Unite mirror sheet metal part

[cubalibre000]

Hi,
in NX7 I can find the opportunity to unite a mirrored half part.
I don't want the sx or dx part, I'm modeling half part with 8 flange and I don't want to repeat the same identical 8 flange to the opposite side, so I mirror half part, but I don't find the unite command.

Help is appreciated.

 

[JohnRBaker]

To start with, don't Mirror your half a sheet-metal model's BODY, but rather Mirror all of the FEATURES. Then leave NX Sheet Metal, returning to Modeling and perform a simple Boolean Unite. Now if you go back to NX Sheet Metal you can still flatten your model as if all of the Flanges were created as individual features, including the Mirrored ones.

To see how this works, I've attached an NX 7.0 example file.

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
thank you for the solution.
It's not so simple to arrive at this workaround, because I need to switch to other environment.
Can you add the Unite command in the sheet metal menù in the next NX release ?

Thank you

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
another question is that when I switch from sheet metal to modeling environment, this message appear.
I know tha '..may...unusable..', but for our users, it's an allert to avoid this solution.

Regards...

 

[JohnRBaker]

It's not an issue of whether you can add the Boolean to the NX Sheet Metal module (you can do that using Customization), it's that it has never been activated in the NX Sheet Metal module since it's seen as one of those functions which COULD be a problem as noted in that 'warning' message. However, in the example I provided you, it did work OK.

My advice is to learn to use the tool as it's current configured but don't let the 'warning' stop you from learning that there is more things that you can do than what's JUST inside of NX Sheet Metal. After all, if we had intended you to at least use some of the tools of traditional Modeling with NX Sheet Metal we would have locked you out completely. But I admit, it does take some experimentation, but then that has always been a strength of NX/UG has been that the software is very flexible and that we have tried to avoid 'locking' the user out of one area just because he created something which might be incompatible in another area since we try to give the benefit of the doubt to our users as they are the ones which have to get their jobs done using our tools so we're not going to restrict them any more than we absolutely have to. So my advice it to not worry too much and just taken advantage of the situation.

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
I've tried to add this command into the sheet metal toolbar with Tools->Customize, but I don't see modeling feature to add to the sheet metal toolbar.
How can I add the unite command in the sheet metal toolbar without switch from sheet metal to modeling environment ?

About your suggestion don't let the 'warning' stop my from learning, in the new sheet metal environment, i can't add outside bend+web taper to the flange, but only inside, while the old sheet metal yes.
Have you any suggestion, because modify the sketch flange create a bad result.

Thank you..

 

[JohnRBaker]

It's not an issue of whether you can add the Boolean to the NX Sheet Metal module (you can do that using Customization), it's that it has never been activated in the NX Sheet Metal module since it's seen as one of those functions which COULD be a problem as noted in that 'warning' message.

Even if you did manage this (which can be done if you're very creative), as I've already indicated, it won't help you any since it would be grayed-out.

As for your question about "outside bend+web taper to the flange", I'd have to see a picture or sample of what you're trying to do before I could make any suggestions.

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
as you have wrote...'As for your question about "outside bend+web taper to the flange", I'd have to see a picture or sample of what you're trying to do before I could make any suggestions.', I attach a NX7 part.
It's possible to do this on the new sheet metal environment ?

Thanks.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I have no idea what it is that you're talking about. What exactly am I supposed to be looking for in the part that you attached to your last post? I don't see anything that would be of concern to anyone.

And what is this question about the "new sheet metal environment"?

Nothing has really changed since NX 3.0/4.0 when we first introduced NX Sheet Metal other than the slow enhancement of the product so that we could eventually phase out the older SMD (Sheet Metal Design) product, which we've basically managed to do.

Anyway, could you please clarify exactly what it is that you feel the current product is not able to do?

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
thank you for you patience.
In my last .prt attached, I created a sheet metal flange with the pre-NX4 sheet metal environment.
The flange has a outside taper option.
In NX7, the taper can be added to the flange, only with inside direction.
How can I obtain the same result as the attached part in NX7 sheet metal environment ?

Thank you

 

[JohnRBaker]

Your part was last saved in NX 7.0.1.7 and when I double-click on the 'flange' feature I get the NX Sheet Metal 'Flange' dialog. According to the part history, all of the features of this model were in fact created using NX 7.0.1.7. So what does pre-NX 3.0 sheetmetal have to do with THIS particular part file? If there is some 'sheet metal shape' that you wish to create using NX Sheet Metal and you think that you can't, then just make a normal solid model (or at least a picture) showing what it is exactly that you're attempting to do, OK?

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
NX3 was uninstalled from my workstation, I have only NX7.
Anyway, the old sheet metal environment is still present in NX7, so I produced a sample with outside taper flange.
When I model in NX7 with the old sheet metal, a message appear to inform the customer that this environment will be retired soon and no more supported.
So I understand that I need to create my sheet metal part with the new tools.
Whit the new tool, outside taper flange I can't create.
I need, as you mentioned, model my sheet metal in modeling and convert to sheet metal with the relative tool.
Do you thing there is something wrong, or it's normal for you switch from application when the new sheet metal tool can follow my design ?
I think that before I was able create all kind of type of sheet metal part, but now only simple sheet metal part, a lot of simple flange, but only simple part.
For me, switching is a workaround and not a good implementation of the new SM tool.
This is only my opinion...

Thank you again John...

 

[JohnRBaker]

Please draw me at least a picture of what it is that you THINK you can't create using NX Sheet Metal. Unless I can see what it is that you're trying to create I can't offer any suggestions as to how to go about doing so.

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
now I understand why you don't understand me.
The file I attached was wrong.
I attach a part with a flange tapered outside with the old sheet metal.
How can I create the same shape with the new SM ?

Thank you and sorry for my errors...

 

[JohnRBaker]

This is about the best that I can do. Edit the Flange and select the 'Edit Sketch' option to see how it was done.

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.

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John,
I've verified your prt file, but it's not the same as I posted.
It's produce en edge on the bend.
I think that the NX SM has a limitation on this needing.
I will try to use a standard modeling and then switch to SM application and convert to SM.

Regards..