Body Structure Part Strength on the 2019 Chevy Silverado March 1, 2019.Aluminium Alloy Differences and Designations March 8, 2019.Combat Risk of Job Loss with Training March 15, 2019.Automation Adoption Implications on the Workforce November 4, 2019.Build Confidence and Skill for better Production and Business Results October 25, 2021.Self Assessment is Critical During Challenging Times October 25, 2021.Best of luck!Įngineering Quality Solutions, Inc. If you have accurate measurements, you can have confidence in your results. The percent thinning is calculated as T% = 100 * (S-F)/S If your area of interest has feature lines or small radii, it is necessary to use the proper tools and techniques to get an accurate thickness reading.Īt this point, you have two measurements: the starting thickness of your sheet metal (call that S) and the formed thickness of your part at the location of interest (call that F). The second approach does not destroy the sample, and the part can be put back in for normal processing after it is measured. Some companies will cut the part and use a micrometer to measure the as-formed thickness, while others will use a calibrated ultrasonic thickness gauge. In the areas of interest on this formed part, it is necessary to get an accurate thickness measurement. For this reason, I recommend taking your thickness measurement at the 1/4 width or 3/4 width position. Across the coil width, the thickest part is at the center width position of the master coil. Again, this is allowed within most specifications in that all minimum gauge measurements are to be made no closer than 25mm from the coil edge (as an example). To create a new Sheet Metal specific material, you will need to add a new Custom Material. In the feature manager, just right click (RMB) on the existing material and select Edit Material. Due to a rolling phenomenon called “crown,” the edges of the coil are usually thinner than the rest of the width. First, I’ll get started with a new, empty part. Similarly, you do not want to make your thickness measurement at the coil edge. This normal and inherent variation occurs even when the product is completely within specification. The reason for this is that there is likely a thickness variation down the length of the coil. You should try to get it from the blank you will use to form the part in question, or at least from an adjacent blank. So you must get an accurate measurement of the actual starting thickness. The steel mill is allowed to ship product that has some deviation from this gauge – maybe 1.85mm to 2.15mm as an example. My response:įirst, I assume the nominal or expected thickness is 2mm.
#MAKING A SHEET METAL PART IN SOLIDWORKS 2019 HOW TO#
Hopefully at least some of that was helpful.Through my website, someone from a manufacturing company asked how to calculate thinning in a sheet metal part made from 2mm thick high strength steel. You can then fudge with one of those configs and make a third to create the correct flat pattern because neither the compressed or uncompressed configurations would show the actual fabricated part. This keeps the cut-outs the same distance from each other along the length of the metal, no matter what that center bend angle is, which is what I think you want. That center bend cannot completely go to 180 or you lose the relations of "sketch 2". Create another config and configure the 170° dimension in "Sketch 1" to be 179.99° (or whatever it actually goes to) for config 2.Cutouts that don't change can be dimensioned from fixed outside edges. Do an "unbend", sketch (sketch 2) all your cut outs and dimension any cutout that "moves", from the center bend line (this is the key) and do the cut extrude, and re-bend.Use the first icon in the Sheet Metal tab (I forget the name, Base Flange?) and "extrude" that profile out the length that you want.Two vertical faces, and the two angled lines between them, lets's say the angle between the lines is 170°). Sketch your kinda "W" shaped (as shown) profile (Sketch 1).I am guessing that the two vertical faces hold their position and the center bend kind of goes from bent to flat, (compressed, uncompressed respectively) Using configs is going to be the easiest way. I don't have SW in front of me, so I can't actually do it, but I'll check it tomorrow at work.