Sheet Metal Modeling

 Learning Objectives:
• Set the parameters for creating the sheet metal parts.
• Create reliefs in the sheet metal component.
• Create the base wall and wall on the edge feature.
• Create wall by extrusion.
• Create flange walls on the sheet metal components.
• Create hems on the sheet metal components.
• Create teardrop on the sheet metal components.
• Create bends on the sheet metal components.
• Create flange cutout stamp.
• Create flange hole stamp.
• Create flat pattern of the sheet metal components.
• Create surface stamp.
• Create bead stamp.
• Create curve stamp.
• Create a louver.
 THE SHEET METAL COMPONENTS
The component having a thickness greater than zero and less than 12 mm is called a
sheet metal component

Sheet metal component Flattened view of the sheet

metal component
• Starting a New File in Generative Sheetmetal Workbench
To start a new file in the Generative Sheetmetal workbench, choose Start >
Mechanical Design > Generative Sheetmetal Design from the menu bar; the New
Part dialog box will be displayed.
Choose the OK button; a new file will be started in the Generative Sheetmetal
Design workbench

The initial screen appearance of the Generative

Sheetmetal Design module
 SETTING SHEET METAL PARAMETERS
Choose the Sheet Metal Parameters button from the Walls toolbar; the Sheet
Metal Parameters dialog box will be displayed.

The Sheet Metal Parameters dialog box

with the Parameters tab selected
The different types of reliefs are

Sheet metal with square relief

Sheet metal with no relief

Sheet metal with round relief

Sheet metal with linear relief
Sheet metal part with Sheet metal part with
tangent/curve relief maximum bend relief
• Creating the Base Wall
The first feature created while designing a sheet metal part is called the base
wall.

The Wall Definition dialog box

The sketch of the base feature The resultant base feature
• Creating the Wall On Edge
• The Wall On Edge tool is used to create a wall on the edges of an existing wall.
• To create a wall on an edge, choose the Wall On Edge button from the Walls
toolbar; the Wall On Edge Definition dialog box will be displayed.

The Wall On Edge Definition dialog box

Side wall with no clearance Side wall with the mono
directional clearance

Side wall with the bidirectional

clearance
Preview of the wall to be created when Preview of the wall to be created when
the first option is selected from the the second option is selected from the
Extrapolation mode flyout Extrapolation mode flyout
 Wall created by selecting the
• Sketch Based Automatic option

The Wall On Edge Definition dialog

box with the Sketch Based option
selected
Wall created by selecting the Sketch
Based option
• CREATING EXTRUSIONS
The Extrusion tool is used to extrude an open sketch drawn on an existing wall.

The Extrusion Definition dialog box

Sketch of the extrusion wall Final feature of the extrusion wall
• CREATING SWEPT WALLS
Swept walls are created by sweeping a profile along the selected edge.
The different types of swept walls are Flange, Hem, Tear Drop, and User Flange
swept walls. These walls are discussed next.
• Creating Flanges on the Sheet Metal Component
Flange is the bend section of the sheetmetal.

The Flange Definition dialog box

The flange feature created by The flange feature created by
selecting the Basic option selecting the Relimited
option
• Creating Hems on the Sheet Metal Component
Hem is the rounded face created on the sharp edges of the sheet metal
component in order to reduce the sharpness in a sheet metal component

The Hem Definition dialog box Hem on the side wall

• Creating a Tear Drop on the Sheet Metal Component
A tear drop is similar to a hem but in this case, the flat wall is inclined at an angle.

The Tear Drop Definition dialog box Wall with a tear drop
• Creating a User Flange on the Sheet Metal Component
User flanges are created by sweeping an open sketch along an edge.

The User-Defined Flange

Definition dialog box
The edge and the profile to be
The resulting user flange feature
selected
• Creating a Bend on the Sheet Metal Component
This tool is used to create a bent face between the two walls at intersection.

The Bend Definition dialog box in expanded form

Preview of the bend feature The resulting bend feature
• Creating A Conical Bend
• The Conical Bend tool is used to create a bend of variable radius at the
intersection of two walls.
• The bend created using this tool will have a conical shape and a varying radii from

the left to the right of the wall, or vice-versa.

The Bend Definition dialog box

Preview of the conical bend feature
Resulting conical bend feature
• BEND FROM FLAT
CATIA V5 allows you to bend a part of the sheet metal component by using
the Bend From Flat tool.

The Bend From Flat Definition dialog box

Lines
If the selected profile has more than a line, then all lines will be listed in the
Lines drop-down list.
Next, select the down arrow on the button at the right of the Lines drop-down
list; a flyout will be displayed with four options. The options in the flyout are
discussed next.

• Axis
• BTL (Bent Tangent Line)

• IML (Inner Mold Line)

• OML (Outer Mold Line)

Sheet metal part after folding it

through an angle of 60-degrees
• FOLDING AND UNFOLDING SHEET METAL PARTS
Sometimes you need to perform operations like cutout, hole, and so on across the
bend face of the wall. You cannot create these features in the bend condition. So,
you need to unfold the sheet metal part, add the features, and again fold it .

Cut feature created across the bend face

Unfolding the Sheet Metal Parts
• The Unfolding tool is used to unfold a bend face of the sheet metal part.
• Choose the Unfolding button from the Bending toolbar; the Unfolding Definition
dialog box will be displayed.

The Unfolding Definition dialog box

The Reference Face and the The unfolded part
Unfold Face to be selected
Folding the Unfolded Parts
The Folding tool is used to fold the wall back to its original position that were
unfolded using the Unfolding tool.

The Folding Definition dialog box

• Natural
• Defined
• Spring back

Preview of the folded part Resulting feature of the folded part

• CREATING FLAT PATTERNS OF SHEET METAL COMPONENTS
Choose the Unfold/Fold tool to view the unfolded sheet metal components. As
this is a toggle tool, you can choose it again to fold the sheet metal components
back.

Sheet metal part Flat pattern of the sheet metal part

• STAMPING
• Stamping is a metal working process in which a sheet is punched in a press tool.
• This process is used to create stamping features such as blanking, piercing, and
forming on the sheet metal part.

The Stamping toolbar

• Creating Surface Stamp
To create a surface stamp feature, you need to create a close sketch on a wall.

Sketch of surface stamp feature

The Surface Stamp Definition dialog box
Stamp feature without side Stamp feature with side
edges filleted edges filleted

Type 1 Type 2
The stamp feature with the The Surface Stamp feature
open walls
• Creating Bead Stamp
The Bead tool is used to create an embossed or an engraved bead on a sheet
metal part using an open sketch.

The Bead Definition dialog box

Parameters of bead feature Stamp feature without fillet
• Creating Curve Stamp
To create a curve stamp feature, you need to create an open or a closed profile
on the wall of sheet metal component.

Sketch of a curve stamp The Curve stamp definition dialog box

Curve stamp feature with Curve stamp feature with
the Obround check box the Obround check box
selected cleared
• Creating Louver Stamp
Louvers are created in a sheet metal part to provide openings for the purpose of
ventilation.

The Louver Definition dialog box

Sketch for the louver feature The louver feature
• Creating Flanged Cut Out Stamp
• To create a flanged cut out stamp, create a closed profile on a wall
• Choose the Flange Cut Out button from the Stamping toolbar; the Flanged
cutout Definition dialog box will be displayed.

The Flanged cutout Definition dialog box

Sketch of the flanged cutout feature The flanged cutout feature
• Creating Flanged Hole
• To create a flanged hole, you need to create a point on a wall. Then select the
point and the surface on which the hole has to be created.
• Next, choose the Flanged Hole button from the Stamping toolbar; the Flanged
Hole Definition dialog box will be displayed.

The Flanged Hole Definition dialog box

Dimensioned sketch point Flanged hole feature with the With
cone radio button selected
• Creating Bridge Feature
The Bridge tool is used to create the features used for the purpose of holding and
griping. To create a bridge feature, you need to create a point on the base wall.

Dimensioned sketch point

The Bridge Definition dialog box
Bridge at an angle of 90-degrees Bridge at an angle of 45-degrees
 Tutorial 1
In this tutorial, you will create the sheet metal component of the Holder Clip shown in
Figure A. Its dimensions are shown in Figures B and C. The thickness of the sheet
is 1 mm. The flat pattern of the component is shown in Figure D. After creating the
sheet metal component, create its flat pattern. (Expected time: 45 min)

Figure A Sheet metal model of the

Holder Clip Figure B Top view of the Holder Clip
Figure C Front view of the Figure D Flat pattern of the component
Holder Clip
1. Start a New Part File
2. Set the values in the Sheet Metal Parameters Dialog Box
3. Draw the sketch for the Top Face, as shown in Figure E.

Figure E Sketch for the base

wall of the Holder Clip
4. Convert the sketch into a base wall, as shown in Figure F.

Figure F Base wall of the Holder Clip

5. Create the flanges, as shown in Figure G.

Figure G Sheet metal Component

after creating the flanges
6. Create other flanges, as shown in Figure H.

Figure H Sheet metal component after

creating the wall on the edge and
flange
7. Create a wall on the edge, as shown through Figures I and J.

Figure I Sketch of the wall on Figure J Sheet metal component

the edge feature after creating the wall on the
edge
8. Create other flanges, as shown in Figure K.

Figure K Flange on the wall

on the edge

9. Create the chamfer and corner feature, as shown in Figure L.

Figure L Final model of the Holder

 Tutorial 2
In this tutorial, you will create the sheet metal component shown in Figure A. Its
dimensions are given in Figures B through D. The flat pattern of the component is
shown in Figure E. The thickness of the sheet is 1 mm. The length of the hem on the
two faces is 5 mm and its radius is 3 mm.

Figure B Top view of the model

Figure A Sheet metal model of Tutorial 2
Figure C Left-side view of the model Figure D Front view of
the model

Figure E Flat pattern of the Sheet metal component

1. Start a new file in Generative Sheetmetal Design workbench.
2. Draw the sketch and convert it into a base wall by using the Wall tool, refer to
Figure F.

Figure F Sketch of the base feature

3. Create one hole and then pattern it to create the remaining three instances, refer to
Figure G.

Figure G Base wall with the hole

feature
4. Create the flange on the left and right edges of the base wall, refer to Figure H..

Figure H Model after creating the two flanges

5. Create the Hems, as shown in Figure I.

Figure I Model after creating the hems

6. Create a Cut Feature, as shown in Figure J.

Figure J Sheet metal after

creating the two keyways
7. Create the side wall with corner, as shown in Figure K.

Figure K Final sheet metal component

8. Create the flat pattern, as shown in Figure L.

Figure L Flat pattern of the sheet metal component

 Tutorial 3
In this tutorial, you will create the sheet metal component of the slide cover as shown in
Figure A. Its dimensions are shown in Figure B.
(Expected time: 30 min)

Figure A Model for Tutorial 3

Figure B Dimensions for Tutorial 3
1. Start a new file in Generative Sheetmetal Design workbench.

2. Draw the sketch and convert it into a base wall by using the Wall tool, refer to
Figures C and D.

Figure C Sketch of the base plate Figure D The resultant base wall
3. Create the louver feature and pattern it, refer to Figures E through G.

Figure E Sketch of the Louver stamp Figure F The louver feature created

Figure G Pattern of the louver feature

4. Create the handles, refer to Figures H through J.

Figure H Placing the point for the

Figure I The Bridge feature created
Bridge feature

Figure J The final model for Tutorial 3

 Tutorial 4
In this tutorial, you will create the sheet metal component as shown in Figure A. Its
dimensions are shown in Figure B. The thickness of the sheet metal component is 1
mm and bend radius is 2 mm. (Expected time: 45 min)

Figure A Model for Tutorial 4 Figure B Views and Dimensions of

the Sheet metal component for
Tutorial 4
1. Start a new file in Generative Sheetmetal Design workbench.
2. Draw the sketch and convert it into a base wall by using the Wall tool, refer to
Figures C through D.

Figure C Sketch for the base feature Figure D The base feature
3 Create the flange on the edges of the base plate, as shown in Figure E.

Figure E Component with all flanges

4 Create the wall on the flange, as shown in Figure F.

Figure F The wall feature created

5 Create the flange on the wall, as shown in Figure G.

Figure G The flange created

6 Create the cut outs, as shown in Figure H.

Figure H The component after

creating the wall on edge and
flange feature on the other side
7 Create the louver, as shown in Figure I.

Figure I Pattern of the louver feature

8 Create the flat pattern, as shown in Figure J.

Figure J Flat pattern of the component