SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 29: Using SolidWorks Sheet Metal Tools

FIGURE 29.33

A comparison between default features for Base Flange and Insert Bends

If you perform an Insert Bends operation on a model that does not have a consistent wall thick-

ness, then the Flatten Bends and Process Bends features fail. If a thickness face is not perpendicular

to the main face of the part, then the software simply forces the situation, making the face perpen-

dicular to the main face.

Normal cut feature

If a Cut feature is placed before the Sheet Metal feature, then as far as SolidWorks is concerned, the

part is not a sheet metal part. However, if the cut feature is created after the Sheet Metal feature,

then the model has to follow a different set of rules. The “normal shear” mentioned previously is

one of those rules. In Figure 29.2, the sketch for a cut is on a plane that is not perpendicular to the

face that the cut is going into. Under a normal modeling situation, the cut just goes through the

part at an angle. However, in SolidWorks sheet metal, a new option is added to the

PropertyManager for the cut. This is the Normal cut option, and it is selected by default. You could

be modeling and never even notice this option, but it is important because it affects the geometri-

cal results of the feature.

As shown in Figure 29.34, when the Normal cut option is selected, the thickness faces of the cut

are turned perpendicular (or normal) to the face of the sheet metal. This is also important because

if the angle between the angled face and the sketch changes, the geometry of the cutout can also

change. This setting becomes more important as the material becomes thicker and as the angle

between the sketch and the sheet metal face becomes shallower.

SolidWorks allows you to have angled faces on side edges, and will maintain the angle when it flat-

tens the part. In previous versions, angles on side faces cause the Flat Pattern feature to fail. Even a