Advanced Sheet Metal Design Using NX Cad Challenge_5_Odd Shaped Enclosure

PROJECT REPORT

TITLE: DESIGN OF ODD SHAPED SHEET METAL ENCLOSURE IN NX CAD

OBJECTIVE: To design and model the odd shaped enclosure from solid body in sheet metal workbench of NX CAD version 11.

INTRODUCTION: NX is a 3D CAD CAM software developed by Siemens. The Casing will be designed and modelled in the sheet metal workbench of the NX.

Sheet Metal is a metal formed by an industrial process into thin, flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metal working and it can be bent into variety of shapes. Countless everyday objects are fabricated from sheet metal. The thickness can vary significantly, extremely thin sheets are called foils and sheets having thickness greater than 6mm are called plates.

DESIGN METHODOLOGY:

DESCRIPTION:

The tools and features used in the design and modelling of the enclosure are:

Extrude:

First of all a solid model is created in the sheet metal workbench of NX CAD. The sketch profile of our solid model is created and then extrude command is used. Extrude Command is used to convert the 2D sketch into a 3D model.

Fig 1. Creation of a solid model

Convert to Sheet Metal:

After the creation of the solid model use the command convert to sheet metal from solid which is available in the sheet metal workbench of NX. The faces and the edges are to be selected which is to be wrapped around by a sheet metal. After wrapping the sheet metal around the solid body the solid body is hidden.

Fig 2. Wrapping Sheet Metal around a Solid Body

Flange:

After the wrapping of sheet metal features are added like flanges and jogs. Flange is a projecting rim on a flat object. Flanges can be given to the edges of the model by using the flange command available in the sheet metal workbench. Flanges are given to the required edges.

Fig 3. Flanges

Jog:

This feature allows to create bends with addition of heights.

Fig 4. Jog

Unbend:

The sheet metal is unbend to create additional features like dimples, Beads and holes.

Fig 5. Unbend

Beads:

Beads are given in the sheet metal to provide strength to the sheet metal parts. The sketch profile for the bead is created on the required sketch plane.

The options for the bead is available in the sheet metal workbench. The required parameters are entered and thus bead and dimples are created.

Fig 6. Beads

Holes:

The additional features holes are also created. Hole command is available in the sheet metal workbench of the NX CAD. The points where the holes are required are specified.

Fig 7. Holes

Rebend:

After creation of additional features the part is rebend back to get the required model.

Fig 8. Rebend

Flat Pattern:

It is the last step of the sheet metal design. The created model is flattened out to know the exact length of the blank required for its manufacturability. By selecting the flat pattern the view of flat pattern is created and this view is added in the drawing sheet.

Fig 9. Flat Pattern

THE MODEL VIEWS:

Fig 10. Top View

Fig 11. Side View

Fig 12. Front View

Fig 13. Isometric View

CONCLUSION:

1. This project helped me to understand how to convert to sheet metal from solid body.
2. The ways to wrap a sheet metal around a solid body.
3. Got a good understanding of features like bead, holes, jogs and flanges.
4. The creation of flat pattern view and the addition of flat pattern view in drawing sheet.

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