Sheet Metal Basics

Swapnil Kulkarni
SolidWorks Corporation

Agenda

Convert Solid to Sheet Metal

Base Flange/Tab

Sketched Bend

Unfold & Fold

Using body Mirror.

Miter Flange

Jog

Hem

Edge Flange

Closed Corner

Break Corner

Flat Pattern

Sheet Metal questions

What is a SolidWorks Sheet Metal?
Why use one?
How do I create one?

What options do I have?

How do I use them?

How do I flatten them?

What is a Sheet Metal Component?

A Part that can:

Which has only bends no formed shapes

Should have universal thickness

Why use Sheet Metal?

Flexibility to create the component in Solid

or Sheet Metal

Convert to Solid

Direct Sheet Metal

Get a developed flat pattern

As per material, thickness

As per your tools set up

Productive

Can use library features & forming tool

Drawings

Cutting & Bending drawings

Creating a Sheet Metal Component- Step 1

Using Convert to sheet metal

Using Base Flange/Tab

Step 2
Using unfold & fold

Using sketched bend

Step 3
Using mirror (body)

Using Miter flange

Step 4
Creating Jog

Creating Hem

Step 5
Creating Edge flange

Step 6
Creating Closed corner

Creating Break corner

Library features & Forming tools

Using Library parts

Library features

Forming tools

Other examples

Quick Review

To create Sheet Metal Component

Solid to Sheet Metal

Using different features like

Base ,Edge & Miter flange, Unfold & fold, Sketched bend,
Hem, Jog

Using Library features & forming tools

Creating flat pattern

Helping SolidWorks Help You

Activate Performance Logger
Enhancement Request
Surveys

Active
License

Customer Visit/Consulting
Beta Program
Alpha Testing
Specification Reviews

NDA

Helping SolidWorks Help you

Submit an Enhancement Request

Your vote for what is important to you.

Turn on the performance logger

Tools, Options, System Options, General, check Enable

performance email.

Participate in the Beta program

Respond to surveys

Beta program surveys

Surveys sent to Enhancement Request participants

SolidWorks does not re-distribute your personal information

Helping SolidWorks Help you

Host a Product Definition customer visit

Each product definition engineer visits 30 customers a year.

Give me your card with Customer Visit written on the back. We are
always looking for Sheet Metal users.

Alpha Testing Requires NDA

Specification Reviews Requires NDA
Product Definition CAD consulting

Free to the customer

3-5 days

Get help working with SW

The experience heavily influences the development of SW

Lets Do it Ourselves
Swapnil Kulkarni
skulkarni@solidworks.com