SHEET METAL

ADVANCED SHEET METAL COMMANDS

 SHEET METAL WORKFLOW
Content : ESTABLISH BASIC PARTCHARACTERISTICS
DEFINE THE BASIC SHAPE OF THE PART
CONSTRUCTING BASE FEATURES
SHEET METAL CORNERS
SHEET METAL CUTOUTS
SHEET METAL DEFORM FEATURES
FLAT SOLID AND FLAT PATTERN
ADVANCED SHEET METAL COMMANDS
ANALYZE FORMABILITY – ONE STEP
AEROSPACE SHEET METAL
WORKING WITH NON-SHEETMETAL DATA
 SHEET METAL CORNERS
Purpose
Use the Bridge Bend command to create a Z-
shaped, U-shaped, or fold-type transition
between two unconnected sheet metal bodies.
Use the Advanced Flange feature to create a flange
on a non-linear edge.
Use the Unform and Reform commands to flatten
an Advanced Flange to check if the part can be
manufactured or to add features to the part in the
flat state.
Use MetaForm to unform complex geometry into an
alternate shape. It allows you to flatten parts that are
too complex for the Flat Solid and Flat Pattern
commands.
Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
Identify the geometric elements necessary to
create Bridge Bend and Advanced Flange
features.
Review the workflows for creating these features.
Know why you would want to unform and reform an
Advanced Flange feature.
Create a Bridge Bend feature.
Create an Advanced Flange feature.
Unform and reform an Advanced Flange feature.
Unform complex geometry.
 Bridge Bend

Use the Bridge Bend command to create transition geometry by

joining two edges on different bodies and then uniting the bodies.

You can:
U-shaped
Create a Z-shaped, U-shaped, or Fold type transition between
two unconnected sheet metal bodies.

Z-shaped
 Bridge Bend

1. Planar Face

2. Folder Transition

Build the transition between sheet metal parts to provide support between two bodies.

When you unform the Bridge Bend feature, the unformed feature is integrated with the
feature created by the Sheet Metal Flat Pattern command.

This command works in the same way as the Bridge Transition command in the Flexible
Printed Circuit Design application.
Bridge Bend dialog box

Type

Z or U Transition

Creates a Z-shaped or U-shaped Bridge Bend feature.

For a Z transition, the axes of the bend regions are on

opposite sides of the planar region.

For a U transition, the axes of the bend regions are on the

same side of the planar region.
Bridge Bend dialog box

Fold Transition

• Creates a folded type of Bridge Bend feature.

• The axes of the bend regions are on the same side of the planar region. The
edges you select must meet specific requirements.

• Transition Edges Start Edge and End Edge let you specify the start and
end edges for the bend.

• Reference Geometry Specify Plane lets you specify a reference plane to

which the transition should be tangent.
 Bridge Bend
Inset Available after you specify the reference plane.
Material Inside
Specifies that the transition body and the start edge are on the same side of the
tangential plane that you select.
Material Outside
Specifies that the transition body and the start edge are on opposite sides of the
tangential plane that you select.

Start edge
Reference plane

Material Inside Material Outside

 Bridge Bend

Width Specifies the width of the transition body.

Finite
• Creates a transition body using the width you specify and starting
from the point you select on the start edge.
• Specify Point options are available.

Symmetric
 Creates a transition body by distributing your specified width value
equally on either side of the point you select on the start edge.
 Specify Point options are available.
 Bridge Bend

Full Start Edge

• Creates a transition body that spans the width of the start edge.

Full End Edge

• Creates a transition body that spans the width of the end edge.

Full Both Ends

• Creates a transition body that spans the full width of both edges. If the
edges are not of the same length, the resulting transition body does not have
a constant width.
 Bridge Bend
Bend Parameters

Start and End Radii Equal

Specifies that the start and end radius values are equal. You need to
enter only the Start Radius value.

Start Radius and End Radius

Sets values for the start and end bend radius.

Length Available when Type is set to Fold Transition.

Sets the length of the planar region adjacent to the start edge.
 Advanced Flange
• Use this command to add a flange along an edge using a bend angle or a
reference face. The edge and reference face can be curved.

• This command is useful when you want to create non-linear flanges, or when you work
with sheet metal support structures in complex assemblies. You can use existing geometry
as reference to define the flange dimensions.

• When you unform an Advanced Flange feature, the unformed feature is integrated with
the feature created by the Sheet Metal Flat Pattern command.
 Advanced Flange

Type Specifies the type of flange you want to create:

By Value
Creates the flange using the specified flange parameter values.

Base Edge

Resulting Advanced Flange feature created by specifying flange properties.

 Advanced Flange

To Reference Creates a flange using a specified face or datum plane as reference.

Base edge
Reference sheet
Resulting Advanced Flange feature created using the sheet as a reference
 Advanced Flange

Base Edge Select Edge lets you select the base edge for the flange.

Reference Geometry Available when Type is set to To Reference.

Select Faces lets you select surfaces or datum planes, to define the angle of
the flange and the shape of the web of the flange. You can either enter a value
for the flange length, or NX can infer the length from the shape of the selected
surface.

Flange End Limits Available after you specify the base edge or the reference geometry.

Specify Start Plane and Specify End Plane lets you select planes or a face
to specify the start and end limits for the flange.
 Advanced Flange

Flange Properties

Length
• Available when Type is set to By Value.
• Sets the length of the flange.

Infer Length
• Available when Type is set to To Reference.
• Infers the length of the flange by extending it to the referenced object.

Reverse Direction
• Reverses the direction of the flange.
 Advanced Flange

Reverse Trim Side

Available when Type is set to To Reference

Reverses the flange trimming side.
Inset
Material Inside Material Inside Material Inside
bend down bend up
Insets the flange into the base material so that the flange body is to the inside of the bend.

The Length option defines the normal distance between the outside edge of the flange and the
intersection between the outside faces of the base and the flange. Use this option to build a
part inside of another part.
 Advanced Flange

Material Outside

Insets the flange into the base material so that the flange body is to the outside of the bend.
The Length option defines the normal distance between the outside edge of the flange and the
intersection between the inside faces of the base and flange. Use this option to build a part on the
outside of another part.

Material Outside - bend down Material Outside - bend up

 Advanced Flange

Bend Outside Available when Type is set to By Value.

Attaches the flange to the existing part without removing any material.

The Length option defines the normal distance between the outside edge of
the flange and the edge on the base part on the inside of the bend angle.

Bend Outside — bend down Bend Outside — bend up

 Advanced Flange

Create Contour Curve

Creates a curve through the contour points along the length of the flange.
For any given flange cross section, the contour point is a point where the Advanced Flange
outside face of the flange would intersect the outside face of the body. with contour curve
 Unform

Use the Unform command to unform an Advanced Flange feature.

You can unform flange features, including joggles, before you shape the flange, or add a corner relief or
flange relief.
For example, if a cutout needs to cross a bend region, you can unform the flange before adding the
cutout and then use the Reform command to return the flange to its original state.
This command works in the same way as the Aerospace Unform command in the Aerospace Sheet
Metal application.
Unform dialog box

Stationary Face Select Face lets you select a planar face that you want to
keep in a fixed position during the unforming operation.

Bend Select Bend lets you select the bend region of the flange
you want to unform. You can unform more than one
flange in one operation by selecting multiple bends.
 Reform

Use the Reform command to re-form an Unform feature to

its previous bend state, along with any features added after Original Sheet
the Unform feature. Metal part

This command works in the same way as the Aerospace Unform feature
Reform command in the Aerospace Sheet Metal application.
Extrude feature
added to the
sheet metal part

Unform feature
re-formed
 MetaForm

Use this command to unform complex geometry into an alternate shape.

This command also works with non-Sheet Metal features and takes
material characteristics into account.
Summary: Advanced Sheet Metal commands

In this lesson, you:

• Became familiar with the Bridge Bend and Advanced Flange features.

• Identified the key geometric elements necessary to create Bridge Bends and Advanced Flanges.

• Created a Bridge Bend and an Advanced Flange.

• Learned when to use the Unform and Reform commands.

• Learned how to unform and reform an Advanced Flange feature.