How do I bend a rectangle?

[jlovgren]

Hello all,

I have a 1/4" thick rectangle panel that I need to put a 15 degree bend at the top of. I know I can extrude the face of it at a 15 degree angle, but I need to bend the original panel.

Can someone please tell me the best way to accomplish this?

Thank you

[shift1313]

what i would probably do is slice the object at the bend. rotate it using the inside edge of the bend as your rotation axis. then draw the side profile of the bend(wedge with a 15degree arc) and extrude this. In acad there isnt a way to "bend" the part.

Let me know if that wasnt clear and ill try to put some screen shots up for you.

[jlovgren]

Thank you shift.

Can I assume it would be much simpler to draw the part with bends first and then extrude it?

[MaxwellEdison]

My preferred approach is to draw a path and then extrude the profile of the panel along it. Might not be the best way depending on the corner configuration you want however. For example, a chamfer on the corner requires some math on your when creating the path or you might create an angle which would have the solid intersect itself, creating a null body.

[shift1313]

i agree that i wouldnt draw a plate, slice and rotate as a preferred method. I thought you needed to use the plate you have for some other reason. Since you are using 04, i would do as max said, and extrude along a path.

there are several options really(not as many with pre07). You could slice your current panel at 15degrees, extrude face like you mentioned and fillet the edges.

There isnt a right or wrong way really.

Does this bar need to have any other defining features or can they all be added post bend?

[jlovgren]

I should have asked if it would be easier "in the future" to draw the angle first and extrude it.

Yes, I do need to keep the original part and find a way to bend it. I am going to attempt to slice and rotate as you mentioned.

Thank you

[Strix]

if it's for manufacture, I'd want to know the geometry the manfacturing process would produce to more accurately produce the drawing for it - eg the 'pivot' point used

when bending, does a plate not usually keep its length on the inside of the bend but stretch on the outside, or does compression take place (which would be the case represented by extruding along the path)

[shift1313]

it depends on how you setup the bend radius. for a 15degree bend on a 1/4" thick piece, i imagine they would set it up at 1/4" which would leave a crisp bend line on the inside and stretch the outside, but it does all depend on their process. One of the big advantages to using SW or Inventors sheet metal package

[jlovgren]

Shift,

I am having a difficult time doing what you suggested. Can you please post screen shots?

[shift1313]

sure thing, i just made a drawing but ill have to upload the screen shots in a few posts. first i drew a box that was 5x10x.25". I then put a horizontal reference line up 8" from the bottom(didnt need to but it may help for visualization). I used the SLICE command using the zx plane (for my orientation) and selected my horizontal reference line for the location. I then oriented my UCS at this point(so you could see it) with the z axis along my slice. You will be rotating about Z so this is important. If you put your UCS like mine you will have to rotate the top part -15degrees. It all depends on the orientation of your ucs. if your Z is the other way you will rotate +15degrees. Think about it going from X axis to Y when rotating. After the rotation i changed the view so i could see the side profile of the piece and drew and ARC selecting the start point and end point and using Angle of 15degrees. Since you know your bend, this arc will be tangent to both pieces. I did this in red so it was easier to see. I then drew two more lines to complete the "wedge" and used PEDIT to join them. You could have used other commands as well like REGION or BOUNDARY. I extruded this wedge the length of my piece(5" in this case) and UNION all 3 together.