Sheet Metal Bending Software

[pacman454]

Can anyone recommend a sheet metal bending program. We bend multiple gauges of stainless steel, with up to 10 bends per piece. The bends are all done on the length of the sheet, so a 3D unfolder is not necessary, but can be considered. Something where I could draw out the profile and it would tell me the blank width and bend points would be ideal. I know there is similar software for bending pipe, but I cant find anything for bending sheet metal.
Thank You.

 

[unclesyd]

Here is a list to get you started in your quest.

http://www.mmsonline.com/Scripts/Search/SearchMainMMS.asp?qt=sheet metal

 

[aamoroso]

SolidWorks is nice for this but $$$. Not as much as most CAD software but in our sheetmetal shop this is all we have used since 1999.

Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. And scratch where it itches.

 

[wicampro]

Hi pacman454

We at WiCAM have a product called PN4000 that is a complete
2D/3D/NC intergrated sheet metal cad/cam package. In our software we have a 2D function that can provide the exact solution you desire. Create 2D profiles that will automatically create 2D flats with bending points.

 

[iuston]

Have a look at

http://www.think3.com

Not expensive, good sheet metal module, easy to learn (also on line tutorial). I've used it for CN machine programming and found it very friendly.

 

[pacman454]

Thank you all for your input, I will be checking will the companies you mentioned.

 

[smcadman]

Pacman, you didn't mention which CAD program you are currently using, or if you want a complete software package. If you are using Autocad, or Mechanical Desktop, we have had great success with Autopol. We used the add-on package to make create and unfold sheetmetal parts. I no longer use it because we are using Solidworks which has a built-in sheetmetal modeler.
Check out Autopol at:

http://www.autopol.com/

Flores