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Help creating sheet metal part with non planar surfaces

Question asked by John Ehringer on Aug 24, 2016
Latest reply on Aug 25, 2016 by John Stoltzfus

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Hello Everyone!

Usually I can search & find solutions to my problems on these forums but this time I may need some assistance.

I am trying to create a sheet metal part for a project, but am having difficult due to the fact that the surfaces are 'non planar'.

I modeled the object as a solid, and would like to convert it sheet metal but receive the non planar surface error for the two sides.

The piece goes from a large base and to a tube at the end which will be welded to the sheet metal . There is a bit of a 'twist' between the side panels as the relative ratio of the base and the tube at the end are different, but it isn't very noticeable.

In practice, once the sheet metal parts are cut they should have no problem being welded into place with a little bit of gentle pressure.

I understand that it isn't possible to create sheet metal parts that contain non planar surfaces, however I was wondering if anyone has a suggestion on how I could model the part correctly as sheetmetal and run semi-accurate stress analysis.

The way I see it, I have two options:

- create the part as a piece of sheet metal and bend it, BUT I will have large gaps between the tube and the sides (which will make mating/welding the tube impossible). This will also leave the complete assembly looking unprofessional

- leave the part as a solid but then I would have no templates to cut the sheet metal

Is there a correct way to tackle this?

Thanks for the help!

I have attached the file so everyone can look at it.

John Stoltzfus Aug 25, 2016 7:02 AM

Correct Answer

I see you have an educational copy - so I can't upload the final model - You need to add planes

Select a line and a point for Plane 3

Open Plane 3 and add a Sketch

Add Plane 4

Add a sketch to Plane 4

Select the first sketch and use Surface Fill

Select the second sketch and Use Surface Fill

Select Both Surfaces and Knit

Select one surface and thicken

Then add your sheet metal Bend

Or you can start with Sheet Metal right away and then add an Edge Flange, but you have to edit the sketch to match the Blue Sketch

Then make a mirror part for the other side

See the reply in context

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Post Holder Model.SLDPRT.zip151.7 KB

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Krzysztof Wojcik Aug 25, 2016 2:55 AM

Hi.

Look at this, maybe it will help you somehow, i don't have to much time today to play with this part. As a start you can try to use lofted bend....

Attachments

Post Holder Model_test.SLDPRT.zip299.8 KB

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John Stoltzfus Aug 25, 2016 7:02 AM

I see you have an educational copy - so I can't upload the final model - You need to add planes

Select a line and a point for Plane 3

Open Plane 3 and add a Sketch

Add Plane 4

Add a sketch to Plane 4

Select the first sketch and use Surface Fill

Select the second sketch and Use Surface Fill

Select Both Surfaces and Knit

Select one surface and thicken

Then add your sheet metal Bend

Or you can start with Sheet Metal right away and then add an Edge Flange, but you have to edit the sketch to match the Blue Sketch

Then make a mirror part for the other side

Actions

Steve Calvert @ John Stoltzfus on Aug 25, 2016 7:21 AM

John Stoltzfus, you should teach SW. You always have great descriptions of how to do things...

Steve C

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John Stoltzfus @ Steve Calvert on Aug 25, 2016 7:33 AM

Thanks Steve Calvert - been around the block - the only problem with me teaching SW the guys wouldn't learn about the new features till they were released for 5 or more years, lol, (I'm petrified of bugs). The younger generation is all about new, which is good in a way, but I tend to go back to where models are solid and error free. Oh the things they wouldn't learn..... they wouldn't learn about Virtual Components, Toolbox, Equations, Configurations and a whole lot more. They would learn that when I delete a part and their whole feature tree collapses, or I grab a sketch line on a part and turn a circle into a rectangle and watch their feature tree collapse, I could hear the tears fall ..........

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Dave Bear @ Steve Calvert on Aug 25, 2016 7:55 AM

Totally agree on that Steve.

Dave.

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John Ehringer @ John Stoltzfus on Aug 25, 2016 3:42 PM

Thank you so much John!

I followed your instructions step by step, but rather than thickening the plane I converted to sheet metal at that point and received correct results.

Actions

John Stoltzfus @ John Ehringer on Aug 25, 2016 3:47 PM

You're quite welcome and glad it worked for ya... I've done tons of those, there were some crazy shapes, but you got to think flat all the way, if it's twisted then add planes till everything comes together

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7 Replies

Krzysztof Wojcik Aug 25, 2016 2:55 AM
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Correct Answer
Hi.

Look at this, maybe it will help you somehow, i don't have to much time today to play with this part. As a start you can try to use lofted bend....
Attachments
- Post Holder Model_test.SLDPRT.zip299.8 KB
Like • Show 1 Like1
Actions
John Stoltzfus Aug 25, 2016 7:02 AM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
I see you have an educational copy - so I can't upload the final model - You need to add planes

Select a line and a point for Plane 3

Open Plane 3 and add a Sketch

Add Plane 4

Add a sketch to Plane 4

Select the first sketch and use Surface Fill

Select the second sketch and Use Surface Fill

Select Both Surfaces and Knit

Select one surface and thicken

Then add your sheet metal Bend

Or you can start with Sheet Metal right away and then add an Edge Flange, but you have to edit the sketch to match the Blue Sketch

Then make a mirror part for the other side
Like • Show 4 Likes4
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- Steve Calvert @ John Stoltzfus on Aug 25, 2016 7:21 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  John Stoltzfus, you should teach SW. You always have great descriptions of how to do things...
  
  Steve C
  Like • Show 1 Like1
  Actions
  - John Stoltzfus @ Steve Calvert on Aug 25, 2016 7:33 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Thanks Steve Calvert - been around the block - the only problem with me teaching SW the guys wouldn't learn about the new features till they were released for 5 or more years, lol, (I'm petrified of bugs). The younger generation is all about new, which is good in a way, but I tend to go back to where models are solid and error free. Oh the things they wouldn't learn..... they wouldn't learn about Virtual Components, Toolbox, Equations, Configurations and a whole lot more. They would learn that when I delete a part and their whole feature tree collapses, or I grab a sketch line on a part and turn a circle into a rectangle and watch their feature tree collapse, I could hear the tears fall ..........
    Like • Show 2 Likes2
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  - Dave Bear @ Steve Calvert on Aug 25, 2016 7:55 AM
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    Correct Answer
    Totally agree on that Steve.
    
    Dave.
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- John Ehringer @ John Stoltzfus on Aug 25, 2016 3:42 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thank you so much John!
  I followed your instructions step by step, but rather than thickening the plane I converted to sheet metal at that point and received correct results.
  Like • Show 1 Like1
  Actions
  - John Stoltzfus @ John Ehringer on Aug 25, 2016 3:47 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    You're quite welcome and glad it worked for ya... I've done tons of those, there were some crazy shapes, but you got to think flat all the way, if it's twisted then add planes till everything comes together
    Like • Show 1 Like1
    Actions

Help creating sheet metal part with non planar surfaces

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