Sheetmetal Question 1

[BodyBagger]

Hello all,
I have a simple sheetmetal part with 2 bends. I need to make a left hand and right hand version of it so I opened a new assembly with the left hand part, did a mirror (no merge) and checked the box for right hand and saved that part to its own file. When I went to make a drawing for the right hand part it does not have a flat pattern available. Is there a way to have the left hand/right hand parts associated and to have flat patterns for both?

Thanks,
BB

 

[MDGroup]

BB,
If I understand your question correctly, you are almost there.

In the 'Mirrored' part file, the new part should be a single feature with just a solid body (it is not a sheet-metal part yet, so no flat pattern)

You just need to select 'Insert Bends', select a fixed face, and enter your parameters.

It should now make it into a sheet-metal part with its own flat pattern (yet still linked to the original if changes are made).

Hope this helps.

 

[BodyBagger]

MDGroup,
You were exactly right! Thank you for your assistance.

BB

 

[wooska]

Does this only work in SW2010?

 

[ShaggyPE]

nope... that is standard.

Occasionally you might get error flattening the mirrored part. You might have to open up the bend reliefs to get them to flatten.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional
Certified COSMOSWorks Designer Specialist
Certified SolidWorks Advanced Sheet Metal Specialist

 

[BodyBagger]

I am using SW2009 SP4.1, and it worked flawlessly for me.

 

[wooska]

It took me a couple of tries to get the procedure right, but I figured it out in 2009 SP5.0. I was just misunderstanding how the check boxes work when mirroring. Glad to have learned how to do this.

 

[DiegoLGraves]

As stated, this has worked in past versions, probably back as far as 2003. Nice feature for mirrored parts.

If rather than a mirrored part with a limited feature tree, you want to make a "save-as" part by reversing the direction of the sketches, make sure you check the side of the sketch the material is thickened on in Base-Flange1. This can bite the unwary.

regards, Diego