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Problem with Forming Tools

Question asked by Kendall Casey on Dec 1, 2007
Latest reply on Dec 4, 2007 by Steve Calvert

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I am working through some sheet metal exercises because I have noSW experience with sheet metal. I am having trouble adding thesupplied louver forming tool from the design library. I haveseveral reference materials and they all indicate that I shouldsimply drag and drop the tool onto a face. However, when I drag anddrop the louver on the face of my sheet metal box SW pops up awindow asking me if I want to create a derived part? The optionsare yes, no, or cancel. Yes - inserts another part into my modelfloating in space, which is difficult to do anything with. No -opens the individual louver part model. I expect the form tools towork just like the sheet metal library features, which I could dragand drop properly and use sketch tools to locate and position.

Is there a setting that needs adjusting or am I just missing theboat? By the way, of all the SW resources I have found; theseforums are by far the best.

Anna Wood Dec 1, 2007 5:08 PM

Correct Answer

This is an easy one to solve for you..... :-)

SolidWorks needs to know that the folder you are dragging the part (form tool) is a form tool part and not a regular part. The file extension for form tools is sldprt, so SW does not know if it is a regular part or form tool unless you tell it.

To tell SW the folder holds forming tools, over in your Design Library on the left in SW; right mouse button (RMB) on the folder that holds your forming tools and check off Forming Tools Folder.

This will get you off and running.

Cheers,

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Anna Wood Dec 1, 2007 5:08 PM

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Michael Duncan @ Anna Wood on Dec 3, 2007 6:28 AM

Hi Anna,
I had been messing about with this very same problem on Saturdaymorning but had never thought you would have to activate theforming tools option on a standard SW design library, would it notmake more sense to have this folder already activated by SW?

Thanks,
Michael

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Anna Wood @ Michael Duncan on Dec 3, 2007 7:59 AM

Yes, you would think you would not have to set that for the standard SW design library.

To be honest with you I have no idea how SolidWorks comes out of the box with its design library forming tools folder setting. We path all of our SolidWorks installs to a networked design library with our own forming tools. So I am used to setting that option on our own libraries.

I would suggest that you put in an enhancement request on the SolidWorks Customer Portal if that is important enough of an issue for you.

Cheers,

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Steve Calvert @ Anna Wood on Dec 3, 2007 11:06 AM

Anna, when you upgrade your version of SW do all the forming tools still work, after, of course, you set the network locations?

Steve

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Gerald Davis @ Steve Calvert on Dec 3, 2007 3:32 PM

Steve -
I've been using my SW07 forming tools with SW08.

The only glitch that I've seen is with SW08 SP1.0 and SW07 SP5.0 - I have used split line to split a face on the forming tool and designated one of those faces as "to be removed". When I apply the forming tool to sheet metal, the remove section appears but it is capped with a phantom face. I have to use delete face to get rid of it. I've reported this to my VAR but have not received an SPR yet.

I'd be careful to back up your forming tools to keep one set in SW07 format and a second set for use with SW08.

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Anna Wood @ Gerald Davis on Dec 3, 2007 4:00 PM

Steve,

Yes they still work in SW2008. But as Gerald said I would back them just in case.

I copied all of our standards to a new SW2008 area on the server and will path the SW2008 installs to this new location. That way we can get back to our old stuff if needed.

Cheers,

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Gerald Davis @ Gerald Davis on Dec 4, 2007 11:42 AM

An update on my forming tools "bug" -
My VAR agreed with me that the behavior is odd, but pointed out that the "phantom" face is not "phantom". It has thickness that corresponds to the difference between the tool's offset (.060) and the material thickness (.062). If I apply the tool to material less than or equal to .060 thick, the tool cuts as expected.

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Steve Calvert @ Gerald Davis on Dec 4, 2007 5:07 PM

Thanks, Anna and Gerald for your insite. I know that I can always come here and get answers to my questions and usually some fun stuff, too.

Gerald, I know that when you came to visit us in Austin last week we got a chance to ask you some sheet metal questions. One of which comes to mind that I'd like to see is the gusset tool. I was wondering, since I just read in another forum, could an indent feature be used for a gusset in sheet metal?

Anna, since Gerald came to Austin and gave us his working relationship with the sheet metal tool and how he uses it and some very good tips, I might add, it is your turn to come visit.

I'll make sure and seek both of you out at SWW2008 to say thanks.

Steve

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Anna Wood Dec 1, 2007 5:08 PM
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Correct Answer
This is an easy one to solve for you..... :-)

SolidWorks needs to know that the folder you are dragging the part (form tool) is a form tool part and not a regular part. The file extension for form tools is sldprt, so SW does not know if it is a regular part or form tool unless you tell it.

To tell SW the folder holds forming tools, over in your Design Library on the left in SW; right mouse button (RMB) on the folder that holds your forming tools and check off Forming Tools Folder.

This will get you off and running.

Cheers,
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- Michael Duncan @ Anna Wood on Dec 3, 2007 6:28 AM
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  Correct Answer
  Hi Anna,
  I had been messing about with this very same problem on Saturdaymorning but had never thought you would have to activate theforming tools option on a standard SW design library, would it notmake more sense to have this folder already activated by SW?
  
  Thanks,
  Michael
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  - Anna Wood @ Michael Duncan on Dec 3, 2007 7:59 AM
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    Correct Answer
    Yes, you would think you would not have to set that for the standard SW design library.
    
    To be honest with you I have no idea how SolidWorks comes out of the box with its design library forming tools folder setting. We path all of our SolidWorks installs to a networked design library with our own forming tools. So I am used to setting that option on our own libraries.
    
    I would suggest that you put in an enhancement request on the SolidWorks Customer Portal if that is important enough of an issue for you.
    
    Cheers,
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    - Steve Calvert @ Anna Wood on Dec 3, 2007 11:06 AM
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      Anna, when you upgrade your version of SW do all the forming tools still work, after, of course, you set the network locations?
      
      Steve
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      - Gerald Davis @ Steve Calvert on Dec 3, 2007 3:32 PM
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        Steve -
        I've been using my SW07 forming tools with SW08.
        
        The only glitch that I've seen is with SW08 SP1.0 and SW07 SP5.0 - I have used split line to split a face on the forming tool and designated one of those faces as "to be removed". When I apply the forming tool to sheet metal, the remove section appears but it is capped with a phantom face. I have to use delete face to get rid of it. I've reported this to my VAR but have not received an SPR yet.
        
        I'd be careful to back up your forming tools to keep one set in SW07 format and a second set for use with SW08.
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        Anna Wood @ Gerald Davis on Dec 3, 2007 4:00 PM
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        Steve,
        
        Yes they still work in SW2008. But as Gerald said I would back them just in case.
        
        I copied all of our standards to a new SW2008 area on the server and will path the SW2008 installs to this new location. That way we can get back to our old stuff if needed.
        
        Cheers,
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
        Gerald Davis @ Gerald Davis on Dec 4, 2007 11:42 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        An update on my forming tools "bug" -
        My VAR agreed with me that the behavior is odd, but pointed out that the "phantom" face is not "phantom". It has thickness that corresponds to the difference between the tool's offset (.060) and the material thickness (.062). If I apply the tool to material less than or equal to .060 thick, the tool cuts as expected.
        
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        Steve Calvert @ Gerald Davis on Dec 4, 2007 5:07 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Thanks, Anna and Gerald for your insite. I know that I can always come here and get answers to my questions and usually some fun stuff, too.
        
        Gerald, I know that when you came to visit us in Austin last week we got a chance to ask you some sheet metal questions. One of which comes to mind that I'd like to see is the gusset tool. I was wondering, since I just read in another forum, could an indent feature be used for a gusset in sheet metal?
        
        Anna, since Gerald came to Austin and gave us his working relationship with the sheet metal tool and how he uses it and some very good tips, I might add, it is your turn to come visit.
        
        I'll make sure and seek both of you out at SWW2008 to say thanks.
        
        Steve
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
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