Advanced Sheet Metal Design Using NX Cad Challenge_5_Odd Shaped Enclosure

Advanced Sheet Metal Design Using NX CAD- Odd shaped enclosure

Objective:

The main objective of this project is to design a sheet metal odd shaped enclosure in NX cad sheet metal application workbench. Also, to perform the drafting for the odd shaped enclosure part.

Software used: NX 12.0

• To design and model the sheet metal odd shaped enclosure in NX by using some basic features.

• To learn to create sketches on defined planes as per requirement.

• To master the user interface and basic features of Sheet metal application in NX like Flange, Extrude, Shell, Jog, Unbend, Creating holes, Re-bend, Sheet metal from solid, Bead, Mirror feature, and Flat pattern etc…

Introduction:

Sheet metal Design and Fabrication:-

# Sheet Metal Fabrication is the process of forming parts from a metal sheet by punching, cutting, stamping, and bending.

# 3D CAD files are converted into machine code, which controls a machine to precisely cut and forms the sheets into the final part.

# Sheet metal parts are known for their durability, which makes them great for end-use applications (e.g., chassis). Parts used for low volume prototypes and high-volume production runs are most cost-effective due to large initial setup and material costs.

#Because parts are formed from a single sheet of metal, designs must maintain a uniform thickness. Be sure to follow the design requirements and tolerances to ensure parts fall closer to design intent and cutting sheets of metal.

#In Sheet metal application we can create a 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:

Design methodology is explained by the flow chart as follows:

Explanation:

Sketch:

2D Sketching in Drawings. You can create drawing geometry using 2D sketched geometry only, without reference to existing models or assemblies.... When you drag a sketch point in a drawing, it snaps or infers to other sketches, drawing views, blocks, and items in the sheet format.

We use its tools to create a base sketch. (for eg: Rectangle, Circle, Line, etc.)

Extrude:

Use the Extrude command to create a solid or sheet body by selecting a section of curves, edges, faces, sketches, or curve features and extending them a linear distance.

The following example shows how Extrude can form a solid body from a section of curves.

Sheet Metal From Solid Body:

In modeling is to create sheet metal object from solid body. NX provides a command as sheet metal from solid which convert a solid body to sheet form. To convert, first we specify web faces and then specify bend edges. Pre-set values or global values of bend radius and K factor are applied with specified thickness.

Flange:

In this step we created a flange on one of the side of enclosure. To create this flange we used flange command it gives a sheet surface at an angle specified and add bend between two surfaces. To apply flange we need to specify the edge, length, angle, length reference, inset type and bend radius.

Jog:

Jog is a tool which lifts material on one side of the jog line and adds a flange between two sides. The section for jog the must consist of a single line across a planar face. Jog provides rigidity to a part by creating step in tab or face. In model we applied jog on opposite face to flange.

Unbend:

This feature is used to unbend the adjacent bends and flatten them. Here it is used to create more features. This command is used to unbend the sheet metal parts to create geometries and work on complicated designs. In this command, we have to select a stationary face and then select the corners of flanges to unbend.

Bead:

It lifts material along the contour of a sketch that simulates a stamping tool, it is used for giving strength to the sheet metal. Here two beads are created on the unbent surface. The selected sketch is lifted off from the base to provide strength to the material. Similar to dimple, the material can be removed in both directions.

Hole:

It adds a hole to one or more solid bodies in a part or an assembly with options for counter-bored, countersunk and threaded. Here six simple holes are created on the unbent surface with a diameter of 10mm. It can be used to make customized or standardized holes along with a defined point or path. The dept of the hole can be controlled.

Re-bend:

It is used to re-bend the corners that were bent before along with any features added after the unbend feature.

Flat pattern:

It creates a flat pattern feature from the formed sheet metal part. The user chooses this command to create a flat view of the sheet metal after unbending all the sides and faces. This view can be used in drawing the flat pattern along with the bend radius and other dimensions.

Views:

1.Front view:

2.Top view:

3.Side view:

4.Isometric view:

Drafting:

We can create 2D drawing sheets in NX CAD from the solid component designed. For that we have to follow the process below:

Application >> Drafting >> Base View >> In model view to use - FLAT PATTERN created >> Adjust appropriate scale >> Drawing Sheet formed >> Give Proper Dimensions.

Drawing sheet:

Detailed view:

CONCLUSION:

• Finally the Odd shaped enclosure of the sheet metal is designed on the Siemens NX12.0

• The tools and features used for the odd shaped enclosure is learned.

• The drafted view of the model is also created.