SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [275]
The bends are shown as BaseBend features in the FeatureManager. You can change individual bend radii from the default setting by editing the BaseBend feature, as well as by assigning custom bend allowances on a per-bend basis. You cannot change the bend angle for these particular bends because the angle is controlled through the sketch. However, for other types of bends (such as those created by Edge Flanges), you can adjust the bend angle through the feature PropertyManager.
If you need to, you can reorder all the bends from a list that you can access from the right mouse button (RMB) menu selection Reorder Bends on the Flat Pattern. This dialog box is shown in Figure 21.2.
FIGURE 21.1
The three functions of the Base Flange/Tab feature
FIGURE 21.2
The Reorder Bends dialog box
The BaseBend features can be suppressed, but the only effect that this has is to prevent the associated bend from flattening when the Flat Pattern feature is unsuppressed.
Using the Sheet Metal feature
The FeatureManager is shown for the Base Flange with all the bends in Figure 21.3. The Sheet-Metal1 feature is automatically added to sheet metal parts as a placeholder for default sheet metal settings such as material thickness, default bend allowance settings, and Auto Relief options, as well as the default inside bend radius.
FIGURE 21.3
The FeatureManager after the Base Flange is added
Gauge Table
Gauge Tables are a legacy table type, which is simply an Excel spreadsheet. The data from gauge tables was consolidated with other types of flat pattern calculation into what is now called Bend Calculation Tables, which are described in more detail later in this chapter.
Cross-Reference
Bend tables are described in more detail later in this chapter.
Gauge Tables enable you to assign a thickness and available inside-bend radii, which limits the choices that the user has for those settings in the table. Each K-Factor has a separate table, and the choices listed in the table appear in the drop-down lists in the Sheet Metal PropertyManager. Figure 21.4 shows the top few lines of a sample Gauge Table and a Sheet Metal PropertyManager when a Gauge Table is used.
If necessary, you can override the values that are used in the Gauge Table by using the override options in the thickness, bend radius, and K-Factor fields of the PropertyManager.
The Bend Allowance options (Allowance, Deduction, and K-Factor) are explained in more detail later in this chapter.
On the DVD
Sample tables with both gauge and bend data are provided on the DVD that accompanies this book.
FIGURE 21.4
A sample Gauge Table and Sheet Metal PropertyManager
Bend Radius
This option specifies the default inside bend radius for all bends in the part. You can override values for individual bends or individual features.
Thickness
The part thickness is grayed out in the Sheet Metal PropertyManager. You can change the value by double-clicking any face of the model and then double-clicking the thickness dimension displayed in the graphics area. The thickness displays as a blue dimension rather than a black dimension. It is easier to identify if you have dimension names selected, because it is assigned the link value name Thickness and has a red link symbol to the left of the dimension value.
All features in sheet metal parts that use the thickness value use a link value to link all the feature thicknesses. This makes it easy to globally change the thickness of every feature in the entire sheet metal part.
To save these settings to a template file, you can create a Sheet Metal feature, specify the settings, delete the Sheet Metal features, and then save the file to a template with a special name that represents the settings that you used.
Tip
When a link value is named Thickness, the Extrude dialog