Folding Sheet Metal Inventor

Sheet metal fabrication is the process of forming parts from a metal sheet by punching cutting stamping and bending.

Folding sheet metal inventor. Click the bend line to use for the fold. Design a sheet metal bracket in this project we ll design a bracket using the sheet metal environment inside inventor for an inkjet printer while in context of the larger assembly. Use the fold command to fold a sheet metal face about a sketched line. Use the fold angle to set the bend angle and the bend radius to override the radius set by the sheet metal styles if required.

Unlike the bend flange contour flange or hem features which all add material to the design the fold feature does not add material. Use fold location to set what the sketched bend line represents the start of the bend the end of the bend or the centerline of the bend. Let s start with the rules of sheet metal. Click to indicate whether the line defines the centerline start or end of the bend.

Total project time approximately 20 minutes. Before you begin download the step by step guide pdf. Click the bend line to use for the fold. Which means regardless where the model geometry originates you can convert it to sheet metal add sheet metal features and generate the flat pattern.

A fold on a sheet metal face forms about a straight sketched bend line that terminates at face edges. Many software packages like solid works inventor and solid edge will let you incorporate a bend allowance chart into its calculations when developing flat patterns. Autodesk inventor webinar series. The bend line must be placed on the face you are folding and must terminate at face edges.

Autodesk inventor webinar series. Autodesk inventor allows for converting models to sheet metal. The advantage to using folds over flanges is no material is added by adding. In fold location click one of the following to specify.

Rule 1 you must have a consistent thickness. On the ribbon click sheet metal tab create panel fold. Creating a chart with your standard values is a key component of speeding up this process. 3d cad files are converted into machine code which controls a machine to precisely cut and form the sheets into the final part.