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Base Flange Vs. Thin Boss Extrude

Question asked by Anthony Boyle on Jan 26, 2012
Latest reply on Jan 30, 2012 by John Stoltzfus

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As a self taught user of Solidworks since only 2009 or so I have just recently gotten into modeling sheet metal parts using the sheet metal features. Following tuturials and learning videos I am very familiar with the base flange start to s new sheet metal part, but I have recently ran into parts started with a thin boss extrude feature.

I have spent all night googling and searching different forums searching for an answer to this question: What is better to use in order to create a new sheet metal part; the base flange feature or a thin boss extrude? I haven't really found a definitive answer.

Like I said, pretty much all the tutorials that I have watched utilize the base flange method when creating a part from scratch. The thin boss extrude was introduced to me when converting a solid part to a sheet metal part with a shell feature or what have you. So from what I have gathered so far about comparing the two are as follows:

Base Flange:

The Newer sheet metal feature (compared to thin boss extrude)

The feature most taught in tutorials

No need to roll back the part to add features as they are automatically added above the flat pattern

View the flat pattern more easily

Complex geometry can be changed easily

Sheet metal properties are enherent to the feature

Thin Boss Extrude:

Used in converting solid parts to sheet metal

(I don't know much else)

I did find this old forum, and the consensus seems to be mixed. Is it still mixed or has one feature finally beating out the other?

Forgive me if this an old and tired subject, but I just needed to check with other solidworks sheet metal users. I want to learn and use the best method availble so if anyone can come to my aid it would be much appriciated.

THanks!

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John Stoltzfus Jan 27, 2012 6:40 AM

Good morning Anthony,

I develop most of my sheet metal designs with an extrude and then I insert the sheet metal bends, I feel this is only because that is where I started years ago. What I like about the extrude feature is if I am designing a in context part, I like to be able select a sketch and convert the entities and extrude, especially if it is a flange with holes, however I have used the Base Flange feature.

Most people that need assistance with sheet metal errors are mostly built using the base flange feature and the errors are normally concerning the edge flanges and bend radiuses.

Later,

John

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Anthony Boyle @ John Stoltzfus on Jan 28, 2012 3:29 PM

Thank you for your reponse John,

If I am understanding you correctly I think you like to make parts with solid geometry and then add the bends later? And for a lot of your flanges you are using a closed rectangular sketch with circles in it in order to get a flange with holes in it. This shortens the design tree and probably makes the part a smaller file size. I like that.

I like using the base and edge flanges probably because when I add my holes I pretty much always do that in the context of the assembly. That way I can line up the holes between parts easier. Also, a lot of my parts are symetrical so if I add one edge flange I can add that same edge flange multiple times around the part. I like to use an open sketch (just a line) and create most of my bends with the base flange. I don't know if it is true, but I think that having most the bends in one feature limits the chances of errors when flattening. Also, changing geometry dimensions is easier as you have most of it in one sketch.

However, I that is the way I taught myself and it is the way that I am most familar with. Since I can design faster with the way I am used to I pretty much stick to that. WIth that in mind though, if there is a better method out there, then perhaps I should practice that just to have another tool in my toolbox so to speak. That is why I wanted to propse this question to veteran users.

Thank you for your time good sir! And if you have anything else to add I would enjoy hearing it.

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John Stoltzfus @ Anthony Boyle on Jan 30, 2012 7:48 AM

Good morning Anthony,

There are many different ways to approach Sheet Metal and I say the best way is whatever works for you. You can start out with an extrude and the bends and still use the sheet metal features, and also the other way around. Just becasue you start a part with a base extrude and than add the sheet metal, doesn't mean you can't use the edge flange tools.

For me if I can design a weird looking pc using one sketch that I can relate dimensions to a design table, I have one or more extrudes and insert the sheet metal bends and I'm done, I don't have this long list of edge flanges or closed corners,

Later,

John

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Wayne Tiffany Jan 28, 2012 11:23 AM

Anthony,

Do you have access to the SolidWorks World videos on the SW site? If so, go find one of the videos of my sheet metal presentation as I show examples and discussions of various methods of creating sheet metal parts.

If you can't get to the videos, go to http://www.kcswug.com/main/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=41&Itemid=60 and grab the PDF version. You will get the slides but not the voice explanations.

Are you going to SWW this year? What part of the world do you live in?

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Anthony Boyle @ Wayne Tiffany on Jan 28, 2012 3:16 PM

Thank you for your post and for your links Wayne. I actually had access to the videos so I spent the morning watching the presentation of yours that you mentioned as well as the other one about good design practice. I found it very helpful and it gave me a lot of options to consider. I like how you consider design intent and speed as what should drive the techniques one should use; that is exactly how I like to develop processes as well.

The reason why I made an account and asked this question is that my company is making new part templates for sheet metal and they want all designers to use them so all the parts look the same across all designers (I feel this really limits the number of ways one can approach a problem, but that is another story).

The template is just and open sketch, a single line, and then it uses the extrude command to make rectangular part. The sheet metal properties are already placed into the design tree as well as flatten and create bends.

I feel that if the template is going to be like this than we should use the base flange feature instead of the extrude. My fear is that the extrude is going to be harder to work with. I don’t want to have to keep rolling the bar to check the flat pattern or add new features. I want to use the other sheet metal features and do not know how they will interact with the extrude feature.

Also, in my opinion, the template is all messed up because the end point is constrained to the origin and the part is extruded out to one side. This puts all the normal planes on one side of the part making symmetry not an option. I just don’t really think they thought this template idea through all the way and needed information to help establish my point.

I am relatively new at this and predominantly self-taught. I just want to learn and practice good design methods.

Once again, your videos really helped me understand what it was that I wanted to do.

So I suppose the question really falls down to: is how they set the template up good? I think it needs to use the base flange and symmetry. What are the opinions of more veteran Solidworks users?

Thanks!

/Unfortunately I am unable to attend SWW due to workload in my department.

//end novel

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5 Replies

John Stoltzfus Jan 27, 2012 6:40 AM
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Good morning Anthony,

I develop most of my sheet metal designs with an extrude and then I insert the sheet metal bends, I feel this is only because that is where I started years ago. What I like about the extrude feature is if I am designing a in context part, I like to be able select a sketch and convert the entities and extrude, especially if it is a flange with holes, however I have used the Base Flange feature.

Most people that need assistance with sheet metal errors are mostly built using the base flange feature and the errors are normally concerning the edge flanges and bend radiuses.

Later,

John
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- Anthony Boyle @ John Stoltzfus on Jan 28, 2012 3:29 PM
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  Thank you for your reponse John,
  
  If I am understanding you correctly I think you like to make parts with solid geometry and then add the bends later? And for a lot of your flanges you are using a closed rectangular sketch with circles in it in order to get a flange with holes in it. This shortens the design tree and probably makes the part a smaller file size. I like that.
  
  I like using the base and edge flanges probably because when I add my holes I pretty much always do that in the context of the assembly. That way I can line up the holes between parts easier. Also, a lot of my parts are symetrical so if I add one edge flange I can add that same edge flange multiple times around the part. I like to use an open sketch (just a line) and create most of my bends with the base flange. I don't know if it is true, but I think that having most the bends in one feature limits the chances of errors when flattening. Also, changing geometry dimensions is easier as you have most of it in one sketch.
  
  However, I that is the way I taught myself and it is the way that I am most familar with. Since I can design faster with the way I am used to I pretty much stick to that. WIth that in mind though, if there is a better method out there, then perhaps I should practice that just to have another tool in my toolbox so to speak. That is why I wanted to propse this question to veteran users.
  
  Thank you for your time good sir! And if you have anything else to add I would enjoy hearing it.
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  - John Stoltzfus @ Anthony Boyle on Jan 30, 2012 7:48 AM
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    Good morning Anthony,
    
    There are many different ways to approach Sheet Metal and I say the best way is whatever works for you. You can start out with an extrude and the bends and still use the sheet metal features, and also the other way around. Just becasue you start a part with a base extrude and than add the sheet metal, doesn't mean you can't use the edge flange tools.
    
    For me if I can design a weird looking pc using one sketch that I can relate dimensions to a design table, I have one or more extrudes and insert the sheet metal bends and I'm done, I don't have this long list of edge flanges or closed corners,
    
    Later,
    
    John
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Wayne Tiffany Jan 28, 2012 11:23 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Anthony,

Do you have access to the SolidWorks World videos on the SW site? If so, go find one of the videos of my sheet metal presentation as I show examples and discussions of various methods of creating sheet metal parts.

If you can't get to the videos, go to http://www.kcswug.com/main/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=41&Itemid=60 and grab the PDF version. You will get the slides but not the voice explanations.

Are you going to SWW this year? What part of the world do you live in?

WT
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- Anthony Boyle @ Wayne Tiffany on Jan 28, 2012 3:16 PM
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  Thank you for your post and for your links Wayne. I actually had access to the videos so I spent the morning watching the presentation of yours that you mentioned as well as the other one about good design practice. I found it very helpful and it gave me a lot of options to consider. I like how you consider design intent and speed as what should drive the techniques one should use; that is exactly how I like to develop processes as well.
  
  The reason why I made an account and asked this question is that my company is making new part templates for sheet metal and they want all designers to use them so all the parts look the same across all designers (I feel this really limits the number of ways one can approach a problem, but that is another story).
  
  The template is just and open sketch, a single line, and then it uses the extrude command to make rectangular part. The sheet metal properties are already placed into the design tree as well as flatten and create bends.
  
  I feel that if the template is going to be like this than we should use the base flange feature instead of the extrude. My fear is that the extrude is going to be harder to work with. I don’t want to have to keep rolling the bar to check the flat pattern or add new features. I want to use the other sheet metal features and do not know how they will interact with the extrude feature.
  Also, in my opinion, the template is all messed up because the end point is constrained to the origin and the part is extruded out to one side. This puts all the normal planes on one side of the part making symmetry not an option. I just don’t really think they thought this template idea through all the way and needed information to help establish my point.
  
  I am relatively new at this and predominantly self-taught. I just want to learn and practice good design methods.
  
  Once again, your videos really helped me understand what it was that I wanted to do.
  
  So I suppose the question really falls down to: is how they set the template up good? I think it needs to use the base flange and symmetry. What are the opinions of more veteran Solidworks users?
  
  Thanks!
  
  /Unfortunately I am unable to attend SWW due to workload in my department.
  //end novel
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Base Flange Vs. Thin Boss Extrude

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