Converting a solid to a sheet metal part tutorial

Introduction
Sometimes it is easier to start with a solid and convert it to create a sheet metal part. This tutorial will
guide you through the process and teach you how to use some of SpaceClaim's powerful tools to make
your work easier, whether you're working with sheet metal parts or solids.

In this tutorial, you will

 Create and shell a simple solid.
 Use the selection filter and power selection.
 Add corner reliefs to a sheet metal part.
 Convert edges to sheet metal bends and junctions.
 Create rips in the part so it can be unfolded.
 Unfold a sheet metal part.

Create a simple solid

1. Select New > New Design from the Application menu to create a new design.
2. Draw a rectangle.
a. Click the Rectangle tool in the Sketch group on the Design tab.
b. Click a point on the grid to set the upper left corner of the rectangle.
c. Move the mouse down and to the right to start drawing the rectangle.
d. Type 40 for the first dimension (or 1.5 if you have your units set to Imperial).
e. Press the Tab key and type 35 for the second dimension (or 1.3 if you have your units set
to Imperial).

f. Press Enter to finish drawing the rectangle.

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 3. Pull the rectangle into a solid.

a. Click Pull in the Edit group on the Design tab.

b. Select the rectangle and pull it up to 20 mm (or .75 inches). To type a dimension like you
did when you drew the rectangle, start the pull and release the mouse, then type the
dimension.

4. Now is a good time to save your design.

a. Click the Application menu and click Save, or just click Save in the Quick access
toolbar near the top left corner of the SpaceClaim window.
b. Browse to the folder where you want to save the file.
c. Type a file name and click Save.

Add an opening and shell the solid

1. Copy the top edge of the block to create the edge for the opening:

a. Click Pull in the Edit group on the Design tab.

b. Double-click a top edge of the rectangle.
c. This will select four contiguous edges. You can double-click again to cycle through the
possible selections. Keep double-clicking until the top four edges are selected, like this:

d. Select the Copy Edge option in the mini-toolbar or the Options panel. This option is
shown in the mini-toolbar here:

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 e. Drag the edge about 7 mm (or .3 inches) toward the center of the top:

This creates a copy of the edge that is offset from the original edge by the amount that
you drag or type.
2. Shell the solid:
a. Click Shell in the Insert group on the Design tab.
b. Click the face you created by copying the edge:

The solid will be shelled and the face you selected will be removed. Your solid should
look similar to this:

For now, leave the thickness at the default. You'll change it after you've converted the
solid to a sheet metal part.

Convert the solid to a sheet metal part and change its thickness
1. Right-click the component in the Structure tree that holds the solid and select Sheet Metal. This
converts the solid into a sheet metal part.
2. Change the thickness of the part:
a. Select the component in the Structure tree.
b. Change the thickness of the part in the Sheet Metal section of the Properties panel,
which is in the lower left side of the SpaceClaim window.
If you are working in Metric units, change the thickness to 1mm and press Enter.
If you are working in Imperial units, change the thickness to .04 and press Enter.
These are the default thicknesses for sheet metal parts. You can use any thickness you
like. To change the default, see Sheet Metal options.

© Copyright 2009 SpaceClaim Corporation. All rights reserved.

Split the top face to add rips
You must split the top face so the part can be unfolded.
1. Click Split Face in the Intersect group on the Design tab.
2. Select the top face of the part:

3. Click the Select Two Points tool guide on the right side of the Design window.
4. Select the two corners shown here:

5. The face is split between the two points and corner reliefs are automatically added.
6. Repeat these steps for each corner, so your part looks like this:

Add bends and junctions

Like splitting the top face, you must also add bends and junctions to unfold and manufacture the sheet
metal part.
1. Start by adding junctions on the vertical edges:

a. Click Pull in the Edit group on the Design tab.

© Copyright 2009 SpaceClaim Corporation. All rights reserved.

 b. Select one vertical edge:

c. Click the Selection tab in the panel with the Structure tree.
This tab is the power selection tool, and it helps you find similar geometry in your
design. See Power selection for more information.
d. Click Edges with same length:

All of the vertical edges will be selected.

e. Click the icon for a junction without overlap in the Options panel:

2. Add bends on the remaining hard edges:

a. Draw a box around the entire part to select it.

© Copyright 2009 SpaceClaim Corporation. All rights reserved.

 b. Click Hard sheet metal edges in the Selection panel:

All edges that don't have a junction type set are selected. In this example, all horizontal
edges on the outside of the part are selected.
c. Click the icon for a bend junction type in the Options panel:

Your part now has junctions and bends so it can be unfolded:

Unfold the sheet metal part

Right-click the part in the Design window and select Unfold Part. Your unfolded part should look similar
to this:

© Copyright 2009 SpaceClaim Corporation. All rights reserved.