Using equations to control bend radius in sheet metal.

[retatton]

Does anyone know of a way to control the bend radius using the equations in SolidWorks. For example, I would like to have something like Bend Radius = 2 * Material Thickness. I have not found a way to do this and I have done a good amount of searching and experimenting, but I could have missed something obvious.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[TheTick]

Double-click the bend feature in the feature manager to show dimensions. Right-click a dimension and select "Properties". You can get the dimension name to use in an equation. Make sure the feature's bend radius is not set to default.

You may just want to control the default bend radius of your base sheet metal feature.

I always rename dimensions when they are used in equations. I have a writeup in the FAQ about this.

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[retatton]

Worked great, thanks TheTick.

 

[TheTick]

faq559-590

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

While in the Add Equation mode, just clicking on the dimension will enter it into the equation.

 

[Updraft]

retatton,

I've got ask, does your manufacturing process have the capability to achieve all these bend radii? If you are using custom tooling then you should have no problem, otherwise you could have parts and designs that don't match or at least eat up all the tolerances.

I had an engineer here who's rule of thumb was Bend Radius (BR) = Thickness. Funny thing is we bend our own parts here using press brakes and the nose radii on the tools only "matched" (within .003") the thickness in two instances. No wonder his sheet metal parts were always a problem.

We only design within the capabilities of our manufacturing systems, yet we are always looking for ways to expand that envelope!

- - -Updraft

 

[retatton]

In virtually all of the sheet metal parts that we design, we only care about the final dimensions of the part, not what bend radius, k-factor, etc. were used to get it there. With our in-house sheet metal shop we're lucky if they get within .125" of any dimension on the print. With jobs that need more precision, we send them out to a sheet metal fabrication shop and let their engineers change the numbers until they like them.

My curiosity with using equations in SW had more to do with having a parametric sheet metal part that would always be the same height, width, etc. independent of the bend radius or thickness used.

That being said, I don't deal with sheet metal all that much. It only comes up once in a while. I know little to nothing about the art and science that is sheet metal bending.

 

[TheTick]

With jobs that need more precision, we send them out to a sheet metal fabrication shop and let their engineers change the numbers until they like them.

Good for you. Some don't agree, but I don't want to do business with any sheet metal shop that can't develop their own flats.