SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [294]
• Above bend line
• Below bend line
• With leader
When the notes are above or below the bend lines, they are aligned with the bend line, so the notes could be horizontal, vertical, or angled. If there is a succession of bends, interrupted in some way but close to one another, these notes can be on top of one another and difficult to read. This situation is shown in Figure 22.5.
FIGURE 22.4
Turning on the bend lines for a flat pattern view
FIGURE 22.5
Showing the bend notes for a flat pattern
If you use the With leader option, all notes are horizontal with respect to the drawing sheet, and a leader points to the bend line.
Showing the bounding box for the flat pattern
SolidWorks automatically calculates a bounding box for your sheet metal flat pattern. This is the smallest rectangle that the flat pattern will fit into. This can be useful if your manufacturing process cuts the flat pattern from individual blanks rather than a bigger sheet with nested flat patterns. Generally, the bigger sheet allows you greater material efficiency, but it may also be difficult to manage if you don't have the equipment, and it may be unnecessary if you are making low volumes of certain parts.
The bounding box may not be aligned the way you might expect, but it represents the smallest rectangle that SolidWorks calculates will include your flat pattern. Many shops have separate nesting software which may allow for custom fits or some additional options. If you are not sure if your shop would benefit from a bounding box on the drawing, you may want to ask them directly.
You can have some control over the bounding box. If you specify a grain direction in the Flat Pattern PropertyManager, the bounding box aligns with the grain direction. You can use an edge, axis, or sketch to define the grain direction. The grain direction is the pattern of streaks on the face of the sheet metal that indicates the direction the sheets were processed in fabrication. Sheet metal properties can vary somewhat if measured with and against the grain. Sometimes the grain is specified in a certain orientation for aesthetic reasons.
The bounding box is stored in the sheet metal part as a sketch, which you can see right below the Bend Lines sketch shown in Figure 22.4. You can show this sketch, and the drawing will display it as a construction line. Figure 22.6 shows a flat pattern with a bounding box.
FIGURE 22.6
Showing a bounding box on a drawing
Showing bend areas on the part
If you want to show or hide the bend areas for all bends on the flattened part, open the part in its own window, and edit the Flat Pattern feature. You cannot edit the feature from the drawing; you have to do it from the part's own window. In the Flat-Pattern PropertyManager, make sure the Merge Faces option is turned off.
Figure 22.6 shows the bend lines (Merge Faces) turned off, and Figure 22.7 shows the bend lines (Merge Faces) turned on. Figure 22.7 also shows the setting which is available from the model. In Figure 22.7, the Tangent Edges are set to use a font. You can find this setting at View⇒Display⇒Tangent Edges With Font.
FIGURE 22.7
Showing the tangent bend lines on a flat pattern
Making Drawings of Multi-Body Sheet Metal Parts
Multi-body sheet metal parts are still a bit of a curiosity in SolidWorks. You cannot flatten multiple sheet metal bodies simultaneously within a single sheet metal part. However, SolidWorks may be sending a confusing signal by adding more capabilities for drawings of multi-body parts. It is difficult to say what SolidWorks' intention was regarding multi-body sheet metal parts, but it is safe to say that you would do best to use them as a bridge to a single body, or when other parts such as small welded bits or PEM fasteners are pressed into a sheet metal part, creating an inseparable subassembly.
Figure 22.8 shows two different part scenarios that this chapter addresses.