Advanced Sheet Metal Design Using NX Cad Challenge_7_ Metal bracket-II
1. Project Title: Metal Bracket-II
2. Objective: To design a Metal Bracket using SIEMENS NX SheetMetal application.
3. Introduction:
A bracket is any intermediary component in mechanical engineering that connects one part to another, generally bigger, part. A bracket is distinguished by the fact that it sits in the middle of the two and connects them. Brackets are often made up of two or more planes joined along one edge, and the simplest way to make them is to bend a flat object (such as a sheet of metal) in two or more locations. Sheet metal fabrication is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to create brackets, especially simple ones like angle brackets. Brackets are used to install a variety of products, including antennas, televisions, projectors, and street lights, among others.
Although brackets come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most typical is an L-shaped bracket with the vertical half linked to a wall (or other major upright structure) and the horizontal section attached to a smaller object being mounted on the wall, such as a shelf. Brackets frequently have holes, either threaded or unthreaded, through which screws or other fasteners can be fed, although this is not a distinguishing feature of the bracket.
The majority of brackets are functional, with the goal of connecting and supporting items. Brackets, on the other hand, can be decorative: because they are frequently visible (for example, on shelves set above eye level), they may have cosmetic features and flourishes ranging from carefully machined decorative details to gold plating.
4. Design Methodology:
The following flowchart shows the approach involved in creating a Metal Bracket.
5. Description: I learn following command/features in carrying out the design of the metal bracket.
Contour Flange: Used when complex curved flange is required in the sheet metal part.
Normal Cutout: It removes certain part of material normal to the plane on which sketch is created.
Unbend: Used for flattening out the sheet metal part into flat shape so as to create sketch for bead/dimple/hole etc like features.
Hole: It can be accessed as 'Menu-Insert-Design Feature-Hole' and used for creating holes at specified points.
Rebend: Used for bringing part back into it's parent shape.
Break Corner: Used for converting sharp edges/corners into round ones for saftey purposes.
Advance Flange: With the help of 'Advance Flange', I could create flanges across curved edges which is not possible with the normal flange command. NOTE: Advance Flange option is not accessible on SIEMENS NX
Gusset: It is used to provide support, strength and rigidity to the part along the bend edges. It looks as if a small ladder has been inclined to the wall from the floor.
6. Snapshots of the bracket:
Top View
Front View
Side View
Isometric View
7. Conclusion:
This project helped me in understanding the use of gussets and advance flange in designing complex metal brackets. Gussets provide stiffness and strength to the bends and hence very important aspect in shet metal brackets manufacturing.