I have just extruded a thin strip app. 2′ wide X 6″ long X 1.8″ thick. After extrusion I sketched a three sided rectangle app 1″ X 3″ long,with one of the long sides missing, and I want to fold up the rectangle 90 degrees using the missing long side as an axis. I know I have to make my extruded strip into a sheet metal part, in order to fold up the tab, will someone please explain how I need to do this. I have literally no experience with sheet metal and I would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Raul Alvarez
Marc 11:56 pm on February 9, 2010 Permalink
You should take your first sketch and use the sheetmetal base flange/tab function to create the strip. After that you can just select the edge on the side you want to create your tab and use the edge flange function.
gupta9665 12:09 am on February 11, 2010 Permalink
As Marc suggested, you need to use the edge flange option in the sheet metal. Look for sheet metal tutorial under SolidWorks online tutorials (under Help menu). Also check the attached part to give you idea on edge flange. The file is in SW09 version.Attachment - sm
raul 11:40 am on February 13, 2010 Permalink
I really am grateful for both of your responses, however I do need an answer to the exact question that I asked, as I need to display this model and it’s progressions. The edge flange functiion will not apply here, I do need to figure out how to enter the sheet metal mode and bend up the tab created by the three-sided cut.
Thanks anyway,
Raul Alvarez
guido 1:27 pm on February 13, 2010 Permalink
After you make your initial sketch for the rectangle and extrude it thin, then you make your sketch on the extruded rectangular plate, your sketch can be either single line or double line, which is what cut-extrude requires, if you prefer to use the thin feature, just enter the thin feature mode and exit out of direction 2 and you will be able to select the width of your double line cut to extrude cut through the plate.
Next go to… Insert / Sheet Metal / Bends….this is what will put you into sheet metal mode, and if you follow the .doc file I sent to the T, you will be Golden. Models of the progressions to the technique are included in the .doc file.
Good luck,
GuidoAttachment - smm