Working With Sheet Metal In Inventor

Let s start with the sheet metal style defaults.

Working with sheet metal in inventor.

With a sheet metal part open on the ribbon click sheet metal tab flat pattern panel define a side. In this inventor 101 video we ll take you through all of the sheet metal design. A variety of modern parts are designed and constructed using sheet metal and chances are you ll be designing a part out of sheet metal at some point too. Inventor s sheet metal environment is not much different as it is the sheet metal styles that act as the recipe dictating the resultant flat pattern.

The a side is defined and a browser entry is created when you create the flat pattern. I noticed that we have a of of support calls around flat pattern of sheet metal parts in autodesk inventor. Click the face that defines the up or punch direction. Autodesk inventor allows for converting models to sheet metal.

Using this dialog you set the defaults used when placing sheet metal features. Sheet metal has a consistent thickness. Convert parts to sheet metal parts if a regular part created in autodesk inventor is of a consistent thickness you can convert it to a sheet metal part. The sheet metal commands you use to work with flat patterns can provide critical fabrication information.

Autodesk inventor now has integrated sheet metal tools that make it easier to design with sheet metal. Let s start with the rules of sheet metal. If you create your models solely with the tools found in the autodesk inventor sheet metal environment you shouldn t have any issues. Tfi is now doing full professional inventor training courses on pluralsight.

For manufacturing purposes details like bend radii and relief sizes are usually the same throughout the part. A browser entry is created. Optionally create a flat pattern. It is also a topic that comes up on the forums quite frequently.

In a sheet metal part you enter the values for these details and then the software applies them as you are designing. Sheet metal style defaults. Rule 1 you must have a consistent thickness. Sheet metal part differs from regular part sheet metal design lends itself to optimization.

Which means regardless where the model geometry originates you can convert it to sheet metal add sheet metal features and generate the flat pattern.