Advanced Sheet Metal Design Using NX Cad Challenge_1_Casing Design
Casing Design in NX cad sheet Metal Application
The main objective of this project is to design a sheet metal casing in the NX cad sheet metal application workbench. Also to perform the drafting for the casing part.
Introduction:
The sheet metal application provides an environment for the design of sheet metal parts used in Machinery, Automotive, and Aerospace. Enclosures, Brackets, and other parts are normally manufactured with a brake press. The sheet metal application is widely used in the
- Aircraft Bodies
- Automobiles
- Utensils (domestic purposes)
- Beverage cans
In sheet metal application we can create uniform thickness sheet metal parts using basic features such as flange, tabs, and jogs. We can also do close corners, cutout, and stiffening features. The complex sheet metal part can be designed in the solid model workbench and then we can convert it into a sheet metal part. We can also import, clean up and convert a non-sheet metal part into a valid sheet metal part. Flat pattern sheet metal data can be used for the manufacturing process. The Material parameters such as thickness, bend radii, and bend relief can be easily set as default settings.
Design Methodology:
Description of tools used
Setting Parameter:
In this section basic sheet metal parameters are set to obtain uniformity in design as per the material selection. Here all parameters are set as per the 1mm sheet metal
Tab Feature:
It is a similar feature to the extrude function but the extrude value limit to the global value set in parameters and can be edited local settings. A base sketch is required to execute this function.
Normal cut-out:
This feature helps to cut or remove an undesired profile from the base model.
Bend:
This feature helps to bend the sheet from the particular edge with reference to the bending line to different angles measuring from the fixed surface. The bending radius is taken automatically as defined in a global setting.
Flange:
This feature is used to add a flat flange at an angle to the planar face. Different types of flanges type are available in the option to control the profile of the flange. It requires an edge to finish the command.
Break Corner:
This feature helps to smooth out the sharp edges on the corner by
rounding the edge or creating a chamfer shape.
Unbend:
This feature helps to unbend all flanges and bent areas into a flat surface. This function helps to create an extra feature on the bending surface like holes emboss etc which are applied to normal to a flat surface. also, help to visualize before and after the shape of the bent sheet.
Hole feature:
To create a hole feature with a screw parameter, points have to be defined on the unbent surface, and in the hole parameter desired specification is to be selected in order to create the pattern. Here M2 screwed holes are selected.
Dimple:
This command creates emboss feature inside the sketch that stimulates a stamping tool. It provides over the length to increase the local strength and rigidity of the cross-section and structure.
Beads:
This feature lifts the material along the counter of the sketch that stimulates the stamping tool. It also adds strength and rigidity to the structure.
Rebend:
It undoes the unbending command with all the features added to the flanges and associated surface and resembles the final shape of the sheet.
Flat Pattern:
It is the representation of the entire sheet metal model in 2D format with all the features applied over the surface. This feature helps to import the information to the drafting workbench to label details and dimensioning the profile for shop floor manufacturing drawing. This feature is similar to unbending but it is applied after complete modeling of the component in order to call out in drafting.
Feature Tree
Top view
Side view
Front View
Back view
Isometric view
Flat pattern
Conclusion:
The design of sheet metal casing can be completed by using NX-CAD software and learned a lot of features specially used for designing sheet metal components.