
I think mirroring sheetmetal is a new function in SW2007?

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

You can mirror SM parts, but the Mirror Face has to be a face bounding a straight and flat portion of the part. A face bounding a curved surface is not eligible.

I don't know if this will work in SW05, but try adding a small flat to one end of the splines used to create your lofted bend. Then when creating the mirror, select a face bounding that flat portion.

 

[doodman]

im using 2005. i cant mirror in the sketch because it would not go on the same plane. ill find a way around it.

 

[JMirisola]

I looked at your part, but I don't know what you're trying to mirror...side to side, front, back, what? If we knew that, we'd be better able to help you out.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[doodman]

JMirisola, basically I want it twice as long. I would be using the front plane as the mirror plane. The edge that the curve is on would be the mirror plane. Hope this helps, as now Im itching to figure this out! (Dont ya just love getting stuck like this?)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you just want the part you uploaded to be twice as long;
1) Create another plane offset whatever distance you need from Plane1
2) RMB on Sketch5 and choose the Edit Sketch Plane option
3) Select the newly created plane and click-the-tick.

 

[doodman]

thats what i did. but its not what i want. i want to know how to mirror the part, so i can do it again later.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Then you will have to add the flat portion as I posted earlier.