Is there an easy way to calculate the material required to
create a part that utilizes a forming tool? That doesn't really
lend itself to a flat pattern.
The solution is Maths and more Maths....before CAD we need to
calculate everuthing with Mathematical functions and equations (and
we do not even have Excel and sometimes neither an electronic
calculator, just paper and pencil).
Solidworks have two problems on the "incomplete" Forming Tool
functionality. One is that the "tool" can not be related to the
model in order to make the tool "parametric", the other is that it
do not calculate the flat pattern. But those are only few of the
things that are missing on the entire sheet metal module... however
is a lot better that the fucntionality on other CAD pakages that do
not provide any sheet metal functionality at all (AutoCAD for
example).
On the other hand, since Solidworks have "limited" functionality on
equations and have the ability to work with Excel tables (where you
can calculate anything as complex as you may imagine), if you know
how to use all the posibilities with SolidWork you can do almost
anything....
Take a look at the example of the fan housing I posted on this
forum... or at the one regarding the Honeycomb pannel modeled as
sheet metal (3 layers of material bending and unfolding
simultaneously)... just be ceative and experiment with the
software... there is a world of possibilities.
The solution is Maths and more Maths....before CAD we need to calculate everuthing with Mathematical functions and equations (and we do not even have Excel and sometimes neither an electronic calculator, just paper and pencil).
Solidworks have two problems on the "incomplete" Forming Tool functionality. One is that the "tool" can not be related to the model in order to make the tool "parametric", the other is that it do not calculate the flat pattern. But those are only few of the things that are missing on the entire sheet metal module... however is a lot better that the fucntionality on other CAD pakages that do not provide any sheet metal functionality at all (AutoCAD for example).
On the other hand, since Solidworks have "limited" functionality on equations and have the ability to work with Excel tables (where you can calculate anything as complex as you may imagine), if you know how to use all the posibilities with SolidWork you can do almost anything....
Take a look at the example of the fan housing I posted on this forum... or at the one regarding the Honeycomb pannel modeled as sheet metal (3 layers of material bending and unfolding simultaneously)... just be ceative and experiment with the software... there is a world of possibilities.