Lesson 10 -- Sheet Metal Part

Pro/ENGINEER Functions: 

Assembly        Insert
Components      Align

Design Objective

This lesson shows you how to create the sheet metal part shown in Figure VI.10-1.

Modeling Strategy

I. Create a wall piece.

II. Create two datum planes through Edges A and B.

III. Create a cut through the two datum planes.

IV. Bend the sheet metal.

V. Unbend the sheet metal.

VI. Bend the sheet metal back

Detailed Construction

I. Create a wall

  1. MAIN - Mode - Sheet Metal - Create
  2. Enter part name [ sheet ]
  3. PART - Feature - Create - Datum - Default - Done
  4. PART - Feature - Create - Wall - Extrude - Done - One side - Done
  5. Sketch a cross section line, as shown in Figure VI.10-2.
  6. Dimension the sketch, modify the dimensions, and regenerate.
  7. - Done
    The arrow indicates the current direction of the protrusion. Be sure the arrow is pointing up.
  8. - Okay
  9. Enter thickness [ 1 ]
  10. Blind - Done
  11. Enter depth [ 40 ]
    A sheet metal part with green and white surfaces appears , with side surfaces between them. The green surface is what you are creating ; Pro/ENGINEER will create the white surface by offsetting the material thickness from the green. The side surfaces are not added until the part has been fully regenerated.

II. Create two datum planes through Edges A and B.

Sheet metal parts are designed to have very small thicknesses. Because of this, side surfaces are not selectable as sketching or assembly references. Side surfaces can only be used for view orientation of the sheet metal part.

  1. FEAT - Create - Datum - Plane - Through
  2. Pick Edge A as shown in Figure VI.10-3.
  3. - Normal
  4. Pick the top plane.
  5. - Done
  6. Use the same procedure to create a second datum in Edge B unless it is already present.

III. Cut through the datum planes.

  1. FEAT - Create - Solid - Cut - Extrude - Solid - One_Side - Done
    1. Pick the top plane as shown in Figure VI.10-3. The arrow currently shows that the cut will be made down into the material, so we can choose
  2. - Okay
  1. Pick next datum plane to orient sketch plane.
  2. Sketch the cut cross section as shown in Figure VI.10-4.
  3. Dimension the sketch, modify the dimensions, and regenerate.
  4. Choose required direction for cut creation.
  5. Thru All - Done
  • VIEW - Orientation - Default - Done-Return

    • IV. Bend the sheet metal:

    1. FEAT - Create - Sheetmetal - Bend - Angle - Regular - Done - Part Bend Table - Inside Rad - Done
    2. - Set up New - Plane - Pick
    3. Choose top surface
    4. Sketch the bending line (Line A) as shown in Figure VI.10-5.
    5. Dimension and align points A and B to the part.
    6. - Regenerate - Done
  • BEND SIDE - (Be sure the arrow is pointing into the flap) - Okay
    1. - Flip - (Be sure the arrow is pointing out of the flap) - Okay
      The red arrow indicates the fixed side of the sheet.
    2. No relief - Done
    3. Select 90 and Flip
      (Watch the arrow)
    4. Enter bending radius [ 2 ]
  • VIEW - Orientation - Default - Done - Return
    The bent sheet metal piece appears on the screen.

    • V. Unbend the sheet metal:

    1. FEAT - Create - Unbend - Regular - Done
    2. Pick the Top plane as shown in Figure VI.10-1.
    3. UNBEND - All - Done
      All the bent surfaces and edges will be unbent.

    VI. Bend the sheet metal back:

    1. FEAT - Create - Bend Back
    2. Pick the top plane.
    3. - All - Done
      The sheet metal will return to its bent configuration.

    Make an open-top box with seams at the corners