sheet metal

Hello,

I have been using a lot of Inventor. Seems like everyone around here uses it. I had same problem with other 3D mechanical programs. When is the point to leave a sheet metal part. I try to think like the metal. After I do what I could do in reality with the sheet of metal I should probably stop. Is this the right way of thinking? In sheet metal part they still have 3D model tab. To me, it should be like make something that you could mfg with a single sheet. Am I missing something. I guess you could do what is to be mfg'd and then Save-as and add to it i guess. Any input would be great. As of now I have never used weld assembly. I typically use regulary part file(s) and make an assembly; or do a sheet metal part file for something that will be made.

Tnx

Nobody ever answers my questions here for some reason. I went along somewhere else and got an answer. I am right. Sheet mtl part is for that part only. It is for mfg. If you are trying to make something that cannot be physically mfg stay away and go into regular part mode. I still havent done the weld assembly though. Dont understand that concept. I have to show people how to weld things toghether or just give a hint of what to do?

The idea is that you make a single sheet metal part with your bends, flanges, etc and then create a flat pattern for mfg to plasma cut, typically. Then when you have multiple parts you bring them into an assembly, convert to weldment (or start with at the template screen), prepare your weld locations with chamfers if necessary, put the welds on, add symbol callouts, then when you bring into a .idw the notations transfer over and you just call them up, or create Welding under the Symbols Tab in .idw instead which is sometimes easier depending on how complex. When you say "After I do what I could do in reality with the sheet of metal I should probably stop." what are you trying to do? When you say "save-as and add to it" this would be a separate part you need to weld to the initial one in a weldment assembly. Maybe watch some more tutorials to get more familiar with the entire process.

Now that you have transitioned over to Inventor you might want to consider changing the name of the program you are using under your avatar.

See...someone did answer your question. Maybe other questions have gone unanswered because they weren't noticed or no one with Inventor experience was around to answer them. Who's to say? In a pinch you can always post over at the AutoDesk website (Community Resources) in the Inventor forum.

Hello,

 

I have been using a lot of Inventor. Seems like everyone around here uses it. I had same problem with other 3D mechanical programs. When is the point to leave a sheet metal part. I try to think like the metal. After I do what I could do in reality with the sheet of metal I should probably stop. Is this the right way of thinking? In sheet metal part they still have 3D model tab. To me, it should be like make something that you could mfg with a single sheet. Am I missing something. I guess you could do what is to be mfg'd and then Save-as and add to it i guess. Any input would be great. As of now I have never used weld assembly. I typically use regulary part file(s) and make an assembly; or do a sheet metal part file for something that will be made.

 

Tnx

Hi bjenk8100, I try to answer questions as much as I can but these days I work away in a location that has no internet connection, that aside. Yes you are 100% correct in modelling in sheet metal as it would be made in sheet. You can combine commands from the standard model tab like direct editing works with sheet metal parts you can model a part the normal way then convert it to sheet metal after using the shell command, there are many uses for switching between sheet metal and the 3d tab. You only need to make weldment parts if the job requires you to. The weld assembly if very useful but not always required.