Chapter 29: Using SolidWorks Sheet Metal Tools .......................................................................
The bends are shown as BaseBend features in the FeatureManager. You can change individual bend
radii from the default setting by editing the BaseBend feature, as well as by assigning custom bend
allowances on a per-bend basis. You cannot change the bend angle for these particular bends
because the angle is controlled through the sketch. However, for other types of bends (such as
those created by Edge Flanges), you can adjust the bend angle through the feature
PropertyManager.If you need to, you can reorder all the bends from a list that you can access from the right mouse
button (RMB) menu selection Reorder Bends on the Flat Pattern. This dialog box is shown in
Figure 29.2.FIGURE 29.2The Reorder Bends dialog box
The BaseBend features can be suppressed, but the only effect that this has is to prevent the associ-
ated bend from flattening when the Flat Pattern feature is unsuppressed.Sheet Metal feature
The FeatureManager is shown for the Base Flange with all the bends in Figure 29.3. The Sheet-
Metal1 feature is automatically added to sheet metal parts as a placeholder for default sheet metal
settings such as material thickness, default bend allowance settings, and Auto Relief options, as
well as the default inside bend radius.
Gauge Table
Gauge Tables are a legacy table type, which is simply an Excel spreadsheet. In SolidWorks 2009,
the data from gauge tables was consolidated with data from bend tables. However, you can still use
the legacy gauge tables. The point of consolidating gauge and bend tables is so that you don’t need
a separate gauge table for each K-Factor (or bend allowance or bend deduction).Cross-Reference
Bend tables are described in more detail later in this chapter. n