PTC ProEngineer Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design T780-320-01 PDF

PTC Global Services
Fundamentals of
Sheetmetal Design
Release 2001
T780-320-01
Copyright
Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design
Copyright 2001 Parametric Technology Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
This Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design Training Guide may not be copied, reproduced, disclosed, transferred, or
reduced to any form, including electronic medium or machine-readable form, or transmitted or publicly performed by any
means, electronic or otherwise, unless Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) consents in writing in advance.
User and training documentation from Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) is subject to the copyright laws of the
United States and other countries and is provided under a license agreement that restricts copying, disclosure, and use of
such documentation. PTC hereby grants to the licensed user the right to make copies in printed form of this
documentation if provided on software media, but only for internal/personal use and in accordance with the license
agreement under which the applicable software is licensed. Any copy made shall include the PTC copyright notice and
any other proprietary notice provided by PTC. This documentation may not be disclosed, transferred, modified, or
reduced to any form, including electronic media, or transmitted or made publicly available by any means without the
prior written consent of PTC and no authorization is granted to make copies for such purposes.
Information described herein is furnished for general information only, is subject to change without notice, and should
not be construed as a warranty or commitment by PTC. PTC assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or
inaccuracies that may appear in this document.
The software described in this document is provided under written license agreement, contains valuable trade secrets and
proprietary information, and is protected by the copyright laws of the United States and other countries.
UNAUTHORIZED USE OF SOFTWARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION CAN RESULT IN CIVIL DAMAGES AND
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
Registered Trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation or a Subsidiary: Advanced Surface Design, CADDS,
CADDShade, Computervision, Computervision Services, Electronic Product Definition, EPD, HARNESSDESIGN,
Info*Engine, InPart, MEDUSA, Optegra, Parametric Technology, Parametric Technology Corporation, Pro/ENGINEER,
Pro/HELP, Pro/INTRALINK, Pro/MECHANICA, Pro/TOOLKIT, PTC, PT/Products, Windchill, and the InPart logo.
Trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation or a Subsidiary
3DPAINT, Associative Topology Bus, Behavioral Modeler, BOMBOT, CDRS, CounterPart, CV, CVact, CVaec,
CVdesign, CV-DORS, CVMAC, CVNC, CVToolmaker, DesignSuite, DIMENSION III, DIVISION, DVS,
DVSAFEWORK, EDE, e/ENGINEER, Electrical Design Entry, e-Series, Expert Machinist, Expert Toolmaker,
Flexible Engineering, ICEM, Import Data Doctor, Information for Innovation, i-Series, ISSM, MEDEA, ModelCHECK,
NC Builder, Nitidus, PARTBOT, PartSpeak, Pro/ANIMATE, Pro/ASSEMBLY, Pro/CABLING, Pro/CASTING,
Pro/CDT, Pro/CMM, Pro/COMPOSITE, Pro/CONVERT, Pro/DATA for PDGS, Pro/DESIGNER, Pro/DESKTOP,
Pro/DETAIL, Pro/DIAGRAM, Pro/DIEFACE, Pro/DRAW, Pro/ECAD, Pro/ENGINE, Pro/FEATURE, Pro/FEM-POST,
Pro/FLY-THROUGH, Pro/HARNESS-MFG, Pro/INTERFACE, Pro/LANGUAGE, Pro/LEGACY,
Pro/LIBRARYACCESS, Pro/MESH, Pro/Model.View, Pro/MOLDESIGN,Pro/NC-ADVANCED, Pro/NC-CHECK,
Pro/NC-MILL, Pro/NCPOST, Pro/NC-SHEETMETAL, Pro/NC-TURN, Pro/NC-WEDM, Pro/NC-Wire EDM,
Pro/NETWORK ANIMATOR, Pro/NOTEBOOK, Pro/PDM, Pro/PHOTORENDER,
Pro/PHOTORENDER TEXTURE LIBRARY, Pro/PIPING, Pro/PLASTIC ADVISOR, Pro/PLOT,
Pro/POWER DESIGN, Pro/PROCESS, Pro/REPORT, Pro/REVIEW, Pro/SCAN-TOOLS, Pro/SHEETMETAL,
Pro/SURFACE, Pro/VERIFY, Pro/Web.Link, Pro/Web.Publish, Pro/WELDING, Product Structure Navigator,
PTC i-Series, Shaping Innovation, Shrinkwrap, The Product Development Company, Virtual Design Environment,
Windchill e-Catalog, Windchill e-Series, Windchill ProjectLink, CV-Computervision logo, DIVISION logo, and
ICEM logo.
Copyright
Third-Party Trademarks
Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation. Windows and Windows NT are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation. Java and all Java based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Adobe is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems. Metaphase is a registered trademark of Metaphase Technology Inc.
Baan is a registered trademark of Baan Company. Unigraphics is a registered trademark of EDS Corp. I-DEAS is a
registered trademark of SDRC. SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Solidworks Corp. Matrix One is a trademark of
Matrix One Software. SHERPA is a registered trademark of Inso Corp. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk,
Inc. CADAM and CATIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systems. Helix is a trademark of Microcadam, Inc. IRIX
is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. PDGS is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. SAP and R/3
are registered trademarks of SAP AG Germany. FLEXlm is a registered trademark of GLOBEtrotter Software, Inc.
Rational Rose 2000E, is copyrighted software of Rational Software Corporation. RetrievalWare is copyrighted software
of Excalibur Technologies Corporation. VisualCaf is copyrighted software of WebGain, Inc. VisTools library is
copyrighted software of Visual Kinematics, Inc. (VKI) containing confidential trade secret information belonging to VKI.
HOOPS graphics system is a proprietary software product of, and is copyrighted by, Tech Soft America, Inc. All other
brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND
This document and the software described herein are Commercial Computer Documentation and Software, pursuant to
FAR 12.212(a)-(b) or DFARS 227.7202-1(a) and 227.7202-3(a), and are provided to the Government under a limited
commercial license only. For procurements predating the above clauses, use, duplication, or disclosure by the
Government is subject to the restrictions set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and
Computer Software Clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights at
FAR 52.227-19, as applicable.
Parametric Technology Corporation, 140 Kendrick Street, Needham, Massachusetts 02494 USA
2001 Parametric Technology Corporation. Unpublished all rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United
States.
PRINTING HISTORY
Document No. Date Description
T780-320-0A 06/14/01 Initial Printing of Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design for Release 2001
T780-320-01 06/21/01 Revisions
Order Number DT-780-320-EN

Printed in U.S.A
PTC Telephone and Fax Numbers
The following is a list of telephone and fax numbers you may find useful:
Education Services Registration in North America

Tel: (888)-782-3773
Fax: (781) 370-5553
Technical Support (Monday - Friday)

Tel: (800) 477-6435 (U.S.)
(781) 370-5332 or (781) 370-5523 (outside U.S.)
Fax: (781) 370-5650
License Management
Tel: (800) 216-8945 (U.S.)
(781) 370-5559 (outside U.S.)
Fax: (781) 370-5795
Contracts
Tel: (800) 791-9966 (U.S.)
(781) 370-5700 (outside U.S.)
In addition, you can find the PTC home page on the World Wide Web can be found
at: http://www.ptc.com. The Web site contains the latest training schedules,
registration information, directions to training facilities, and course descriptions, as
well as information on PTC, the Pro/ENGINEER product line, Consulting Services,
Customer Support, and Pro/PARTNERS.
Training Agenda
Day 1
Introduction to Sheetmetal Design
Primary Walls
Secondary Walls
Unbend, Bend back and Cuts
Notches and Punches
Day 2
Duplicating Features
Sheetmetal Forms
Bend Features
Unbending Sheetmetal Geometry
Sheetmetal Design Environment
Day 3
Converting Solid Parts
Project Laboratory
Documenting Sheetmetal Design
Sheetmetal Design Information
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO SHEETMETAL DESIGN 1-1

DESIGNING IN PRO/SHEETMETAL............................................................................. 1-2
Creating Sheetmetal Parts...................................................................................................1-2
Using Sheetmetal-specific Features....................................................................................1-4
Displaying the Sheetmetal Part ..........................................................................................1-4
Orienting the Sheetmetal Part.............................................................................................1-5
Developed Length ..............................................................................................................1-5
INTRODUCTION TO TOP-DOWN DESIGN.................................................................. 1-6
Disadvantages of the Traditional Design Approach ...........................................................1-7
Advantages of Top-Down Design Methodology................................................................1-8
ELEMENTS OF TOP-DOWN DESIGN ........................................................................... 1-8
Defining the Design Intent .................................................................................................1-8
Defining Preliminary Product Structure .............................................................................1-8
Using Skeleton Models.......................................................................................................1-8
Communicating Design Intent............................................................................................1-9
Populating the Assembly....................................................................................................1-9
Managing Part Interdependencies ......................................................................................1-9
PRO/ENGINEER TOP-DOWN DESIGN TOOLS ......................................................... 1-10
Layouts .............................................................................................................................1-10
Skeletons ..........................................................................................................................1-11
Data Sharing Features.......................................................................................................1-12
Managing References / Interdependencies .......................................................................1-14
IMPLEMENTING THE SHEETMETAL DESIGN APPROACH.................................. 1-16
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 1-21
PRIMARY WALLS 2-1

WALL TYPES ................................................................................................................... 2-2
CREATING PRIMARY WALLS...................................................................................... 2-2
Wall Feature Options..........................................................................................................2-2
Sketching Techniques.........................................................................................................2-4
CREATING UNATTACHED WALLS............................................................................. 2-6
Merging Unattached Walls.................................................................................................2-6
LABORATORY PRACTICAL ..........................................................................................2-7
EXERCISE 1: Creating the Cable Box Base ..................................................................... 2-8
EXERCISE 2: Creating an Unattached Wall ................................................................... 2-13
MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................2-25
SECONDARY WALLS 3-1

CREATING SECONDARY WALLS ................................................................................3-2
Using the No Radius options.............................................................................................. 3-2
Using the Use Radius options ............................................................................................ 3-3
Creating a Twist Wall ........................................................................................................ 3-7
Creating an Extended Wall ................................................................................................ 3-8
Creating walls with Relief.................................................................................................. 3-9
LABORATORY PRACTICAL ........................................................................................3-11
EXERCISE 1: Adding Walls to the Cable Box Base....................................................... 3-12
EXERCISE 2: Adding Walls to the Tuner Cover ............................................................ 3-15
MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................3-25
UNBEND, BEND BACK, AND CUTS 4-1

CREATING A REGULAR UNBEND FEATURE ............................................................4-2
CREATING A FLAT PATTERN FEATURE ...................................................................4-3
CREATING A BEND BACK FEATURE .........................................................................4-4
CREATING SHEETMETAL CUTS..................................................................................4-5
Dimensioning Scheme ....................................................................................................... 4-6
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Sheetmetal Cut.......................................................................... 4-8
MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................4-14
NOTCHES AND PUNCHES 5-1

CREATING NOTCH AND PUNCH USER-DEFINED FEATURES...............................5-2
Using Notch Relief for Design Intent ................................................................................ 5-3
Creating a Punch or Notch UDF ........................................................................................ 5-3
Placing a Punch or Notch Feature ...................................................................................... 5-5
EXERCISE 1: Creating Notches in the Flat State of the Model ........................................ 5-7
MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................5-16
DUPLICATING FEATURES 6-1

Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 6-1
DUPLICATING FEATURES USING PATTERNS ..........................................................6-2
Creating Patterns ................................................................................................................6-2
Using Pattern Tables ..........................................................................................................6-4
CREATING LOCAL GROUPS......................................................................................... 6-5
Patterning a Local Group....................................................................................................6-6
LABORATORY PRACTICAL ....................................................................................... 6-10
EXERCISE 1: Modifying the Cable Box Pattern.............................................................6-11
EXERCISE 2: Using Groups on the Tuner Cover............................................................6-18
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 6-23
SHEETMETAL FORMS 7-1

CREATING FORM FEATURES ...................................................................................... 7-2
CREATING FORM PARTS.............................................................................................. 7-2
Creating Rips in the Geometry ...........................................................................................7-4
Using Multiple Forms on a Single Die Model....................................................................7-5
Using Multiple Forms on a Single Punch Model ...............................................................7-6
PLACING FORM FEATURES ......................................................................................... 7-7
Placing By Reference .........................................................................................................7-7
Copying the Geometry .......................................................................................................7-7
FLATTENING FORM FEATURES ................................................................................. 7-7
CREATING EDGE TREATMENTS................................................................................. 7-8
Determining the Developed Length ...................................................................................7-9
EXERCISE 1: Adding Forms to the Cable Box ...............................................................7-11
EXERCISE 2: Placing Louvers (Challenge Exercise) .....................................................7-19
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 7-22
BEND FEATURES 8-1

CREATING BEND FEATURES....................................................................................... 8-2
Angle Bend.........................................................................................................................8-2
Roll Bend............................................................................................................................8-2
ADDING BEND LINE ADJUSTMENT ........................................................................... 8-5
CREATING HEMS............................................................................................................ 8-8
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Model in the Flat.....................................................................8-12
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................... 8-28
UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY 9-1

Objectives...........................................................................................................................9-1
UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY.................................................................. 9-2
Unbending Ruled Geometry .............................................................................................. 9-2
Unbending Non-ruled Geometry........................................................................................ 9-2
Adding Tears to the Geometry........................................................................................... 9-3
Creating Deformation Areas .............................................................................................. 9-5
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Regular Unbend Feature......................................................... 9-10
EXERCISE 2: Cross Sectional Unbend ........................................................................... 9-12
EXERCISE 3: Creating a Deformation Area ................................................................... 9-17
MODULE SUMMARY....................................................................................................9-22
SHEETMETAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENT 10-1

CALCULATING DEVELOPED LENGTH.....................................................................10-2
Using the Default Formula............................................................................................... 10-2
Using Bend Tables........................................................................................................... 10-3
SETTING UP DEFAULT BEND RADIUS.....................................................................10-6
SETTING DEFAULT FIXED GEOMETRY...................................................................10-7
EXERCISE 1: Calculating the Developed Length of a Sheetmetal Part.......................... 10-9
EXERCISE 2: Setting Up for Sheetmetal ...................................................................... 10-13
MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................10-22
CONVERTING SOLID PARTS 11-1

CREATING SHEETMETAL PARTS FROM SOLID PARTS .......................................11-2
CREATING A DEVELOPABLE PART..........................................................................11-3
EXERCISE 1: Converting a Sheetmetal Part................................................................... 11-8
EXERCISE 2: Using the Sheetmetal Conversion Feature ............................................. 11-10
MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................11-15
PROJECT LABORATORY 12-1

EXERCISE 1: Sheetmetal Part Creation.......................................................................... 12-3
EXERCISE 2: Unbending Complex Geometry ............................................................. 12-11
MODULE SUMMARY..................................................................................................12-13
DOCUMENTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN 13-1

CREATING FLAT STATES USING FAMILY TABLES ..............................................13-2
Retrieving Instances......................................................................................................... 13-3
CREATING MULTI-MODEL DRAWINGS...................................................................13-3
DOCUMENTING THE BEND ORDER ......................................................................... 13-4
EXERCISE 1: Documenting the Model ...........................................................................13-7
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 13-19
SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION 14-1

EXTRACTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION......................................... 14-2
Calculating Measurements ...............................................................................................14-2
Analyzing Surfaces...........................................................................................................14-2
Generating Bend Reports .................................................................................................14-3
Generating Radii Reports .................................................................................................14-4
SETTING UP DESIGN RULES...................................................................................... 14-5
Establishing a Design Rule Table.....................................................................................14-5
EXERCISE 1: Using Sheetmetal Information Tools........................................................14-8
MODULE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 14-12
Module
Introduction to Sheetmetal Design

In this module you are introduced to the Pro/SHEETMETAL design
environment. You learn about the top down design approach for
designing sheetmetal models.
Objectives
After completing this module, you will be able to:
Identify the capabilities of the Pro/SHEETMETAL design

environment.
Identify the sheetmetal-specific feature types.
Describe the display and orientation of a sheetmetal part.
Define the concept of developed length.
Describe the principles of top-down design.
Implement the top-down design approach for designing sheetmetal
parts in Pro/ENGINEER.
Page 1-1
NOTES
DESIGNING IN PRO/SHEETMETAL
Using Pro/SHEETMETAL to generate sheetmetal components enables
you to do the following:
Design a sheetmetal part that defines the supporting structures in an

assembly
Add sheetmetal-specific features such as walls, bends, cuts, punches,
notches, and forms to a model in either the formed or flat condition
Control the developed length of the bends when creating a flat instance
of the model
Create flat patterns and flat states of the model geometry to reflect the
manufacturing and design models
Create bend order tables that define the bend order, bend radius, and
bend angle used in the manufacturing process
Document the design by generating production drawings of the flat
model and design model, as well as bend order tables
Creating Sheetmetal Parts

You can create sheetmetal parts using the following methods:
Sheetmetal Mode Create a new sheetmetal part using the default

template.
Pag e 1- 2 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

NOTES
Figure 1: Creating a New Sheetmetal Part
You can select the default template or choose one from a list of standard
or user customizable templates. When you use a template that contains
designated parameters, you can enter parameter values as you create the
model. Templates include default datum planes, coordinate system, saved
views, and layers.
Assembly Mode Create a sheetmetal component in an assembly.
Figure 2: Creating a Sheetmetal Component
Introducti on to Sh eetm etal D esig n Pag e 1- 3

NOTES
Sheetmetal Applications Convert solid models to sheetmetal

models using the Applications pull-down menu as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 3: Converting Solid to Sheetmetal Models
Using Sheetmetal-specific Features

Pro/ENGINEER offers the following sheetmetal-specific feature types.
notches bend backs

punches forms
bends walls
unbends and flat pattern
Note:
Create features in an order that captures your design intent, not
in the order that you manufacture the geometry.
Displaying the Sheetmetal Part

A sheetmetal part displays with green and white surfaces with side
surfaces in between to define depth. This enables you to visualize the part
and geometry selection, since sheetmetal parts tend to be comparatively
thin.
Sheetmetal parts have a constant thickness. Pro/ENGINEER creates the

white surface by offsetting it from the green surface by the amount of the
material thickness. The side (depth) surfaces do not appear until the part
has been successfully regenerated.

NOTES
Orienting the Sheetmetal Part

When orienting a sheetmetal part, the first selection must be a planar
surface or a datum plane and the second selection may be an edge. (This
orientation method is available in all modes of Pro/ENGINEER.) You can
also use saved views if the default or a customized template was used to
create the sheetmetal part.
Developed Length
Pro/ENGINEER automatically compensates for stretching that occurs in
the area of a bend by calculating the developed length. The system takes
into account the thickness of the sheetmetal, the radius of the bend, the
bend angle, and other material properties. This capability enables you to
capture your design intent through the creation of the formed sheetmetal
model. It also enables you to create a flat form of the model for
manufacturers to use to develop the actual model.
Figure 4: The Developed Length

NOTES
INTRODUCTION TO TOP-DOWN DESIGN

The Top-down design methodology captures the top-level design criteria
and passes this information from the top level of the products structure to
all related subsystems.
Design
Information
Component Component Component
Figure 5: Distribution of Information from Top to Bottom
The stages of top-down design are:
Planning
Creating product structure
Sharing design-critical information
Capturing interactions between individual components
Top-down design can be conceived as an ongoing process of capturing,
communicating, and managing design information. It is the best
methodology to harness and control Pro/ENGINEERs associative design
tools when conceptualizing and building large assemblies.

NOTES
Figure 6: Top-down Design Architecture
In the traditional assembly design approach, an engineer designs

individual components independent of the assembly, using a manual
approach to ensure that components fit properly and meet design criteria.
Component Component Component

Design Design Design
Assemble
Components
Figure 7: Traditional Design Approach
Disadvantages of the Traditional Design Approach

The designer places components in subassemblies and then brings those
subassemblies together to develop the top-level assembly.
Often, after creating the assemblies, a designer discovers that the models
do not meet the design criteria (for example, a critical interface on two
models does not match).

NOTES
After detecting problems, the designer manually adjusts each model. As

the assembly grows, detecting these inconsistencies and correcting them
consume a considerable amount of time.
Advantages of Top-Down Design Methodology

Top-down design methodology can be used to:
Manage large assemblies

Organize complex designs
Control motion
Support more flexible assembly designs.
ELEMENTS OF TOP-DOWN DESIGN

Defining the Design Intent
All products are designed with some preliminary planning. Sketches,
ideas, proposals and specifications define the products' purpose, function
and design. This information helps define the structure of the design and
the detailed requirements of individual components within
Pro/ENGINEER.
Defining Preliminary Product Structure

The product structure consists of a list of components and their hierarchy
within the assembly design. Using Pro/ENGINEER you can create a
product structure of the subassemblies and parts without creating any
geometry. Existing subassemblies and parts can also be added to the
product structure without assembly.
Using Skeleton Models

Skeleton models act as a 3-D layout of the assembly, and serve a variety
of purposes defining form, fit, and function of an assembly. Some
examples are:
Space claim (form / fit)
Component to component interface definition (fit)

NOTES
Motion representation (function)
The skeleton model stores design intent at different levels of the product
structure. Various Pro/ENGINEER data-sharing features such as Copy
Geometry and Shrinkwrap can be used to communicate and propagate
the design intent from level to level and from model to model.
Communicating Design Intent

Top-level design information, such as important mounting locations and
space claim requirements, can be placed in the top-level assembly skeleton
model. It can then be distributed to the appropriate subassembly skeleton
models as needed. Each subassembly can contain a skeleton model with
only the pertinent design information for that subassembly. The
subassembly design team can work on their own design with local access
to the top-level design criteria.
Populating the Assembly

Once the skeletal representation of the assembly has been defined, and the
top-level design criteria have been distributed, individual component
design can begin.
Many methods exist for populating the assembly structure with detailed
parts. Existing components can be assembled, or components can be
created in the context of the assembly. These individual parts can be
related to each other using other functionality such as assembly relations,
skeleton models, layouts, and merge features to further capture design
intentions.
Managing Part Interdependencies

Managing interdependencies allows components from one design to be
used in another and provides a means for controlled change and update of
the entire assembly design.
Pro/ENGINEER tools help you to set up, investigate, and understand

existing interdependencies between components.

NOTES
PRO/ENGINEER TOP-DOWN DESIGN TOOLS

The following Pro/ENGINEER tools enable you to successfully capture
design intent using the top-down design approach:
Layouts
Layouts are central locations in which you can capture non-geometrical
top-level design criteria. A layout is useful when you do not have exact
information about the geometry. Dimensions, parameters, and relations
defined in a Layout can be parametrically linked to skeletons or part
models.
Figure 8: Layout for a Race-Car Model

NOTES
Figure 9: Using Layouts as a Top-Down Design Tool
Skeletons
Skeletons are central locations where you can capture geometrical central
design information for a model. You can use skeleton models to represent
the design information in a layout in a 3-D representation. There are three
typical uses for skeletons:
Space claim (form / fit)
Figure 10: Using Skeletons for Space Claimes
Component to component interface definition (fit)

NOTES
Figure 11: Using Skeletons for Fit
Motion representation (function)
Figure 12: Using Skeletons for Motion Representation
Data Sharing Features

Publish Geometry Allows you to document the design information,
making it easier for others to use the Copy Geometry function.

NOTES
Figure 13: The Publish Geometry Dialog Box
Copy Geometry Allows you to transfer design information such as

surfaces, datum planes, and datum axes from one model to another.
Figure 14: Accessing the Copy Geometry Feature
Shrinkwrap Allows you to shrinkwrap a model or assembly with a

surface, thereby dramatically reducing regeneration time in the
recipient model.

NOTES
Figure 15: Accessing the Shrinkwrap Feature
Managing References / Interdependencies

Two functions that help the user in the sixth and ongoing step of top-down
design are Reference Control and the Global Reference Viewer
Reference Control
The EXTERNAL REFERENCE CONTROL dialog box allows you to define
the allowable scope for external references. This function is particularly
useful when designing in an assembly, or when creating Copy Geometry
features.

NOTES
Figure 16: Reference Control Dialog Boxes

NOTES
Global Reference Viewer

The GLOBAL REFERENCE VIEWER enables you to find any type of
external reference between models in an assembly. It ensures that only
desired references have been created and troubleshoots the existing
assemblies.
Figure 17: Reference Graph and Global Reference Viewer Dialog Boxes
IMPLEMENTING THE SHEETMETAL DESIGN

APPROACH
You can generate sheetmetal models at either the sheetmetal level or the
assembly level, but the assembly level enables you to use the top-down
design approach.
The following is a typical design approach for creating sheetmetal parts at

the assembly level:
1. Create the assembly by assembling all major components relative

to each other. You can include simple supporting structures, or
sheetmetal parts that are not completely defined at this time.

NOTES
Figure 18: Assembly of Sheetmetal Components
2. Create or modify sheetmetal parts in Assembly mode using the

internal components as references. This process will aid in creating
support walls, form features for stiffening panels, and punches and
notches for fastening the components. The following figure shows
the cover created in the assembly mode referencing internal
components and later completed in the Sheetmetal mode by adding
additional features.

NOTES
Figure 19: Modify Sheetmetal Parts in Assembly Mode
3. After the cabinet and supporting structures are defined relative to

the internal components and each other, add any remaining
components or features.
4. Create or select a bend table to provide material allowances when

unbending the part. The bend table data is used to ensure accurate
flat pattern geometry of the sheetmetal part.
5. In the sheetmetal mode, create a bend order table to define the

bending sequences for each part.
6. Add a Flat Pattern feature. This will create an automatic unbend

feature in the designed sheetmetal model.
7. Create a family table for each sheetmetal part that includes at least
two instances, flat state instance and the as designed instance.

NOTES
These instances are automatically created using the Flat State

menu option.
8. Document the design using a multi-model drawing. You can

include both the flat state and as designed instances. Show the
feature dimensions for the as designed part and create dimensions
for the flat state part. Add the bend order table as a note.
Figure 20: Multi-Model drawing

NOTES
Figure 21: Bend Order Table

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned about:
The capabilities of the Pro/SHEETMETAL design environment.

The principles of Top-down design.
Implementing the top-down design methodology in designing
sheetmetal components.

Module
Primary Walls
In this module you learn how to create primary walls. The first
sheetmetal feature must be a wall. You learn how to create
unattached walls and merge them with the final geometry.
Objectives
Start a new sheetmetal design model with a primary wall

Use sketching techniques to create the section for a primary wall
Create unattached walls and merge them with the final geometry to
gain flexibility in starting a new design.
Page 2-1
NOTES
WALL TYPES
Pro/SHEETMETAL gives you the ability to create two types of walls:
Primary Walls Do not need another wall in order to exist, and are
created as unattached walls.
Secondary Walls Must be attached to another wall because they
cannot exist independently, and are always a child of another wall.
CREATING PRIMARY WALLS

Wall Feature Options
To create any model in Pro/ENGINEER, you start with three default
datum planes. If you use one of the sheetmetal templates, the part will
automatically include the default datum planes. When creating sheetmetal
geometry, you must add a wall as the next feature.
The following options are commonly used for creating walls:
Extrude Sketches the side-section of the wall and extrudes it to a

specified depth, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 1: Extruding to a Specified Depth
Revolve Sketches the side-section of the wall and revolves it about a

centerline, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 2: Revolving about a Centerline
Blend Uses parallel, rotational or general blend feature forms to create a

wall, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 3: Using Blend Feature Forms
Flat Sketches the boundaries of the wall in the Sketch plane, as

shown in the following figure.
Figure 4: Sketching in a Plane
P rim a ry Wa lls Pag e 2- 3

NOTES
Offset Offsets from an existing surface, as shown in the following

figure.
Figure 5: Offsetting from an Existing Surface
Note:
You can also use advanced feature creation options like
variable section sweep, swept blend, and so on to create
primary walls.
Sketching Techniques
When creating an extruded wall, you insert bends to represent inside and
outside radii. Usually, you dimension all bends in sheetmetal parts to the
inside. You use the Thicken option to thicken the material and dimension
the offset edges, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 6: Thickening the Material
It is common practice to dimension sheetmetal walls to the mold line (the

intersection of the flat wall extensions). To create this dimensioning
scheme you add Sketcher ctypelines and points while creating the wall
section. You then dimension to the Sketcher points instead of the tangent
points on the arc, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 7: Defining a Mold Line

NOTES
CREATING UNATTACHED WALLS

After you add the first wall of the model, you can create additional
unattached walls using the same methods. The following figure shows a
primary wall with an additional unattached wall. This enables you to
capture the intent of the model with greater flexibility by enabling you to
concentrate in more than one area on the model. Once you have created
the walls, you can use an unattached or secondary wall to bridge the gap
and then merge the geometry.
Figure 8: Unattached Wall
Merging Unattached Walls

To successfully merge an unattached wall with an unattached or secondary
wall, the wall geometry must be tangent to the wall with which you are
merging it.
Also, the corresponding green side of the unattached wall must be adjacent
to the green side of the adjacent wall. You can change this, if necessary,
by using the Swap Side element, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 9: Matching the Side

NOTES
LABORATORY PRACTICAL
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create the primary wall of a sheetmetal
part as an unattached extruded wall, then create additional unattached
walls and merge the final geometry.
Method
In the first exercise, you develop the lower housing of a cable box. You
thicken the extruded wall and apply an inside bend radius.
In the second exercise, you create two unattached offset walls and merge
them to complete the geometry of an assembly component using the top-
down design.
Tools
Icon Description
Primary Wall creation fly-out icons.
Unattached Flat Wall.
Unattached Extruded Wall
Revolved Wall
Blended Wall
Offset Wall.
Shape and Merge Walls fly-out icons.

Corner Relief
Punch
Notch
Rip
Merge Walls
Assemble at Default Location
Done

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating the Cable Box Base
Figure 10: First Wall of Cable Box
Task 1. Start the definition of a sheetmetal model.
1. Click File > Set Working Directory . Set <home directory of

user>/Sheetmetal_320 as your working directory.
Note:
Ask your instructor for assistance if you cannot find the
working directory or if it different for the classroom from what
is stated in the previous step.
2. Click File > New from the pull-down menu.
3. Type [CABLE_BOX_BASE] as the name.
4. Select Sheetmetal as the sub-type and the Use default template

check-box.

NOTES
Figure 11: New Dialog Box
5. Click OK .
Task 2. Create an extruded wall on both sides of the FRONT datum

plane.
1. Click [Unattached Extruded Wall].
2. Click Both Sides > Done .
3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane.
4. Click Okay to confirm the direction of viewing the sketching

plane.
5. Select datum plane TOP as the top reference plane.
6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box.
7. Sketch the section.

NOTES
Figure 12: The Dimensioning Scheme
Task 3. Change the dimensioning scheme so that the system dimensions

the inside radius by thickening the geometry.
1. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken .
2. Click Flip or Okay to add material inside the sketched section.
3. Type [0.08] as the thickness and press <ENTER>.
4. Delete the existing radius dimension. Add a radius dimension to

the thicken line, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 13: Dimensioning the Thicken Line
5. Modify the radius dimension to [.13]
6. Click [Done] from the Sketcher.
7. Extrude to a blind depth of [12]. The completed wall feature

appears as shown in following figure.

NOTES
Figure 14: The Finished Base
8. Save the model and erase it from memory.

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Creating an Unattached Wall
Figure 15: Custom Shield Part
Task 1. Create a new connector assembly and assemble the plastic

connector as the first component.
1. Click File > New and select Assembly as the TYPE. Type
[connector] as the name of the assembly as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 16: New Assembly

NOTES
2. Click Component > Assemble . Select

PLASTIC_CONNECTOR.PRT and click Open .
3. Click [Assemble at Default location] from the COMPONENT

PLACEMENT dialog box, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 17: Placing Component at the Default Location
4. Click OK to complete the component placement.
Task 2. Create a new shield sheetmetal component at the assembly

level.
1. Click Component > Create . Select Sheetmetal as the SUB-TYPE

and type [conn_shield], as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 18: New Sheetmetal Component
2. Click OK .
3. Click Data Sharing from the FEAT CLASS menu. Click

CopyGeom from the DATA SHARING menu.
4. Select Surface Refs element from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog

box. Click Define .
5. Select the surfaces on the right-hand side of the part, as shown in

the following figure.
Select these
two surfaces
Figure 19: Selecting Surfaces on the Right-hand Side
6. Click Done Sel to complete selecting the first set of surfaces.
7. Click Indiv Surfs from the SURF OPTIONS menu. Select the same
set of surfaces on the other side of the plastic shield as shown in

NOTES
Select these two

surfaces
Figure 20: Selecting Surfaces on the Left-hand Side
8. Click Done Sel > Done .
9. Click Misc Refs > Define from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog box.
10. Click Dtm Plane from the MISC REFS dialog box.
11. Click Sel by Menu . This will open up the SELECTION TOOLS
dialog box.
12. Click from the LOOK IN area and select the

PLASTIC_CONNECTOR.PRT. This will allow you to select the
datum planes of the plastic connector part.
13. Click Sel All and Select from the SELECTION TOOLS dialog box,
as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 21: Selecting the Datum Planes
14. Click Done Sel . The datum planes should appear in the MISC
REFS dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 22: Misc. References
15. Click OK . Click OK from the COPY GEOMETRY dialog box to

complete the copy geometry feature.
Task 3. Complete the shield part with sheetmetal walls.
1. Right-click on the CONN_SHIELD.PRT and click Open from the

model tree as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 23: Opening the Connector Shield part
Note:
The Copy Geometry feature becomes the first feature of the
connector shield part using the references from the assembly.
This Copy Geometry feature will become the parent of all the
features in the part and will automatically propagate any
changes made at the assembly level.
2. Create an unattached offset wall in the part. Click [Offset

Wall].
3. Select the surface on the right-hand side, as shown using the black
cursor in the following figure.
Figure 24: Select the Right-hand Surface

NOTES
4. This will automatically select the quilt on the other side of the part,
since both the surfaces belong to the same copy geometry feature.
Type [0] as the offset value and press <ENTER>.
5. If necessary, flip the arrow outward (to the right), as shown in the
following figure. Click Okay .
Figure 25: Offset Direction
6. Type [.05] as the thickness and press <ENTER>.
7. Click OK to complete the unattached wall. Notice that the system

added offset walls on both sides of the part as one feature. Since
both the side surfaces belong to one copy geometry feature a
parent child relationship is created between both the offset walls.
Task 4. Create an unattached flat wall that spans the gap between the
two offset walls.
1. Click [Unattached Flat Wall].
2. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Flip the
arrow outward, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 26: Sketch Viewing Direction

NOTES
Note:
Keep in mind that the direction of viewing is also the direction
in which Pro/ENGINEER adds the material thickness.
3. Click Okay.
4. Select the TOP datum plane as the top reference plane.
5. Delete any existing references from the REFERENCES dialog box

if necessary. Select the TOP datum plane and the two vertical edges
as dimensional references for the section, as shown in the
following figure.
Select the inside vertical

edges and TOP datum
plane as dimensional
references.
Figure 27: Selecting References

NOTES
Figure 28: References dialog box
7. Sketch a horizontal ctypeline aligned to the TOP datum plane.

Sketch a rectangle symmetric about the ctypeline. The vertical
edges lie on the referenced surfaces and dimension it, as shown in
following figure.
Figure 29: Section for Flat Wall
8. Click [Done] from the Sketcher and click OK to complete the

feature.
Task 5. Merge the three walls.
1. Click [Merge Walls].

NOTES
2. Select the small bend surface on the right hand offset wall and
click Done Sel > Done Refs .
3. Select the back green surface of the flat wall and click Done Sel >
Done Refs again, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 30: Merging the Flat Wall with the First Offset Wall
4. Click OK .
5. Create another merge feature for the other offset wall on the left
side. Repeat the above steps.
Figure 31: Finished Model
6. Save the part.
7. Activate the assembly window. Click Window . Select

CONNECTOR.ASM from the pull-down menu. Notice that the
assembly was updated with the changes made to the
CONN_SHIELD.PRT.

NOTES
Figure 32: Completed Connector Assembly
8. Save the assembly and erase all models from memory.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned:
Primary walls are the first sheetmetal features to be created in a new

part.
The dimensioning scheme can be controlled using the Thicken option
in the sketcher.
Final geometry can be merged to unattached walls to gain flexibility in
starting a new design.

Module
Secondary Walls
In this module you learn how to create secondary walls
Objectives
Create an attached secondary wall to the length of the primary wall

edge.
Create an attached secondary wall partially along the primary wall
edge.
Create relief for secondary walls.
Page 3-1
NOTES
CREATING SECONDARY WALLS

You can create several different types of secondary walls by sketching the
bend in the wall or automatically creating a bend along the attachment
edge.
Using the No Radius options

Flat, No Radius Sketch the boundaries of the wall attached to the
selected edge. The new wall is automatically created parallel to the
adjacent wall, as shown in the following figures.
Figure 1: Flat, No Radius
Figure 2: A Wall Partially along the Edge
Extruded, No Radius Sketch the side section of the wall to extrude

along the attachment edge as shown in the following figure.
Figure 3: Extruded, No Radius

NOTES
If you sketch an arc to define the bend, you must sketch it tangent to the
attachment edge and adjacent to the green or white surface, as shown in
Figure 4: Ensuring Tangency
You can also partially extrude the wall along the selected edge using the
blind depth option and by defining a sketching plane partially along the
edge.
Swept, No Radius You can attach the wall to a nonlinear edge, but
the edge must consist of all tangent entities, as shown in the following
figure. The green or white surfaces of the attachment edge do not
necessarily have to be planar.
Figure 5: Swept, No Radius
Using the Use Radius options

Flat, Use Radius You can define the sketching plane at a specific
angle through a selected attachment edge and then define a radius for
the desired bend at the attachment edge, as shown in the following
figure.
Se c o n d a ry Wal ls Pag e 3- 3
NOTES
Figure 6: Flat, Use Radius
Extruded, Use Radius You can sketch the side profile of the wall
with a specified angle and then define the radius of the bend, as shown
in the following figure. This bend deforms a portion of the existing
attachment wall.
Figure 7: Extruded, Use Radius
You can also partially extrude a wall along an edge using a blind depth
and relief, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 8: Using Make Datum and Blind Depth Option

NOTES
Swept, Use Radius You can sketch the section for the wall, and
then specify the radius, as shown in the following figure. With the Use
Radius option, you cannot enter a wall angle that is greater than 180
to the adjacent green or white surface of the attachment edge.
Figure 9: Swept, Use Radius
Resulting Geometry
The Use Radius option produces different results, depending on the
attachment edge that you select, as shown in the following figures.
Figure 10: Attached to Inside Edge
Figure 11: Attached to Outside Edge
If you attach the geometry to an edge that is going to be the outside edge
of the wall, the length of the original wall does not change. However, if
NOTES
you attach it to the inside edge, the wall extends a distance beyond the
length of the original wall that is equal to the thickness of the geometry.
Figure 12: Flat Walls
When creating a flat wall, Pro/ENGINEER also enables you to

automatically miter a corner by sketching outside the attachment edge and
aligning to an existing wall, as shown in the following figure. You must
add rip relief at the attachment edge.
Aligned to
inside edge
Figure 13: Mitered Corner
Specifying Part and Feature Bend Tables

When creating a wall with the Use Radius option, you must specify
whether you want to use a part bend table or a feature bend table. Bend
tables control the developed length of the bends. Using the Part Bend Tbl
option, you can use a single table to control all of the bends on the entire
model.

NOTES
Creating a Twist Wall

A twist takes the form of an extension to a straight edge on an existing
planar wall. It can be rectangular or trapezoidal. It has an axis running
through it center, perpendicular to the attach edge and it can be twisted
around the axis by a specified amount, as shown in the following figure.
You cannot use a radius with the twist wall type. You can unbend a
twisted wall using the regular unbend feature. You can also add more
walls to the end of the wall.
To generate the twisted geometry, you must specify the following values:
Point of attachment Length

Width at the start Twist angle
Width at the end Developed length
Figure 14: Twisted Wall
NOTES
Creating an Extended Wall

To create an extended wall, you can extend the existing green surface of a
wall up to an existing planar surface or to a specified distance. Using this
technique, you can close gaps between walls in the geometry by extending
up to the inside or outside surfaces of the wall, as shown in the following
figure. You cannot use a radius with the extended wall type.
Open Corner
Right wall extended

to the inside surface
of this wall Left wall
extended to the
outside surface of
this wall
Figure 15: Closing Gaps between Walls by Extending

NOTES
Creating walls with Relief

When creating walls or bends that require relief, the system provides an
automatic relief function. The choices are as follows:
No Relief Attach the wall without relief.

StrtchRelief Use material stretching to provide bend relief at the
wall attachment points, as shown in the following figure. The system
prompts for the width and angle of the stretch relief.
Figure 16: Stretch Relief
Rip relief At the wall attachment points, rip the existing material
normal to the edge and back to the tangent line as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 17: Rip Relief
NOTES
RecRelief At the wall attachment points, apply a rectangular cut by

defining its width and depth, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 18: Rectangular Relief
ObrndRelief - At the wall attachment points, apply an obround cut by

defining its width and depth, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 19: Obround Relief

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create secondary walls with relief.
Method
In the first exercise, you create secondary walls using different types of
automatic relief.
In the second exercise, you create secondary walls and create additional
extruded and extended walls to close gaps in the geometry.
Tools
Icon Description
Flat Wall fly-out icons
Flat Wall Use Radius
Flat Wall No Radius
Extruded Wall fly-out icons
Extruded Wall Use Radius
Extruded Wall No Radius
Extended Wall
Unbend and Bendback fly-out icons
Unbend
Bendback
Done
NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Adding Walls to the Cable Box Base
Figure 20: Cable Box Base
Task 1. Create a FLAT, USE RADIUS wall with OBROUND relief on one
end of the cable box base.
1. Open CABLE_BOX_BASE.PRT. If you did not complete the base of

the cable box, open SECONDARY_CABLE_BASE.PRT.
2. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius].
3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Inside Rad >
Done/Return .
4. Select the lower green edge to attach the wall, as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 21: Attaching the Wall to the Lower Edge
5. Click Done to use the default bend angle of 90 degrees.

NOTES
6. Click Okay to accept the viewing direction.
7. Select the dimensional references, as indicated by the black cursors

in the following figure.
Figure 22: Sketching an Open Section
9. Sketch the section as an open section consisting of three lines, as

shown in the previous figure.
10. Click [Done] from the SKETCHER. Change the orientation to

the default view.
11. Click w/Relief > Done . A point on the attachment edge highlights
at the end of the new wall.
12. Click ObrndRelief > Done for the first end of the wall.
13. Click Enter Value , type [0.20] for the reliefs width and press
<ENTER>.
14. Click Tan To Bend .
15. Define the same relief for the other end of the wall. Repeat the
above steps.
16. Click Enter Value , type [0.13] for the bend radius value and press
<ENTER>.
17. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should appear as shown
NOTES
Figure 23: Flat Wall with Obround Relief
Task 2. Create another wall on the other end of the part.
1. Create a similar flat wall on the opposite end of the cable box. Use
Obround relief on both ends of the wall. Repeat the above steps
that you used to create the previous wall. The part should appear as
Figure 24: Completed Cable Box Base

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Adding Walls to the Tuner Cover
Figure 25: Secondary Walls Added to Tuner Cover
Task 1. Create a flat wall on one end of the part that does not extend
past the existing wall.
1. Open TUNER_COVER.PRT.
2. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius].
Done/Return .
4. Select the top edge as the attachment edge, as indicated in the

following figure.
NOTES
Figure 26: Attachment Edge for Flat Wall
5. Click 90.000 > Done .
6. Click Okay for the direction of viewing the sketching plane.
7. Select the bottom surface of the side wall as a dimensional

reference, as indicated by the black cursor in the following figure.
9. Sketch an open section in which the endpoints pass through the

Sketcher points provided by the system as shown in the following
figure. (Align the horizontal edge to the bottom surface of the side
wall if necessary).
Figure 27: Open Section for Flat Wall

NOTES
10. Click [Done] from Sketcher.
11. Click w/Relief > Done .
12. Click Rip relief > Done twice for both ends of the wall.
13. Click Enter Value , type [.05] as the bending radius value and
press <ENTER>.
14. Click OK to complete the feature.
Task 2. Create an extruded wall on the other end of the model.
1. Click [Extruded Wall Use Radius].
Done/Return .
3. Click One Side > Done .
4. Select the top white edge to attach the wall, as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 28: Attachment Edge for Extruded Wall
NOTES
5. Click Default to define the sketching plane
6. Click Flip for the viewing direction. (Arrow should point away
from the model).
7. Select the surface indicated by the black cursor in the following

figure as a dimensional reference. Click Close from the
REFERENCES dialog box.
8. Sketch the section as shown in the following figure. Make sure that
the endpoint passes through the Sketcher point provided by the
system. Align the other end to the dimensional reference that you
selected in the previous step.
Figure 29: Section for Extruded Wall
9. Click [Done] from the Sketcher.
10. Finish the wall definition using Rip relief on both ends. Type
[.05] as the bending radius value and press <ENTER>. The part
should appear as shown in the following figure. The walls that you
created using two different methods look identical.

NOTES
Figure 30: Flat and Extruded Walls
Task 3. Extend the flat wall to the outside of the side walls.
1. Click [Extended Wall].
2. Select the edge indicated by the black cursor in the following

figure as the edge to extend.
3. Click Query Sel to select the hidden inside surface of the side wall
to define the extension distance.
Select Hidden inside

surface of right side
wall to define the
extension distance
Figure 31: Defining the Geometry to Extend
NOTES
4. Click OK . The part should appear as shown in the following figure.
Figure 32: Completed Extension
5. Create another wall extension on the other end of the flat wall
using the references shown in the following figure.
Figure 33: Defining the Second Wall Extension
Task 4. Use Extruded walls to create tabs on the back wall of the model
to close the gap.
1. Click [Extruded Wall No Radius].
2. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return .

NOTES
3. Click One Side > Done .
4. Select the attachment edge as shown in the following figure.
Figure 34: Specifying the Attachment Edge
5. Click Default to define the sketching plane
6. Click Okay if the arrow is pointing upward for the viewing

direction. (Use Flip if necessary)
8. Sketch a section consisting of a line and a tangent arc, as shown in

the following figure. Sketch the line first and then the tangent arc
with the arc center aligned to the horizontal wall surface. Use the
dimensioning scheme shown.
NOTES
Figure 35: Section for Extruded Wall
9. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Thicken to set the thickness of
the wall. Click [Done] from the Sketcher.
10. Click OK to finish the definition of the wall. It should appear as

shown in the following figure.(as viewed from the underside of the
part)
Figure 36: Tab Created as an Extruded Wall
11. Add another Extruded No Radius wall to the other side of the
wall to fully close up the cover. Repeat the above steps. The
completed part should appear as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 37: Completed Part
Task 5. Determine if any of the walls that you created overlap in the
unbent state of the model.
1. Click [Unbend].
2. Click Regular > Done .
3. Select the top surface of the cover part to remain fixed.
4. Click Unbend All > Done .
5. Click OK to complete the feature. The unbent state of the model

should appear as shown in the following figure. If any of the walls
overlap, they will be highlighted in red.
NOTES
Figure 38: Unbent State
6. Save the part and erase it from memory.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned that:
When creating some secondary wall types, you have the option of
having the system automatically apply a radius at the attachment edge.
The Use Radius option produces different results depending on the
attachment edge selection.
You can extrude secondary walls partially along an attachment edge
by using the optional Depth element.
Automatic relief can be added to walls when necessary.
Module
Unbend, Bend Back, and Cuts

In this module you learn to create features like sheetmetal cuts in the
flat state using a combination of unbend and bend back features.
Objectives
Create unbend features.

Create bend back features.
Create sheetmetal cut features.
Page 4-1
NOTES
CREATING A REGULAR UNBEND FEATURE

A regular unbend feature unbends the curved surfaces of a part created by
walls and bend features. You select a plane or edge to remain fixed while
unbending the part. It is good practice to select the same plane or edge
each time an unbend or bend back feature is created. This will keep the
part in a consistent orientation.
Original Model Unbend Select
Unbend All
Figure 1: Unbend Sheetmetal Geometry

NOTES
CREATING A FLAT PATTERN FEATURE

Flat Pattern is an automatic-unbend feature that unbends the curved
surfaces of the part created by walls and bend features. The sheetmetal
model is permanently displayed in the fully flat condition once a flat
pattern feature is created.
You select a plane or edge to remain fixed while unbending the part with a
flat pattern feature. The flat pattern feature will automatically reorder itself
to be the last feature in the model tree even if walls and bend features are
added after the flat pattern was created.
Figure 2: Flat Pattern Feature
The Flat Pattern is an unbend feature created to display the fully flat
condition of the design model. A Flat State instance should be created in
order to document both the fully formed Design State and the fully flat
state of a sheetmetal part.
Unbend , Bend B ack , and Cu ts Pag e 4- 3

NOTES
CREATING A BEND BACK FEATURE

The bend back feature is used to return an unbent feature to its original
condition. When you create a bend back feature, you can specify contours
to remain fixed (that is, unbent) by selecting on the edge of that contour.
Figure 3: The Bend Back Feature
Note:
When a sheetmetal wall overlaps and intersects in the unbent
position, the system highlights it and issues a warning.

NOTES
CREATING SHEETMETAL CUTS

A sheetmetal cut feature enables you to create Thru All and Thru Next
cuts. The techniques for creating the cuts are the same as in Part mode.
Unlike the solid cut, the sheetmetal cut removes material normal to the
green or white side of the model in order to emulate common sheetmetal
manufacturing processes. The solid cut removes material normal to the
sketching plane.
Solid cut
Sheetmetal cut projected on the white side
Sheetmetal cut projected on green side
Figure 4: Removing Material Using a Sheetmetal Cut

NOTES
Dimensioning Scheme
Features may be added to the sheetmetal part while the part is in any
design condition (that is, completely bent, completely unbent in its flat
condition, or at any stage in-between). It is easier to design sheetmetal
parts in the completely bent condition. When you create an unbend
feature, it is important to select sketcher references carefully. See the
example in the following figure.
Cut created after bend

Cut created before bend and unbend features
When bend is created, When bent back, cut section

new surfaces result. Cut stays with cut feature. The
section stays in old cut could have been created
surface location. in the bent state.
Figure 5: Creating a Cut in the Flat Condition

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create sheetmetal cuts across bent
geometry that result in flat contours.
Method
In this exercise, you create a wall with two bends. You create an unbend
feature followed by a sheetmetal cut. A bend back feature is then created,
but with a contour remaining flat.
Tools
Icon Description
Primary Wall fly-out icons.
Unattached Extruded Wall
Done
Unbend and Bend back fly-out icons
Unbend
Bend back

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Sheetmetal Cut
Figure 6: Sheetmetal Cuts with Flat Contours
Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part.
1. Using the default template, create a new sheetmetal part named

UNBEND.
2. Click [Unattached Extruded Wall].
3. Click Okay to accept the default direction.
4. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Accept the
default direction. Select the TOP datum plane as the Top reference
plane.
6. Sketch three line segments using the dimension scheme shown in


NOTES
Figure 7: Extruded Wall
7. Click [Done].
8. The arrow should point outward. Click Okay . Type [.5] as the
thickness and press <ENTER>.
9. Click Blind > Done . Click OK to complete the feature.
Task 2. Create an unbend feature
1. Click [Unbend].
2. Click Regular > Done .
3. Select the surface shown in the following figure to remain fixed.

NOTES
Select this
surface to
remain fixed
Figure 8: Surface to Remain Fixed during Unbend
4. Click Unbend All > Done and click OK to complete the feature.
Task 3. Create a Sheetmetal cut on the part.
1. Click Insert> Create > Sheet Metal Cut > Thin from the pull-
down menu.
2. Select the large top surface as shown in the following figure as the
sketching plane.
Select this surface

as the sketching
plane
Figure 9: Sketching Plane for Cut
3. Select the FRONT datum plane as the Bottom reference plane.
5. Sketch three line segments for the cut, and dimension the cut as

NOTES
Figure 10: Section for Cut
6. Click [Done]. Flip the arrow to point outside the section.

Click Okay.
7. Type [0.25] for the width of the cut feature and press <ENTER>.
8. Click Thru Next > Done for the depth of the cut. Click OK to
complete the feature. The completed feature should appear as
Task 4. Create a Bend Back feature.
1. Click [Bend Back].
2. Select the same surface that you used for the unbend feature to
remain fixed, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Select this
surface to remain
fixed
Figure 11: Specifying the Fixed Surface
3. Click BendBack Sel > Done .
4. Select the unbent surface as shown in the following figure.
Select the unbend

surface to bend
back
Figure 12: Select References for Bend Back
5. Click Done Sel > Done Refs .
6. Type [yes] at the prompt for the contour to remain flat and press
<ENTER>.
7. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should appear as shown


NOTES

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
Selected curved surfaces created by Wall and Bend features can be

unbent.
A Flat Pattern feature can be used to set the design model to a fully flat
condition.
An unbent surface can be returned to the bent condition using an Bend
Back feature.
Sheetmetal cuts can be created Thru All or Thru Next .
Sheetmetal cuts always remove material normal to the green or white
surface of the model.
When bending back a contour, that partially intersects a bend, the
system gives you a choice for the contour to remain flat.

Module
Notches and Punches

In this module you learn how punches and notches are used to
create cuts and capture manufacturing information.
Objectives
Create user-defined features.

Create notch and punch features using user-defined features.
Page 5-1
NOTES
CREATING NOTCH AND PUNCH USER-DEFINED

FEATURES
Notches are used to relieve material that interferes with bending in places
such as the corners of flanges. Punches are template cutouts. Punches and
notches are manufacturing operations.
In Pro/ENGINEER notches and punches are created using cuts and user-
defined features (UDF); in manufacturing, each punch or notch has a
specific tool that defines its shape. Punches and notches can be used to
create cuts and capture manufacturing information such as the tool name.
The following figure shows examples of notches and a punch that can be
defined with user-defined features (UDF).
Notches
Punch
Figure 1: Sheetmetal Notches and Punch
To create a notch or punch UDF, you use the following parameters that are
specific to sheetmetal design and manufacturing:
A coordinate system to locate tooling for automated punch and notch

operations.
A specific tool ID to specify the proper tool for the manufacturing
operation.
A single sheetmetal cut feature, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 2: Using a Notch UDF

NOTES
Using Notch Relief for Design Intent

When you create a sheetmetal part, you add the notch relief before
bending. However, you can capture your design intent more accurately by
creating the part in the formed state. Instead of adding relief and then
creating the wall, you focus on dimensioning the walls to preserve your
design intent. Using this method, you increase your regeneration speed by
suppressing the notches, since the walls are not children to those entities.
Creating a Punch or Notch UDF

Use the following steps to create a notch or punch UDF:
1. Create a simple sheetmetal part to serve as a reference part.
2. Create a cut feature. Sketch the desired section for the punch or
notch. Be sure to include the coordinate system. When you align
and dimension, keep in mind the convenience of eventual
placement of the UDF.
Notes:
If a notch is intended to relieve material in bend areas, create a
bend and unbend it. When sketching the cut, align its sides to
the bend edges.
Note:
If you set up relations for the feature, it reduces the number of
variable dimensions you have to type when placing the punch
or notch.
3. Click Feature > UDF Library. The UDF menu displays.
4. Click Create , then type the name of the UDF. The UDF OPTIONS
menu displays.
5. Click Stand Alone > Done .
6. The system prompts you to indicate whether you want to include

the reference part. If the part is simple, type [Y]; otherwise, type
[N]. The UDF STANDALONE dialog box appears.
No tch es and Pu n ches Pag e 5- 3

NOTES
7. The UDF FEATS menu appears with Add pre-selected. This, in

turn, diplays the SELECT FEAT menu. Select the cut feature, then
click Done > Done/Return .
8. Type [Y] when the system prompts you to indicate whether you are
defining this UDF for a punch or a notch feature.
Note:
If a coordinate system is not included in the feature, the UDF
creation is aborted at this point.
9. In response to the system prompt, type the tool name.
10. The SYMMETRY menu displays to define the symmetry of the tool
relative to the feature coordinate system. Click one of the options.
11. Respond to prompts for the reference geometry.
12. Click OK in the dialog box. The system creates and stores the UDF.
13. Click Done/Return in the UDF menu.

NOTES
Notes:
All punch and notch UDF feature attributes, including Tool
Name and Symmetry Flags, can be redefined after the UDF
has been placed on the base part.
When you are creating a table-driven punch/notch group, you

can modify any instance Tool Name in the table.
Placing a Punch or Notch Feature

1. Click or .
2. Select the UDF, .gph, from the OPEN dialog box.
3. Specify whether the reference part should be retrieved or not. The

GROUP ELEMENTS dialog box dislpays.
4. The SCALE menu appears. Click one of the first two options, then
click Done .
5. The DISP OPTION menu displays. Click one of the first three
options, then click Done .
6. The SEL REF menu appears. Select the placement references to

place the UDF

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use UDFs to simplify the creation of
multiple notch features and to incorporate non-constant wall thickness
into a sheetmetal part.
Method
In this exercise, you create a cut that is used to define a UDF. The UDF is
then used to define notch features in the flat state of another part.
Tools
Icon Description
Unbend
Bend back
SMT cut
Sketcher coordinate system and point fly-out icons
Sketcher coordinate system
Done
Relief fly-out icons
Notch

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating Notches in the Flat State of

the Model
Task 1. Unbend the reference part.
1. Open SQUARE_NOTCH_REF.PRT.
Surface to
remain fixed
Figure 3: SQUARE_NOTCH_REF.PRT
2. Click [Unbend].
3. Click Regular > Done . Select the top surface to remain fixed as
shown in the above figure.
4. Click Unbend All > Done .
Task 2. Create a sheetmetal (SMT) cut to define a notch.
1. Click [SMT cut].
2. Select the top surface of the bend to be the sketching plane, as


NOTES
Sketching plane
Bottom reference
plane
Figure 4: References for Sheetmetal Cut
3. Click Okay to accept the default direction of viewing the sketching

plane.
4. Select the small edge surface of the bend to be the BOTTOM

reference plane, as shown in the preceding figure.
5. Specify the references, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Select vertical
tangent bend edge
as a reference
Select vertical axis

A_1 as a reference
Select horizontal
axis A_2 as a
reference
Figure 5: Sketching the Cut
7. Sketch horizontal and vertical centerlines along the bend axes.
8. Sketch a rectangle, as shown in the above figure. Do not use any

other alignments to the part.
9. Click [Sketcher Coordinate System]. Sketch a coordinate

system at the intersection of the two centerlines (at the center of
the rectangle).
10. Click [Done].
11. Click Okay to remove the material from the inside of the section
12. Click Thru All > Done .
13. Click OK . The part should display, as shown in the following

figure.

NOTES
Figure 6: Completed Cut
Task 3. Define a UDF from the finished cut.
1. Click Feature > UDF Library > Create and type

[square_notch] and press <ENTER>.
2. Click Stand Alone > Done .
3. Type [yes] to include the reference part and press <ENTER>.
4. Select the square sheetmetal cut that you just created in the
previous task.
5. Click Done Sel > Done > Done/Return .
6. Type [Y] to confirm that you are defining a UDF for a notch and
press <ENTER>.
7. Type [square] as the tool name and press <ENTER>.
8. Click Both to have the tool symmetric about both axes.
9. Enter prompts for the five references, as shown in the following

figure. Repaint the screen and use the Next and Previous menu
manager options to verify the prompts that you have entered.
When you have finished, click Done/Return .
Note:
The section of the cut and the axes will be highlighted in blue
along with the reference that you are entering the prompt for.

NOTES
Vertical bend
axis (A_1)
Placement plane
(vertical bend
surface)
End surface
(small horizontal
bend surface)
Vertical bend
tangent edge
Horizontal bend
axis (A_2)
Figure 7: Defining a UDF from the Cut
10. Click Var Elements > Define from the FEATURE dialog box, as
Figure 8: Feature Dialog Box
11. Select the square sheetmetal cut feature.
12. Check the MaterialSide option from the SEL ELEMENT dialog
box.
13. Click Done .
14. Click Done Sel and OK to complete the UDF.
Notch es and Pu n ches Pag e 5- 11

NOTES
15. Save the model and close the window.
Task 4. Place the UDF on the tuner cover model to create notch relief at
the corners.
1. Open TUNER_COVER.PRT. If you did not complete the secondary

walls on the part, retrieve NOTCH_TUNER_COVER.PRT. The part
opens in the unbent state as shown in the following figure.
Figure 9: The tuner cover part
2. Click [Notch].
3. Select the SQUARE_NOTCH.GPH file that you just created. Click

Open .
4. Type [yes] to retrieve the reference part and press <ENTER>. You
can use the reference part to help place the UDF.
5. Click Same Dims > Done > Normal > Done . This defines the
group to have the same dimensions as the UDF and displays them
so they may be modified.

NOTES
6. Respond to the prompts by specifying the appropriate references,

as shown in the following figure. You can start applying the notch
for the lower, right-hand corner of the part.
Vertical bend
tangent edge Placement plane
Vertical bend
axis
End surface
Horizontal bend
axis
Figure 10: Adding the Square Relief
7. Click MaterialSide > Define from the FEATURE dialog box.

Make sure that the arrow points inside the cut section of the notch.
If necessary flip it. Click Okay.
8. Click OK to place the notch UDF.
9. Click Done . The completed notch is shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 11: Defining the Notch
10. Add the notch relief to the other three corners on the part repeating
the above steps. Make sure that the Material Side is towards the
inside of the cut section when you place the notches.
Add the
other
three
notches
Fixed surface for

bend back
Figure 12: Adding Notch Relief to Other Corners

NOTES
Task 5. Bend back the model to its formed state.
1. Click [Bend Back].
2. Select the large top surface to remain fixed as shown in the

previous figure.
3. Click BendBack All > Done .
4. Click OK to complete the feature as shown in the following figure.
Figure 13: The Completed Part

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
Notches and punches are created by first defining a UDF.

A simple sheetmetal part can be used to define the notch or punch
UDF.
A coordinate system must be included in the UDF if it is to be used as
a notch or punch UDF.

Module
Duplicating Features
In this module, you learn the different options available for
duplicating features in sheetmetal models.
Objectives
Create multiple instances of a feature using patterns.

Create and modify instances of a feature using a pattern table.
Create instances of a group of different features using local groups.
Page 6-1
NOTES
DUPLICATING FEATURES USING PATTERNS

A Pattern enables you to create many duplicates, or instances, of a single
feature, referred to as the lead feature. Using the patterning technique to
design your models offers you the following benefits:
You can increase your productivity by quickly and easily reproducing

a feature multiple times.
You can perform operations on an entire pattern, rather than the
individual features. For example, you can easily suppress a pattern or
add it to a layer.
You can control a pattern parametrically by changing pattern
parameters such as the number of instances created in one or two
directions, or the spacing between instances.
You can increase your efficiency by modifying a pattern rather than
changing many individual features. In a pattern, when you modify the
dimensions in the lead feature, the system changes all instances
automatically.
Creating Patterns
Pattern instances can affect the dimensioning scheme of your model and
the order in which you create features. Therefore, before using patterns in
a model, you should perform some work in advance.
In Pro/ENGINEER, you can create two types of patterns to define the

location of instances: dimension patterns and reference patterns. With a
dimension pattern, you can use dimensions to control the position of the
instances. With a reference pattern, you can reference an existing pattern.
Dimension Patterns
The default method for creating a dimension pattern is to increment the
driving dimensions of the lead feature as shown in the following figure.
After you select the dimensions to increment, you must specify an
incremental value for each, as well as the number of instances that the
system should pattern in each direction.

NOTES
The Pattern
dimension
The lead feature

and dimensions
Figure 1: Dimension Pattern
Notes:
When incrementing dimensions to create a dimension pattern,
the system creates parameters for the number of instances in
each direction as well as the incremental spacing.
The dimensioning scheme of the lead feature is important. You

cannot add dimensions to increment in the pattern; the system
must use the dimensions that already exist in the feature.
Reference Patterns
When you reference an existing pattern in a model, the reference must be
the leader of the pattern as shown in the following figure.
To create this type of pattern, you choose the Ref Pattern option as the
pattern type, and the system creates a pattern of the feature by following
the existing pattern.
Note:
Contrary to the dimension pattern, the system does not provide
parameters for the number of instances or increment values in
a reference pattern. It obtains this information from the pattern
that it references. A reference pattern updates automatically
when the pattern that it references changes.
Dupl icat ing F eatu re s Pag e 6- 3

NOTES
Secondary wall
built on lead
features edge
Figure 2: Reference Pattern
Using Pattern Tables

You can locate the instances of a dimension pattern by using a pattern
table. With a pattern table, you control the location of the instances by
creating an absolute dimension to the same reference as the leader. You
enter the dimensions in tabular format and edit each instances dimensions
independently. You can also remove the individual instances from a
pattern by removing the entries from the table. This technique enables you
to create more complex configurations of instances with unequal spacing
or irregular sizes, as shown in the following figure.
Cut location
driven by a table
Figure 3: Table-driven Pattern

NOTES
A Pattern table is useful when:
A Pattern is too complex or irregular to use incremental dimensions.

The design intent requires you to locate each instance to the same
reference, rather than incrementally from the previous instance.
Multiple models must share the same pattern.
You need to create multiple pattern configurations for different
variations of the model.
CREATING LOCAL GROUPS

To pattern multiple features simultaneously, you must create a local
group. A Local group allows you to create multiple reference patterns of a
set of features so that they behave as a single entity. The Model Tree
reflects this grouping as a single feature in the models structure as shown
Figure 4: Grouping Features

NOTES
The CORNER
CUT group
Figure 5: Creating a Local Group
Note:
You can only group features that are in consecutive order in
the regeneration cycle.
Patterning a Local Group

Using the Pattern option in the GROUP menu, you can create a dimension
pattern or a reference pattern of a local group, as you would for other
patterned features. In some cases, you can use a local group pattern or a
regular feature pattern.

NOTES
Figure 6: Patterning a Local Group
Breaking a Pattern Definition

Once you have created a group pattern, you can use the Unpattern option
in the GROUP menu to break the pattern definition without removing the
instances that the pattern created. After unpatterning the group, the
features continue to behave as one feature, but you can move or delete the
individual groups.
Modified
location after
unpatterning
Figure 7: Unpatterning

NOTES
Breaking a Pattern Group

To work on individual features, you can break up a group. However, you
must unpattern the group before you can ungroup it.
Wall and Round

deleted after
ungrouping
Figure 8: Ungrouping

NOTES
Breaking Dimensional Dependency

After unpatterning or ungrouping, the dimensions of the group are still
dependent on the leader instance. To break this dependency, you use the
Make Indep option in the MODIFY menu.
Breaking
Dimensional
Dependency of this
instance
Figure 9: Breaking Dimensional Dependency

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use patterns and local groups to
duplicate features.
Method
In the first exercise, you modify a pattern of mounting forms by using a
pattern table to dimension from the original reference.
In the second exercise, you create local groups, then pattern and unpattern
them to break the dimensional dependency of the instances.
Tools
Icon Description
Flatten Form

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Modifying the Cable Box Pattern
Figure 10: The Finished Model
Task 1. Redefine the pattern of mounting forms and drive the pattern
using a table.
1. Open PATTERN_CABLEBOX.PRT.
2. Redefine the pattern of mounting forms. Click Feature >

Redefine ; then select one of the mounting forms.
3. Click Pattern > Done .
4. Use a table to drive the pattern. Click To Table ; type [mounts] as

the name and press <ENTER>. Click Done/Return and Done.
Task 2. Modify the location of an instance independent of the other

instances of the pattern. Also, edit the table directly to change the location
of the instances.
1. Move one instance in the pattern. Click Modify and select the
instance as shown in the following figure. Change the 2.25
dimension to 5.00. Click Regenerate.

NOTES
Modify this
instance
Modify 2.25
dimension
Figure 11: Modifying the Location of an Instance
2. Modify the pattern table. Click Modify > Pattern Table . Select
and edit the MOUNTS table using the edit option, as shown in the
following figure.

NOTES
Figure 12: Editing the Mounts Pattern Table
Note:
Pro/TABLE displays the table instances (denoted by the
column idx). The * indicates that the value is set by the
leader of the pattern.
3. Change the entry in the 2nd column for IDX 1 from * to 1.5.
4. Delete the row for entry IDX 4. Highlight the row. Click Edit >
Delete > Rows , and OK .

NOTES
Figure 13: Pro/TABLE Display for Patterned Mounting Form
5. The edited table should display as shown in the following figure.
Figure 14: Edited Mounts Table
6. Save the file and exit the Pro/TABLE editor.
7. Click OK . Click Regenerate . The system removes the form

feature.

NOTES
Figure 15: Modified Mounting Pattern
Task 3. Flatten the lead form feature.
1. Create a flatten form feature from the leader of the pattern. Click
[Flatten Form].
2. Select the Form element from the model dialog box and click
Define .
3. Select the leader form feature as shown in the following figure.

Click Done Sel > Done Refs .

NOTES
Flatten this
form.
Figure 16: Creating a Flatten Form Feature
Task 4. Define a reference pattern for flattening the other form features
of the original pattern.
1. Create a reference pattern for the flatten form feature. Click

Feature > Pattern and select the flatten form feature that you just
created. The system automatically references the other pattern
forms.

NOTES
Figure 17: Creating a Reference Pattern for the Flatten Form Feature
2. Save the model and erase the part from memory.

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Using Groups on the Tuner Cover

Task 1. Pattern the form in the top of the cover.
1. Open ADV_PATTERNS_COVER.PRT.
2. Try to pattern the form in the top of the cover. Click Feature >
Pattern . Select the form feature.
Warning:
The system warns you that you cannot pattern this feature
because the form was placed on the part using the Copy
option. When Pro/ENGINEER copies forms, it copies all of
the features into the part independently.
Figure 18: ADV_PATTERNS_COVER.PRT
3. Click Quit to exit patterning.
Task 2. Group these features so that you can pattern them.
1. Create a local group of the form features. Click Group > Local
Group , then type [TOP_FORMS] as the name and press <ENTER>.

NOTES
2. Specify the features of the form to use in the group. Select the
features from the model tree, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 19: Selecting Features for Grouping
3. Click Done Sel > Done to complete creating the group.
Task 3. Manipulate the features of the group using various options.
1. Pattern the group. Click Pattern from the GROUP menu. Select
TOP_FORMS from the model tree.

NOTES
Increment these
dimensions in the
second direction.
Increment these
dimensions in the
first direction.
Figure 20: Patterning the Group
2. For the first direction, select the 1.00 dimension (locating the form
from the front wall). Type [1] as the dimension increment and
press <ENTER>.
3. Select the .5 dimension (representing the depth of the form

features cut). Type [.2] as the dimension increment and press
<ENTER>.
4. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances in this

direction and press <ENTER>.
5. For the second direction, select the .70 dimension (locating the
form from the right side wall). Type [1] as the dimension
increment and press <ENTER>.
6. Select the .63 dimension (representing the width of the form

features cut). Type [.2] as the dimension increment and press
<ENTER>.
7. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances in this

8. Note that all four forms are of different sizes.

NOTES
Figure 21: Completed Pattern of the Group
Task 4. According to the design intent, you should be able to control

each of the forms independently of one another. Break the pattern
relationship.
1. Unpattern the group. Click Unpattern from the GROUP menu.

Select any of the form instances.
2. Click Done Sel > Done .
3. Click Done/Return > Done to get to the PART menu.
4. Modify one of the forms independently. Change the location of the

form feature. Click Modify. Select the form, as shown in the
following figure.

NOTES
Move this form
Figure 22: Breaking the Pattern Relationship
5. Click the 2.00 dimension. Type [2.5] and press <ENTER>. Click
Regenerate .
6. Save and erase the model.
Figure 23: Completed Tuner Cover

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module, you have learned how to:
Use Pattern to create instances of a feature.

Modify instances of a feature using a pattern table.
Use Local Group to duplicate a group of different features.

Module
Sheetmetal Forms
In this module, you learn how to complete a forming operation to
plastically deform a sheetmetal model. Plastic deformation changes
the material properties of the metal as it flows under the force of the
forming operation.
Objectives
Create form features.

Create form parts.
Place form features.
Create a flatten form feature.
Use solid features to show edge treatments.
Page 7-1
NOTES
CREATING FORM FEATURES

To create a form feature, you use reference geometry. You can create two
types of sheetmetal forms: die and punch.
A die form represents the forming geometry (convex or concave)

surrounded by a bounding plane. The surface that surrounds the
forming geometrythe base planemust be planar, and the base
plane must completely surround the forming geometry. You can
reference multiple die forms from a single model.
A punch form represents only forming geometry, using the entire
model to form the sheetmetal part.
Die Form Punch Form
Figure 1: Forms
CREATING FORM PARTS

The form model can be a solid part or another sheetmetal part. You start
the creation of both types of form models using default datum planes. To
make it easier to place the form, the datum planes should intersect at the
center of the form feature. If you use a sheetmetal model, the form should
conform to the green side of the sheetmetal component.
When creating a form model, keep in mind the following:
Any convex surface must have a radius that is larger than the thickness
of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is mated to the sheetmetal
geometry.

NOTES
Convex radius
greater than
thickness
Figure 2: Convex Surface
Any concave surface must have a radius that is larger than the
thickness of the sheetmetal or equal to zero if the form is aligned to the
sheetmetal geometry.
Concave radius
greater than
thickness
Figure 3: Concave Surface
The form can contain a combination of convex and concave geometry,

creating hollows. It is recommended that the hollows in the form not
drop below the base plane or mating surface.
Sh e etmet al Fo rm s Pag e 7- 3
NOTES
H ollo w ab ove
base p lane
Figure 4: Hollows
The model can contain a coordinate system that you can reference to
determine where a forming die should strike the part in the
manufacturing process.
Creating Rips in the Geometry

Some forming operations consist of two tasks: plastically deforming the
sheetmetal and actually cutting the sheetmetal. The following figure shows
an example of a cooling fin that is cut through the side of the sheetmetal
housing. You can represent the shearing of the material by excluding
surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model.

NOTES
Excluded surface
Figure 5: Shearing Material
Using Multiple Forms on a Single Die Model

In some cases, it may be more convenient to store multiple forms on a
single form die model.
Figure 6: Using Multiple Forms in a Single Die Model
For Pro/ENGINEER to distinguish one set from another, however, you

must specify a seed surface. The seed surface gathers all surfaces that are
surrounded by the base plane to create the form. You must select the seed
surface in all die forms, even if there is only one set of form geometry.
NOTES
Seed surface
Base plane
Figure 7: Specifying a Seed Surface
Using Multiple Forms on a Single Punch Model

To reduce the number of models stored for punch forms, you create a
punch model with two sides, as shown in the following figure. You select
one side or the other, with respect to the mating surface that you use in the
punch model.
Figure 8: Using Both Sides of a Punch Model

NOTES
PLACING FORM FEATURES

When placing a form feature, you should consider the design intent,
particularly in terms of how the form feature references other features in
the model, as well as how it is referenced when you place it. The system
uses assembly type constraints to determine the location of the form
feature on the model. If you move a feature that the form references, the
system updates the forms location parametrically.
Placing By Reference
You can place a form feature so that it references the original forming
model at all times. If the original form model changes, the geometry on
the sheetmetal part also changes. If the sheetmetal model cannot find the
referenced form model, the system freezes the geometry on the
component.
Copying the Geometry

When you do not want to associate the geometry of the form to the
reference model, you can place the form model by copying all of the form
geometry into the sheetmetal model. This copy operation creates a
completely independent version of the form geometry; therefore, when
you make a change to the form, the system does not reflect it in the
component.
FLATTENING FORM FEATURES

In some cases, you may have to return a sheetmetal model to its original
flat state after you have placed form features on it. The form features do
not get flattened along with the bend features in the model. You can use
[Flatten Form] to flatten the form geometry in the model.
NOTES
Figure 9: Flattening the Form
Note:
You should use the as a tool to create the flatten form
feature, not to reduce regeneration time.
CREATING EDGE TREATMENTS

Some solid features are available for use in sheetmetal parts. They can be
added in Sheetmetal mode, as well as in Part and Assembly modes. Holes,
rounds, chamfers, cuts, and protrusions are available. All features can be
placed on white surfaces and edges, as well as green surfaces and edges.
You can create solid features, such as round and chamfers, to denote
multiple types of sheetmetal geometry (for example, a radius in the corner
of a cut). You can also use them to show edge treatments in order to make
the sheetmetal a nonconstant wall thickness, as shown in the following
figure.

NOTES
Figure 10: Edge Treatments
Determining the Developed Length

If you apply an edge treatment to the edge of a sheetmetal model using a
forming operation such as rolling, you must adjust the developed length of
that model. Using the optional Edge Treatment element of [Flatten
Form], you can adjust the length based on the volume of material that you
remove, as shown in the following figure.
Chamfer
Model
shortened to
keep same
volume
Figure 11: Determining the Developed Length
NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to reference the geometry in another model
to create form features in a sheetmetal part.
Method
In the first exercise, you use two different form models to create geometry
in a sheetmetal part.
In the second exercise, you place a die form that represents louvers on a
part for ventilation.
Tools
Icon Description
Form fly-out icons
Form
Flatten Form
SMT cut
Unbend fly-out icons
Unbend

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Adding Forms to the Cable Box
Figure 12: Form Geometry
Task 1. Create the formed feature for the recess on the cover part.
1. Open SHEET_FORM_CABLEBOX.PRT.
2. Click [Form]. Click Die > Reference > Done .
3. Open MOUNT_FORM.PRT for the referencing geometry. The form

part opens in a second window along with a component placement
window.
4. Click Mate from the PLACE menu. Select the top surface of the
form and the underside surface on the cable box part, as shown in
5. Click Align Offset from the PLACE menu. Select FRONT on the
form part, Yellow from the DTM ORIENT menu and the front wall
of the cable box, as shown in the following figure. Type [2] as the
offset value and press <ENTER>.
6. Click Align Offset from the PLACE menu. Select SIDE on the
form part, Yellow from the DTM ORIENT menu and the inside
surface of the left wall in the cable box, as shown in the following
figure. Type [.75] as the offset value and press <ENTER>.
NOTES
Mate top of form to the

underside of cable box
Align Offset SIDE and

the left wall inside
surface of cable box by
Align Offset FRONT .75
and the front of cable
box by 2
Figure 13: Assembling the Form to the Cable Box
Note:
If you have selected the wrong constraint or entered the wrong
value, use the COMPONENT PLACEMENT window to
redefine it.
7. The Message Window prompts, Form feature can now be

placed. Click Show Placement from the MOD COMP PLACE
menu to preview the placement of the form, then click Done to
complete the placement.
8. Refer to the MOUNT_FORM.PRT in the sub-window. Select the top

surface of the form as the boundary plane, as shown in the
following figure. Select the round that touches the bounding plane
as the seed surface.

NOTES
Select these
surfaces to
exclude
Seed Surface Boundary Plane

(Round) (Top planar
surface)
Figure 14: Seed and Boundary Surfaces
9. Click Exclude Surf > Define from the model dialog box. Select
the three surfaces to exclude, as shown in the above figure. Click
Done Sel > Done Refs .
10. Click Preview to preview the form feature. Click OK to complete

placing the form.
Figure 15: Completed Form Feature
NOTES
Task 2. Create multiple instances of the form.
1. Click Feature > Pattern . Select the form that you just placed.
Figure 16: Patterning the Form
2. Select the 2.00 dimension and increment the value by 4. Click

Done . Type [3] as the total number of instances for the first
3. Select the 0.75 dimension and increment the value by 1.5. Click
Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances for the second
Task 3. Create the knockouts on the side of the box as a pattern of form
features.
1. Click [Form].
2. Click Punch > Reference > Done .
3. Open COAX_FORM.PRT as the reference part.
4. Place the form on the cable box using the assembly constraints, as
shown in the following figures.

NOTES
Align offset
FRONT (Yellow
side) datum with
inside surface of
the back wall.
Enter [3] as
value.
Mate offset
hidden surface on
form with right
Align offset TOP
wall surface on
datum (Yellow
the cable box.
side) with top
Enter [.04] as
surface of the
value.
box. Enter [-
1.25] as value.
Figure 17: Punch Form References
5. Click Show Placement > Done . Flip the arrow towards the model
and click Okay.
NOTES
Figure 18: Placing the punch form
6. Select the optional Exclude Surf element in the FORM dialog box
and click Define .
7. Select the two cylindrical surfaces to exclude from the form

feature, as shown in the following figure.
Exclude two side

cylindrical
surfaces
Figure 19: Exclude Surfaces
8. Click OK to complete the punch form feature.

NOTES
Task 4. Duplicate the punch form feature.
1. Click Feature > Pattern . Select the knock out form feature that
you just created.
Increment by 1 to
create two
instances
Figure 20: Patterning the punch form
2. Select the 3.00 dimension as the dimension to increment in the first

direction.
3. Type an increment value of [1] and press <ENTER>.
4. Click Done . Type [2] as the total number of instances press

<ENTER>.
5. Click Done when asked for the second direction. The completed
part should appear as shown in the following figure.
NOTES
Figure 21: Completed Cable Box

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Placing Louvers (Challenge Exercise)
Figure 22: Ventilation Louvers
Task 1. Add the form model as a reference die form, pattern the form,
and mirror the part.
1. Open FORM_BOX.PRT.
2. Add the FORM_LOUVER.PRT form model as a Die By Reference .

Locate the form, as shown in the following figure. Exclude the
surface to create a vent opening.
NOTES
Boundary
Seed plane
(Round)
surface
Excluded
surface
Align offset
DTM1, yellow Align offset the yellow
side from this side of DTM2 from this
top surface of hidden surface of the
the box by 1.0 box by 2.5
Mate these
surfaces
Figure 23: Form References
3. Pattern the form to match the dimensioning scheme shown in the

following figure.

NOTES
Figure 24: Patterning the Form
4. Click Feature > Mirror Geom to mirror the part. The part should
appear as shown in the following figure.
Figure 25: Mirroring the Part
NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
You use a reference model to create a form feature.

A form model can be a solid part or a sheetmetal part.
You can represent rips or the shearing of the material by excluding
surfaces from the form when you place it on the sheetmetal model.
The [Flatten Form] option is used to flatten form geometry in the
sheetmetal model.

Module
Bend Features
In this module, you learn how to develop a sheetmetal model from
the flat definition and then add bends and other geometry to reflect
the true manufacturing process.
Objectives
Create Angle or Roll type bends on flat geometry.

Add bend line adjustment to obtain the desired location of the bend
feature.
Create hem features.
Page 8-1
NOTES
CREATING BEND FEATURES

A bend feature adds a bend to a flat section of the part. A bend cannot be
added where it crosses another bend feature. There are two types of bend
options.
Angle Bend
An Angle type bend creates a bend with a specified radius and angle, as
shown in the following figure. An angle appears along the axis of the
radius to show bend direction. The angle can be flipped to change the
direction of bending.
Figure 1: Bend Feature Using the Angle Option
Roll Bend
A Roll type bend creates a bend with a specified radius, but the resulting
angle will be determined by the radius and the amount of material to bend,
Fixed Side
Bend Side
Figure 2: Bend Feature Using the Roll Option

NOTES
For each Angle or Roll bend there are three options to choose from
Regular , W/Transit , and Planar .
Regular Bend Option

A regular bend creates a bend with no transitional surfaces.
W/Transit (With Transition) Bend Option

A bend with a transition deforms the surface between the bend and an area
that is to remain flat, as shown in the following figure.
Bend line
Transition lines
Surfaces remain
fixed
Figure 3: Bend with Transition
Planar Bends
A planar bend creates a bend feature around an axis that is perpendicular
to the green surface and sketching plane, as shown in the following figure.
The neutral point for planar bends is placed according to the current y-
factor, and bend tables are not applicable.
Bend Featu r es Pag e 8- 3

NOTES
Axis normal to
surface
Figure 4: Planar Bend
You can specify automatic bend relief for bend features using the w/Relief
option. The system highlights each end of the bend entity for specifying
bend relief.
You can also create a bend or unbend feature over a form feature, as
Figure 5: Bend over a Form Feature

NOTES
ADDING BEND LINE ADJUSTMENT

A bend line is used as a reference point for developed length calculation
when creating bend geometry. The location of the resulting wall depends
on which side of the bend line you create the bend as shown in the
following figures.
Bend Side and

Fixed Side
Figure 6: Bend Side Down

NOTES
Bend Side
Fixed Side
Figure 7: Bend Side Up
Bend Side
(Both)
Fixed Side
Figure 8: Both Sides

NOTES
You can control the location of a bend feature by adding a bend line
adjustment (BLA). BLA is the dimension that locates the sketched bend
line from a reference. It can be modified to manipulate the placement of
the bend. For two surfaces to be coplanar, the developed length of the
bend (L) would have to be equal to the sum of the inside radius (R) and
the thickness (T), as shown in the following figure.
These surfaces
are not coplanar
BS FS
L = developed length of bend

R = inside bend radius
T = material thickness
Figure 9: Zero BLA
Since the system calculates both the radius of the bend and developed
length of the bend, a relation can be written to drive the BLA. Any change
to the model will be reflected in the bend line placement, as shown in the
following figure.

NOTES
BLA = L - (R + T)
These surfaces
are coplanar
BS FS
Figure 10: Relationship for BLA
CREATING HEMS
A hem is a finishing feature used to bend sharp edges of a sheetmetal part.
There are five types of hem options.
Open Hem The open hem option bends and flattens a section of
sheetmetal wall 180 about a selected edge. You can define the radius of
the bend and the width of the wall to be bent, as shown in the following
figure.
Figure 11: Open Hem

NOTES
Flushed Hem The flushed hem option sets the radius of the bend to be
equal to the thickness of the wall. You have to define the width of the wall
to be bent as shown in the following figure.
Figure 12: Flushed Hem
Duck Hem The duck hem option interlocks and flattens two pieces of
sheetmetal to make them coplanar. This is sometimes more useful than
using a single large piece of sheetmetal. You define the bend radii, the
bend angle, the overall width, and the offset for a duck hem, as shown in
Figure 13: Duck Hem
C Hem The C hem option is similar to the open hem option, but you
define an offset from the plane of the sheetmetal wall containing the select
edge for bending, thus creating a C-shaped hem.
Figure 14: C Hem

NOTES
Z Hem The Z hem option bends a section of sheetmetal wall about a

selected edge twice (double hem) to create a Z shaped hem, as shown in
Figure 15: Z Hem

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create a model in Sheetmetal mode
entirely with flat walls and bends.
Method
In this exercise, you create a part with flat walls and then bend the
geometry into shape using a combination of Angle and Roll bends. Then
you add rounds and hems to finish the part.
Tools
Icon Description
Bend fly-out icons
Bend
Hem
Primary wall fly-out icons

Unattached Flat Wall

Unbend
Bend back
Flat Wall No Radius
Done
Apply changes and close; Commit and Exit

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Model in the Flat
Figure 16: Final Geometry
Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall as the base feature.
1. Create a new sheetmetal part named CLIP using the default

template.
3. Select the FRONT datum plane as the sketching plane. Click Okay.
Select the TOP datum plane as the Top reference plane.
5. In Sketcher, click Utilities > Sketcher Preferences from the pull-

down menu.
6. Click the Parameters tab and change the Num Digits value to [3].
Click [Apply changes and close].

NOTES
7. Sketch the section, as shown in the following figure.
Hint:
Sketch a centerline aligned to the Right datum plane and make
the Tsection symmetric about the centerline using the
[Constraints] option.
Figure 17: Sketching the First Base Feature
8. Click [Done]. Type a thickness of [0.01] and press

<ENTER>. Click OK to complete the feature.
Task 2. Create a roll bend with transition areas where the clip attaches
to the pencil.
1. Click [Bend].
2. Click Roll > w/ Transition > Done.
Done/Return .

NOTES
4. Select the green side of the part as the sketching plane. Click Okay
for the viewing direction, and select the lower edge of the T as
the Bottom reference plane.
5. Select left hand surface and bottom surface of the T as the

dimensional references, as shown in the following figure. Click
Close from the REFERENCES dialog box.
6. Sketch the single vertical bend line, then dimension it, as shown in
Figure 18: Sketching the Bend Line for the Roll
7. Click [Done]. When the system prompts you to indicate

which side to create the feature, click Both to center the roll bend
on the sketched line, then click Okay to fix the area.
Note:
The system grays out the previous sketch, waiting for you to
sketch the transition areas. The first line that you sketch for a
transition area dictates the side that should remain bent.

NOTES
8. Select the dimensional references, as shown in the following

figure. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch two
horizontal lines.
Figure 19: Sketching Transitional Areas
9. Click [Done]. When the system prompts you to define

another transition area, type [no] and press <ENTER>.
10. Click Enter Value . Type [0.16] as the bend radius and press
<ENTER>. Click OK to complete the feature. The part should
appear as shown in the following figure. Note that the bend starts
its transition at the first sketched line and is completely flat at the
second.

NOTES
Select the front green

edge to remain fixed
while unbending
Figure 20: Roll Bend with Transition
Task 3. Create an Unbend All feature, add two additional walls without
a radius, and bend back the geometry.
1. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done . Select the edge

indicated in the previous figure to remain fixed.
2. Click Unbend All > Done . Click OK . Note that the bend axis is
now visible.
3. Create a flat wall attached to the lower edge. Click [Flat Wall
No Radius].
4. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return . Select the lower green edge
of T as the attachment edge.
5. Click Okay to accept the viewing direction. Click Close from the
REFERENCES dialog box.
6. Sketch three lines to complete the wall section with a centerline

aligned to the axis of the bend to make the sketch symmetric. Also,
make sure the two line entities on either side of the centerline are
of equal length, as shown in the following figure.
Note:
Do not sketch a line over the attachment edge between the two
sketch points. There should be only three line entities and a
centerline aligned to the bend axis.

NOTES
Figure 21: Sectioning the Additional Wall
7. Click [Done]. Click OK to complete the feature.
8. Create another flat wall repeating the above steps, as shown in the
following figure.

NOTES
Figure 22: Second Additional Wall Section
9. Create a bend back feature to bend back all of the geometry. Click
[Bend Back].
10. Select the same front green edge on the left-hand side of the T wall
that you used for the Unbend feature to remain fixed.
11. Click BendBack All > Done . Click OK to complete the feature.
The part should display as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 23: Clip after Creating the Two Additional Flat Walls
Task 4. Create a series of angular bends on the lower portion of the clip
to fold up the various walls.
1. Click [Bend].
2. Click Angle > Regular > Done.
3. Click Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return > Outside Rad >
Done/Return .
4. Select the green side of the wall that you just created in the
previous task as the sketching plane.
5. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction. Select the

lowest horizontal green edge as the Bottom reference plane.
6. Select the two vertices, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Side to remain
fixed
Sketch this
line
Select these
vertices as
dimensional
references and
align the
Side to create sketched line to
bend feature them
Figure 24: Creating a 90-Degree Bend
8. Sketch a horizontal line aligned to the two vertices that you

selected as references in the previous step, as shown in the
previous figure.
9. Click [Done].
10. Create the bend feature below the sketched line. Click Flip from
the BEND SIDE menu, so that the arrow points down below the
sketched line. Click Okay.
11. Click Okay from the DIRECTION menu to accept the area above
the sketched line as the side to remain fixed.
12. Click No Relief > Done .
13. Rotate the model to view the bend angle of 90 degrees. Click Flip ,
if necessary. Click Done .
Tip:
The most effective way to work with bend angles is to choose
a direction, preview the bend, and then flip, if necessary.

NOTES
14. Type [0.012] as the bend radius and press <ENTER>. Click
Preview . Make sure the bend is in the correct direction. Click OK
to complete the feature.
15. Create a vertical bend. Click [Bend].
Done/Return .
18. Select the green side of the wall that you just created in the
previous task as the sketching plane.
19. Click Okay to accept the default viewing direction. Select the
bottom green surface of the bent wall as the Bottom reference
plane.
20. Delete the existing reference from the REFERENCES dialog box.
Select the bottom edge and the left edge as dimensional references,
Sketch this line
Bend side
Fixed side
Align to
edges, not to
vertices
Figure 25: Creating the Second 90-Degree Bend

NOTES
21. Sketch the vertical bend line and dimension it, as shown in the
previous figure.
22. Create the bend on the left-hand side of the line toward the outside
of the model. Click Flip > Okay .
23. Click Okay to set the right-hand side as the side to be fixed. Click
No relief > Done . Accept the 90 -degree angle.
24. Click Flip if necessary to create the bend on the correct side. Click
Done .
26. Create the another vertical bend on the other side of the clip using
the same sketching and reference planes as the previous bend that
you just created. Repeat the above steps that you used for the
previous vertical bend. The part should appear as shown in the
following figure.
Hint:
You can use the Use Prev option when prompted to select the
sketching and reference plane. This will use the sketching and
reference plane that you selected for the previous bend.
Top reference
plane
Sketching plane
(green side)
Figure 26: Specifying the Sketching Plane and Top Reference Plane

NOTES
27. Create a 90 angular bend on the bottom wall. Click [Bend].
Done/Return .
30. Select the green side of the bottom wall as the sketching plane.
Click Okay to accept the viewing direction. Select the white side
of the larger flat wall as the TOP reference plane, as shown in the
previous figure.
31. Delete the existing references in the REFERENCES dialog box.

Select the dimensional references, as shown in the following
figure. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box.
Bend side
Fixed side
Select the small
horizontal edge
as dimensional
reference
Select the vertical

edge as
Select the vertical dimensional
edge as dimensional reference
reference
Figure 27: Creating the Next 90-Degree Bend
32. Sketch a bend line and dimension it, as shown in the above figure.
Click [Done].
33. Make sure the bend side is the above the sketched line, as shown in
the above figure. Click Okay .
34. Click Flip if necessary to fix the side below the sketched line.
Click Okay.
35. Click No Relief > Done . Accept the 90 -degree angle.

NOTES
36. Click Flip if necessary to create the bend on the correct side. Click
Done .
38. Create the final 90 bend using the approach that you used to
create the previous bend. Use the information shown in the
following figure to complete the bend feature.
Sketch this Bend side

line
Fixed side
Figure 28: Creating the Last Bend
Task 5. Create solid rounds on the sharp corners of the bottom portion
of the clip.
1. Click Insert> Round > Simple > Done . Click Constant > Edge
Chain > Done.
2. Click Tangent Chain and select the four edges, as shown in the
following figure.

NOTES
Select these edges

to create the round
Figure 29: Specifying the Edges for the Round
3. Click Done . Type [0.012] as the radius and press <ENTER>.
Task 6. Add hems to finish creating the clip part.
1. Click [Hem].
Select this outer

edge as a hem
reference
Select this outer

edge as a hem
reference
Figure 30: Selecting Hem Reference Edges
2. Select the outer edge of the left wall as the edge reference. Click
Done . Click Done again to accept the direction of the hem.
3. Click Okay to accept upward direction of the horizontal plane.

NOTES
4. Change the radius to [0.012] and press <ENTER>, as shown in

5. Click [Commit and Exit] to complete the hem.
6. Create another hem using the outer edge of the right hand side
bend as reference. Repeat the above steps. The part should appear

NOTES
Figure 31: Finished Hem
7. Save the file and erase it from memory.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
An angle type bend creates a bend with a specified radius and angle.
A roll type bend creates a bend with a specified radius, but the
resulting angle will be determined by the radius and the amount of
material to bend.
A regular bend creates a bend with no translational surfaces.
A bend with transition deforms the surface between the bend and an
area that is to remain flat.
Planar bends create a bend feature around an axis that is perpendicular
to the green surface and sketching plane.
You can specify automatic relief for a bend feature.
You can control the location or placement of a bend feature by adding
bend line adjustment.
You can create finishing features like solid rounds and chamfers and
hems to remove sharp corners and edges of a sheetmetal part.

Module
Unbending Sheetmetal Geometry

In this module, you learn to unbend deformed sheetmetal geometry.
Objectives
Unbend ruled geometry.

Unbend non-ruled geometry.
Add tears to geometry.
Create deformation areas.
Page 9-1
NOTES
UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY

Depending on the complexity of the sheetmetal design model, to unbend
the geometry you can:
Create a regular unbend feature to unbend ruled geometry.

Create a cross section driven unbend feature to unbend non-ruled
geometry.
Create tears in geometry by ripping.
Create deformation areas.
Unbending Ruled Geometry

You can unbend ruled bends and walls in the sheetmetal model using the
Regular unbend feature. The material must be unbendable or developable
in order for the system to successfully create an unbend feature. You
cannot unbend non-ruled surfaces using a regular unbend feature.
Unbending Non-ruled Geometry

To unbend non-ruled sheetmetal geometry, you can create the cross-
section driven unbend feature, as shown in the following figure. The cross
section term refers to the curve that you use to influence the shape of the
unbent wall.

NOTES
Selected curve
Sketched section
Figure 1: Cross Section Driven Unbend Feature
Note:
The system does not determine a developed length for cross
sectional driven unbends.
Adding Tears to the Geometry

Using the following methods, you can unbend sheetmetal geometry by
tearing it:
Unbend ing Sh eetmet al Geom et ry Pag e 9- 3

NOTES
Regular Rip Cut the geometry by creating a sketched section to use

as the rip line.
Sketch
Rip created
Figure 2: Regular Rip
Edge Rip Select existing edges to define references for a zero

volume cut.
Figure 3: Edge Rip

NOTES
Surface Rip Select a surface patch on the geometry and exclude the
entire surface from the model by creating a cut in the geometry.
Corner
removed using
a surface rip
Edge rip added

along this edge
Figure 4: Surface Rip
Creating Deformation Areas

When creating a regular unbend feature, Pro/ENGINEER highlights
geometry that it is going to deform as a result of the operation. If the
deformed surface does not extend to the edges of the model, you must
specify a surface to deform so that it does extend to its boundaries, as

NOTES
Select this
surface
Figure 5: Selecting an Area to Deform
If an appropriate surface does not exist on the model, you can break up a
surface into multiple patches by creating a deformation area, then specify
this area as the area to deform during the unbend operation. This gives you
the advantage of creating geometry that closely reflects the developed
part, as shown in the following figure.
Developed
length
Deformation calculated
only in these
areas
Figure 6: Deformation Areas

NOTES
The developed lengths of the unbent geometry reflect the proper values.
Pro/ENGINEER approximates the geometry in the deformation area by
attaching the vertices with a line segment. The geometry does not become
thinner or thicker.
Pro/ENGINEER also enables you to sketch the deformed geometry since

the flat pattern is typically determined empirically. The part shown in the
following figure has a deform area defined and the default flat pattern is
shown on the right-hand side.
Figure 7: Flat State with Automatic Deform Control
By redefining the Deform Control element in the FEATURE dialog box,

you can sketch the deform area's shape using the current sketcher
constraints. In the following figure, a tangent arc has been sketched to
change the deformed geometry.

NOTES
Figure 8: Flat State with Manual Deform Control
In addition to using the Deform Area feature during unbending, you can
also use it to define edges for edge rips, or to split surfaces for bend line
development.

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to unbend both ruled and non-ruled
geometry.
Method
In the first exercise, the geometry contains some walls with curvature in
two directions. You cannot automatically unbend the walls using the
Regular Unbend option. You deform some surfaces to unbend the part
and then extend the deformation to the outside of the model.
In the second exercise, you use the cross section driven unbend feature to
unbend the part.
In the third exercise, you create a deformation area feature to unbend the
part.
Tools
Icon Description
Unbend
Form fly-out icons
Deform Area
Edge fly-out icons
Use Edge
Done

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Regular Unbend Feature

Task 1. Open the TRANS sheetmetal part and create a Regular Unbend
feature by selecting deformation areas.
2. Open TRANS.PRT.
3. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done .
4. Select the surface to remain fixed, as shown in the following

figure. Click Unbend All > Done .
Surface to remain fixed

(can be the white or
green side)
Figure 9: Specifying Surface to Remain Fixed
5. Pro/ENGINEER highlights two of the curved surfaces on the model

and warns you that some deformation surfaces do not reach outside
the part. Select the surfaces to deform, as shown in the following
figure.
Select these surfaces

adjacent to the
boundary (green or
white)
Figure 10: Specifying Additional Surfaces to Deform

NOTES
7. Click OK to complete the feature. The unbent part should appear as

shown in the following figure
Figure 11: Finished Model

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Cross Sectional Unbend
Figure 12: Cross Sectional Unbend
Task 2. Open XSEC.PRT and unbend the left-hand side of the part.
1. Open XSEC.PRT.
2. Click [Unbend]. Click Xsec Driven > Done .
3. You are prompted to select the fixed edges. Click Surf Chain in
the CHAIN menu. Select the surface shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Select these two

vertices
Select this
surface for Surf
Chain
These edges
make the desired
chain
Figure 13: References for First Unbend
4. Click From-To . Select the highlighted vertices shown in the above

figure. Click Next or Accept to select the three edges for the chain,
as shown in the above figure.
5. Click Done when the chain has been selected.
6. You are asked to specify a curve to control the cross sections.

Click Select Curve > Done .
7. Select the same three edges for the curve. Click Done .
8. Keep the inside area fixed (right side of curve). Click OK . The part
should display, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 14: First Unbend
Task 3. Unbend the right-hand side of the part with a cross section
unbend.
1. Create another Xsec Driven unbend feature. When prompted to

select fixed edges, click One by One in the CHAIN TYPE menu.
Select the edge shown in the following figure. Click Done .

NOTES
Select this edge for

the second unbend
Select this
surface as the
sketching plane
for the control
curve
Figure 15: References for Second Unbend
2. Click Sketch Curve > Done . Select the surface shown in the
above figure as the sketching plane and DTM3 as the Bottom
reference plane.
3. Select the following vertices as dimensional references. Click

Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch a line as the
control curve section, as shown in the following figure.
Sketch line
referencing these
vertices
Fixed Side
Figure 16: Section for Cross Section Unbend

NOTES
4. Click [Done].
5. Select the side shown in the previous figure to keep fixed, then
click OK to complete the unbend. (Click Flip if necessary). The
finished part should display as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
EXERCISE 3: Creating a Deformation Area
Task 1. Open DEFORM_AREA.PRT and create a Regular Unbend

feature.
1. Open DEFORM_AREA.PRT.
2. Click [Unbend]. Click Regular > Done . Select the surface to

be fixed as shown in the following figure.
Select this
surface to
remain fixed
Figure 19: Specifying Surface to Remain Fixed

NOTES
3. Click Unbend All > Done . Pro/ENGINEER highlights the

deformed surfaces inside the model. Select the surfaces to deform
when unbending, as shown in the following figure.
Select these
surfaces to
deform
Figure 20: Specifying Surface to Deform
5. Click OK to complete the unbend. The unbent part should display,

Distorted
surfaces
Figure 21: Distorted Surfaces Resulting from Automatic Selection
6. Delete this undesirable unbend feature.

NOTES
Task 2. Create deformation areas; then use one of the deformation areas
to create a Regular Unbend feature.
1. Click [ Deform Area] .
2. Select the front surface for a sketching plane and DTM1 to face the
Right side of the screen, as shown in the following figure.
Sketching Plane
Figure 22: Selecting the Sketching Plane
3. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Click Yes from
the MISSING REFERENCES dialog box.
4. Sketch the deformation area shown in the following figure. Click

[Use Edge]. Select the curves. Click Close . Sketch two lines
connecting the vertices of the two arcs.
Select these
curves for
Use Edge
Figure 23: Deformation Area Sketch

NOTES
5. Click [Done]. Click OK to complete the deform area feature.

A second identical deform area feature has already been created on
the opposite side of the model for you.
6. Create a Regular Unbend feature. Click [Unbend]. Click

Regular > Done . Specify the top surface to remain fixed, as shown
Fixed
surface
Deform area (similar

surface on other
side)
Figure 24: Specifying the Deformation Area
7. Select the deformation areas as the additional surfaces to deform,

as shown in the previous figure. Click Done Sel > Done Refs .

NOTES
Figure 25: Unbent Geometry with Deformation Areas
8. Click OK to complete the feature. Note that the system isolated the
large deformation in the deformation areas, which it was forced to
stretch considerably, as shown in the above figure.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
A regular unbend feature can be used to unbend ruled geometry.

A cross section driven bend can be used to unbend non-ruled
geometry.
Rip features can be created to enable sheetmetal geometry to be
unbent.
When creating a regular unbend feature, Pro/ENGINEER highlights
geometry that it is going to deform as a result of the operation. If the
deformed surface does not extend to the edges of the model, you must
specify a surface or deformation area to deform so that it does extend
to its boundaries

Module
Sheetmetal Design Environment

In this module, you learn to configure the Pro/SHEETMETAL
design environment to effectively capture design intent when
designing sheetmetal models.
Objectives
Calculate the developed length of a sheetmetal model.

Setup bend tables.
Specify a default radius for bends.
Specify default fixed geometry for unbend and bend back features
Page 10-1
NOTES
CALCULATING DEVELOPED LENGTH

When you unbend a sheetmetal model, the developed length that
Pro/ENGINEER calculates may not be appropriate for your particular
manufacturing process. You can override the bend calculation by
modifying the bend. If you change the dimension of the developed length
manually to override the system calculation, you can reset it at any time in
the design cycle.
Using the Default Formula

Pro/ENGINEER uses a standard bend formula to calculate the developed
length of a sheetmetal model. If you currently use this formula to calculate
the developed length of bends, you should not need to make any further
adjustments:
L = (/2 x R + yfactor x T) /90
where:
L = developed length
R = inside radius
T = material thickness
= bend angle
The y-factor
The developed length calculation includes a parameter called the y-factor,
which is a ratio based on the neutral bend line with respect to the thickness
of the material, as illustrated in the following figure. The y-factors default
value is 0.50, but you can modify it using the following methods:
Enter a new value using sheetmetal setup menu option.

Enter a new value for the K-factor (default is 0.318310)
Specify a new value using the configuration file option
INITIAL_BEND_Y_FACTOR. This setting only affects new parts.
Pag e 1 0-2 Fundam ent al s of Sh e etm e t al De si gn

NOTES
A. Before the Bend y factor = ( / 2) * K factor

B. After the Bend K factor = / T
1. Neutral bend line
Figure 1: The y-factor
Using Bend Tables

Instead of using the default formula to calculate the developed length of a
sheetmetal model, you can use a bend table. Bend tables consist of
tabulated data, as shown in the following figure, with the radii in columns
across the top and varying thicknesses in rows. The body of the table
documents the various developed lengths.
If the radius and thickness exactly match the values in the table, the
system uses the exact value.
If a value falls between two table values, it is interpolated.
If a value is outside the table, it uses the tables formula, if it has one.
If it does not have a table formula, it uses the default formula and the
y-factor.
Figure 2: Radius and Thickness Entries
Sh e etmet al De sign En vi ronm ent Pag e 1 0-3

NOTES
Tip:
To be sure that the bend table uses the same material type that
you have specified in the SETUP menu, you can assign
materials within the bend table to check the material properties
of the sheetmetal model.
Predefined Bend Tables

The three bend tables listed below are available with Pro/ENGINEER.
You can use them without changing them, or use them as a starting point
to develop your own company standard table.
TABLE1 Used for Soft Brass and Copper, as shown in the following
figure.
TABLE2 Hard Brass, Copper, Soft Steel, and Aluminum
TABLE3 Hard Copper, Bronze, Cold Rolled Steel, and Spring Steel
Figure 3: Standard Bend Table
You can customize the standard bend tables to suit your company
standards. You can setup the materials and conversion factors when

NOTES
You can customize the standard bend tables to suit your company
standards. You can setup the materials and conversion factors when
customizing a bend table. An example of a customized bend table is
Figure 4: Customized Table

NOTES
SETTING UP DEFAULT BEND RADIUS
Figure 5: Setting up parameters
To incorporate the company standards for your sheetmetal models, you

can use the parameter SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS to define a default
radius for bend features. When you add this parameter to your model, the
system makes the By Param option available. If you choose this option
when adding bends or using radius walls, the system automatically adds a
relation to drive the dimension.

NOTES
Notes:
If you sketch a bend in Sketcher, you cannot make the
dimension equal to the default radius parameter. You must
manually write a relationship to drive the bend with the default
parameter.
If the value of the default radius is changed, all of the radii that
you set using the By Param option and any relations that you
wrote using the parameter automatically updates.
SETTING DEFAULT FIXED GEOMETRY

When unbending and bending back sheetmetal geometry, it is always good
practice to specify the same surface or edge to remain fixed. You can use
the SETUP menu option Fixed Geom to automatically specify the same
reference when creating unbend and bend back features.

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to use set up options to control the default
bend radius, default fixed geometry, and developed length.
Method
In the first exercise, you calculate and modify the developed length of a
sheetmetal part.
In the second exercise, you setup the default bend radius, fixed geometry
and a bend table to configure the sheetmetal design environment.
Tools
Icon Description
Unbend
Bend back
Flat Wall Use Radius
Extended Wall
Done

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Calculating the Developed Length of

a Sheetmetal Part
Task 1. Open the MEASURE part and create an unbend feature.
1. Open MEASURE.PRT.
2. Create a regular unbend all feature. Click [Unbend]. Complete

the unbend feature using the surface indicated in the following
figure as the fixed surface.
Select this
surface to
remain fixed
Figure 6: Specifying the Fixed Surface
Task 2. Measure the length of the fixed part.
1. Click Analysis > Measure .
2. Click Distance on the TYPE drop-down list in the MEASURE

dialog box. Specify the FROM and TO surfaces shown in the
following figure using Query Sel .

NOTES
Select this
hidden surface
as the From
reference
Select
this
surface as
the To
reference
Figure 7: Measuring the Distance Between the Two End Surfaces
Task 3. Save this analysis for future use.
1. The system calculates the distance as 3.91040 and displays it in

the RESULTS box. Click Saved Analyses to expand the area in
the MEASURE dialog box.
2. Type [distance] in the NAME text box and press <ENTER>. The
analysis is stored, as shown in the following figure.
Pag e 1 0-10 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

NOTES
Figure 8: Saving the distance analysis
3. Close the dialog box.
Task 4. Change the thickness of the first wall to update the developed
length.
1. Click Modify from the PART menu and select FIRST WALL from
the Model Tree. Select the .25 THICK dimension, as shown in the
following figure. Type [.1] and press <ENTER>.

NOTES
Modify the
thickness
Figure 9: Modifying the Thickness
2. Regenerate the part.
3. Check the analysis that you saved earlier. Click Analysis >
Measure . Click Distance from the SAVED ANALYSES area of the
dialog box.
4. Click Retrieve and notice that the distance value is now 3.83540
5. Close the dialog box.
Task 5. Manually change the developed length so that an internal

equation does not drive it.
1. Click Modify. Select FIRST WALL from the Model Tree again.
2. Select the .84 DEV .L dimension. Click Enter Value . Type [1.00]
as the length and press <ENTER>.
4. Retrieve the saved measure analysis DISTANCE again. Notice that

the distance is listed as 4.00000.

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Setting Up for Sheetmetal Design

Task 1. Open the U_SHAPE sheetmetal part and set the default radius
using the SETUP menu.
1. Open U_SHAPE.PRT.
2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Parameters.
3. Type [0.25] as the value for the SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS

parameter as shown in the following figure.
Figure 10: Setting the Default Bend Radius

NOTES
Note:
You will be informed by the system status that you have not
used the thickness or 2 * thickness default settings. You have
specified a numeric value as the default bend radius for all
bend features.
4. Click OK .
Task 2. Create a flat wall that uses the default radius.
1. Click [Flat Wall Use Radius]. Create a flat wall with a radius
and that uses the part bend table and an inside radius. Select the
white edge as shown in the following figure to attach the wall.
Specify an angle of 90.
Attach wall to
this white edge
Figure 11: Specifying the attachment edge.
2. Sketch the wall, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Reference the top

wall surface for
alignment
Sketch to points
Figure 12: Sketching the First Wall
3. Finish the sketch and then click W/Relief > Rip relief for both
ends of the wall.
4. Click By Param from the SEL RADIUS menu. Click OK to

complete the wall. The completed wall should appear as shown in
the following figure. The inside radius was automatically set to
0.25.
Task 3. Extend the flat wall to close the gap.
1. Create an extended wall. Click [Extended Wall]. Specify the

top green edge to extend and the outside right-hand surface as the
Up to Plane reference, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Extend to this
outside surface
Specify this top

green edge to
extend
Figure 13: Creating Extend Wall feature
Wall extended to
outside
Figure 14: Extended Wall Feature Geometry
Task 4. Define a default surface to remain fixed and create unbend and
bend back features.
1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Fixed Geom > Select .
2. Select the white surface shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Select this surface

to remain fixed
Figure 15: Specifying a Surface to Remain Fixed
3. Click Done/Return > Done/Return .
4. Click [Unbend]. Unbend the entire part. Note that you did not
have to specify a fixed surface.
5. Click [Bend Back]. Bend back the entire part. Again, note that
you did not have to specify a fixed surface.
6. Since you do not need the two features that you just created, Delete
them.
Task 5. Create an additional flat wall and check the relations that the
system created as a result of using the By Param radius option.
1. Create a flat wall with a radius and that uses the part bend table
and an inside radius. Select the white edge shown in the following
figure to attach the wall. Specify an angle of 90.

NOTES
Attach to this
inside edge
Figure 16: Specifying Attachment Edge for the Wall
2. Sketch the wall, as shown in the following figure.
Reference
sketch to
outside wall
Reference
endpoints to
attachment edge
Figure 17: Sketching the Additional Wall
3. Click [Done] to complete the sketch. Click W/Relief > Strtch

Relief > Done > Enter Value . Type [0.25] as the width value of
the stretch and press <ENTER>. Type [45] as the angle and press
<ENTER>. Repeat this step for the other end too.

NOTES
4. Click By Param for the radius of the bend and OK to complete the
feature. The part appears as shown in the following figure.
Figure 18: Geometry after Creating the Wall
5. Click Relations from the PART menu. Click Part Rel> Show Rel .
These relations set the bend radius of the wall features equal to the
parameter for the default radius that you set in a previous step.
Close the window.
6. Click Done from the MODEL REL menu. Click Modify and select
the flat wall you just created in the previous step. Note that the
developed length of the bend is 0.52. Click Done .
Task 6. Modify an existing bend table and assign it to the sheetmetal

part.
1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Allow > Bend Table >
Define > From Part . Type [U_SHAPE] as the name and press
<ENTER>.
2. Select the END MATERIALS row. Click Edit > Insert . Select
Before current selections . Click OK , as shown in the following
figure.

NOTES
Figure 19: Inserting a row
3. Enter [Brass] as the material in the newly inserted row.
Figure 20: Editing the Bend Table
4. When finished editing, save and exit the Pro/TABLE editor. Click
Done/Return until you reach the PART SETUP Menu.

NOTES
5. Define a material file named Brass. Click Material from THE

PART SETUP menu. Click Define . Type [brass] as the name and
press <ENTER>.
6. In the text editor, scroll down to BEND_TABLE. At the end of this

line (next to '='), type [u_shape], which was the bend table that
you created in the previous step. Save the file and exit the editor.
7. Click Assign from the MATL MGT menu. Click From Part
>BRASS > Accept to assign the material to the part.
8. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Set >
Confirm > From Part > U_SHAPE to assign the bend table to the
part. The system regenerates the model. If you made an error, the
system displays a warning. Click Done/Return until you close all
the sub menus.
9. Click Modify from the PART Menu. Select the last wall feature.
The developed length is now 0.53. Click Done .
10. Click Setup > Sheetmetal > Bend Allow > Bend Table > Show
> From Part > U_SHAPE. Confirm that the developed length of
0.53 is correct for a thickness of 0.25 and radius of 0.25.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
Pro/ENGINEER uses a standard bend formula to calculate the

developed length of a sheetmetal model.
Instead of using the default formula to calculate the developed length
of a sheetmetal model, you can use a bend table.
You can use the SMT_DFLT_BEND_RADIUS parameter to set a default
value for bend radius. The system automatically adds a relation to
drive the dimension, if you choose the By Param option when adding
bends or use-radius walls.
You can use the SETUP menu option Fixed Geom to automatically
specify the same reference when creating unbend and bend back
features.

Module
Converting Solid Parts

In this module you learn how to convert solid parts to sheetmetal
parts. You also learn to use the conversion feature to make the
converted sheetmetal part developable.
Objectives
Convert a solid part into a sheetmetal part

Add a conversion feature.
Page 11-1
NOTES
CREATING SHEETMETAL PARTS FROM SOLID

PARTS
Solid Pro/ENGINEER parts that are retrieved in Sheetmetal mode can be
converted to sheetmetal parts using two methods.
Driving Srf You can use this option to convert a solid part that has a
uniform thickness and can be offset by the material thickness. The system
prompts for a surface to use as the driving (green) surface.
Figure 1: Using a Driving Surface
Shell If the part does not have uniform thickness, the Shell option can
be used to shell the solid part and convert it at the same time.

NOTES
Figure 2: Shelling a Model
Once converted to a sheetmetal part, all of the existing geometry is

referenced to define the base wall feature. Any feature created in
Sheetmetal mode has to be deleted to convert the part back to a solid part.
CREATING A DEVELOPABLE PART

Once the part is converted into a sheetmetal part, it may still be
undevelopable. To convert the geometry so that it can be developed, a
single feature can be added to the part. A Conversion feature enables
multiple elements to be defined at once. These elements are as follows:
Point Reliefs This element creates points along an edge to break the
edge into multiple segments.
Co n v e r t i n g So l i d P a rt s Pag e 1 1- 3
NOTES
Figure 3: Splitting an Edge
Edge Rip This element rips the geometry along an edge, similar to the
Rip feature. The rip can then be converted from an open type edge to one
in which the wall has overlap.
Rip Connect This element rips the geometry between two points or
vertices in the model.
Edge rips added Rip connect
Figure 4: Using Rip Connect

NOTES
Bends This element creates edge bends along non-tangent edges.
Figure 5: Edge Bend
Corner Relief Creates round or obround corner relief at eligible corners.

The vertices selected or affected are highlighted with symbols that indicate
the type of conversion feature or relief feature defined.
Corner relief
created in
combination with
edge rip and
bends
Figure 6: Circular Corner Relief
NOTES
Table 1: Conversion Feature Symbols

Symbol Conversion Feature
Ob Obround
Cir Circular
None Square corner is generated
No No relief is applied, the default V-notch is applied

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to convert a solid part into a developable
sheetmetal part.
Method
In the first exercise, you retrieve a solid part and use the shell method to
convert it into a sheetmetal part. You then, unbend the model by adding a
rip feature.
In the second exercise, you use the special sheetmetal conversion feature
to convert a solid part into sheetmetal.
Tools
Icon Description
Unbend
Relief fly-out icons
Rip
Conversion
NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Converting a Sheetmetal Part
Figure 7: Solid Part to Flattened Sheetmetal Part
Task 1. Open the CONVERSION sheetmetal part and convert it to

sheetmetal geometry.
1. Open CONVERSION.PRT.
2. Convert the part to sheetmetal. Click Applications > Sheetmetal .
3. Click Shell and specify the removal of the three hidden surfaces as
Select these
three hidden
surfaces to
remove (two
sides and
bottom)
Figure 8: Specifying the Surfaces to Remove

NOTES
4. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . Type [0.25] as the shell thickness
and press <ENTER>.
Task 2. Add an edge rip feature to one of the edges and then unbend the
geometry.
1. Click [Rip]. Click Edge Rip > Done .
2. Select two edges (white or green) as shown in the following figure.
Fixed surface for

Unbend
Select these edges

for the edge rip
Figure 9: Specifying the Edges to Create the Edge Rip
3. Click Done Sel > Done Refs . Click OK to complete the rip.
4. Create a regular unbend feature. Click [Unbend].
5. Click Regular > Done . Specify the top surface to remain fixed as
shown in the above figure.
6. Click Unbend All > Done . Note that some deformation of the
convex triangular corner occurs as the system unbends it. Click OK
Note:
If your unbent wall contains a square rather than a small
triangle in the corner, you selected only one edge for the rip
feature. Repeat the previous step to select the other edge also.
NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Using the Sheetmetal Conversion

Feature
Figure 10: Converting a solid part
Task 1. Open the CONVERT part and convert it to sheetmetal.
1. Open CONVERT.PRT. This part was created as a solid part. It

consists only of default datum planes and two rectangular
protrusions.
2. Click Applications > Sheetmetal .
3. Click Shell on the SMT CONVERT menu.
4. Select the three surfaces, as shown in the following figure to

remove with the shell. Type [0.20] as the thickness and press
<ENTER>.
Select these
three surfaces
to remove (one
on top and two
hidden back
and side
surfaces
Figure 11: Selecting Surfaces to Remove

NOTES
Task 2. Convert the geometry to sheetmetal geometry using the

conversion feature.
1. Click [Conversion]. Note that all five elements in the dialog

box are optional.
2. Click Point Reliefs > Define .
3. Click Create to create a datum point to locate the point relief.
4. Select the edge indicated in the following figure, click Offset , and
select the right hand surface as the offset plane to locate the point.
Select this
green edge
Select this
side
surface as
offset
plane
Figure 12: Creating the Datum Point
5. Type [1.8] for the offset distance and press <ENTER>. Click
Done.
Note:
Do not click OK . You still have to define the other elements
for the conversion feature.
6. Double-click Edge Rip from the dialog box. Select the three edges
shown in the following figure. Click Done Sel > Done Sets .
Co n v e r t i n g So l i d P a rt s Pag e 1 1- 1 1
NOTES
Select these three

green edges for
edge rip
Figure 13: Specifying Edges on Which to Create the Edge Rip
7. Double-click Rip Connect in the dialog box and click Add .
8. For the first end, select the datum point you created for the point
relief. The system then highlights all of the possible corners and
other rip features to connect the rip. Select the bottom vertex of the
other rip, as shown in the following figure.
Select this vertex

for second end
Select the
datum point
for first end
Figure 14: Creating the Rip Connect
9. Click OK > Done Sets .

NOTES
10. Double-click Corner Reliefs in the dialog box and click Add .
One corner of the model has a note attached to it that reads,
No. This note indicates that this corner is eligible for corner
relief, but currently has none.
11. Select the note and click Redefine .
12. Click Corner # 1 > Done .
13. A dialog box appears. Double-click Corner Relief .
14. Click Circular > Enter Value .
15. Type [0.5] for the dimension value and press <ENTER>.
16. Click OK > Done Sets.
17. Click Preview to preview the conversion feature.
Note:
Note that the conversion feature is about to add edge bends
automatically to all remaining sharp corners, using the
thickness of the material as an inside radius. Instead of
selecting the Bends element to manually add or remove
edges, you allow the system to select them all automatically.
18. Click OK to complete the conversion feature. The part should

appear as shown in the following figure.
Figure 15: Final Geometry after Using the Conversion Feature
NOTES
Task 3. With the conversion feature in place, unbend the part.
1. Create a regular, unbend feature. Click [Unbend]. Specify an

appropriate surface of your choice to remain fixed. The finished
part should appear as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
Solid parts can be converted to sheetmetal parts using

Pro/SHEETMETAL.
A Conversion feature can be used to make the converted sheetmetal
part developable.
Module
Project Laboratory
In this project module, you practice how to create sheetmetal models
using the top-down design approach. You will also use
Pro/ENGINEERs sheetmetal design tools to unbend complex
geometry.
Objectives
Design sheetmetal models using the top-down design approach.

Unbend complex geometry.
Page 12-1
NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to create a sheetmetal component in an
assembly using the top-down design approach. You also unbend a
sheetmetal part using deformation areas.
Method
In the first exercise, you complete the battery bracket part located in the
routed system sub-assembly of a car that was created using the top-down
design approach. The necessary assembly information has been copied
into the battery bracket part. The changes made to the top-level assembly
will automatically be reflected in the battery bracket part.
In the second exercise, you unbend a connector part where the ends were
created first and completed by blending the wall in between them.
Pro/ENGINEER will indicate that some of the geometry needs to be
deformed to create the flat pattern.

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Sheetmetal Part Creation
Finished Battery
Bracket
Figure 1: Routed System Assembly
Task 1.Open the BATTERY_BRACKET part from the

ROUTED_SYSTEM assembly and add the first extruded wall.
1. Click File > Set Working Directory and change your working
directory to <user home directory>\Sheetmetal_320\Project.
2. Open ROUTED_SYSTEM.ASM. Review the assembly.
3. Right-click on BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT and open it from the

Model Tree.
4. Switch to the 1_WALL view from the saved view list. Adjust your
model orientation by panning and zooming in for better viewing.
5. Create an Extruded Use Radius wall with an Inside Radius and to

One Side of the sketching plane. Select the edge shown in the
following figure as the attachment edge.
P ro j e c t L ab o rat o r y Pag e 1 2- 3
NOTES
Select the bottom

edge as attachment
edge
Figure 2: Specifying the Attachment Edge
6. Use the Default sketching plane and accept the default viewing
direction of the sketching plane.
7. Select the edge of the copied geometry feature as a dimensional

reference, as shown in the following figure.
Select this copy

geometry edge as
dimensional
reference
Figure 3: Specifying Dimensional Reference

NOTES
8. Sketch four line segments and three fillets of equal radii, and
dimension the section, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 4: Sketching the First Extruded Wall
9. Complete the wall with No Relief and set the Bend Radius to be
equal to the thickness of the part.
Task 2. Setup Sheetmetal Parameters as default values for commonly

used feature options.
1. Click Setup > Sheetmetal >Parameters .
2. Click Edit > Set Attribute to Auto > Yes in the SHEETMETAL
PARAMETERS dialog box.
3. Set the Value Yes for SMT_PART_BEND_ALLOW_DFLTS,

SMT_SHARPS_TO_BEND and Thru all depth value for
SMT_DFLT_DEPTH_OPTION, as shown in the following figure.
Click OK to apply these parameters.
NOTES
Figure 5: Setting Up Sheetmetal Parameters
Task 3. Create another extruded wall on the other side of the bracket
1. Switch to the view labeled 2_WALL. Create another Extruded Use

Radius wall, similar to the first one, using the attachment edge, as

NOTES
Select bottom edge

as attachment edge
Figure 6: Specifying the attachment edge
2. Sketch the wall and dimension it, as shown in the following figure.
Select this copy

geometry edge as
dimensional
reference
Figure 7: Sketching the Second Extruded Wall
3. Complete creating the wall. Notice that the system did not prompt
you for some of the attributes, since you set default values using
the SHEETMETAL PARAMETERS dialog box.
Task 4. Setup automatic bend relief for secondary walls
1. Set the SMT_DFLT_BEND_REL_TYPE to Rip , as shown in the

following figure. Click OK to apply it.
NOTES
Figure 8: Setting Up Automatic Bend Relief
Task 5. Create a flat use radius wall
1. Switch to the view labeled 3_FLAT_WALL. Create a Flat Use

Radius wall using the attachment edge, as shown in the following
figure.
Select bottom edge

as attachment edge
Figure 9: Specifying Attachment Edge
2. Sketch the wall and dimension it, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Select these edges as

Align end points to dimensional references
the attachment edge
Figure 10: Sketching the Flat Wall
3. Complete the wall. Notice that the system added a rip relief
automatically.
Task 6. Create extend walls on both ends of the flat walls.
1. Create an Extend wall on the right-hand side end of the flat wall by
selecting the edge and up to the surface, as shown in the following
figure.
Select outside edge

and outside surface
to extend upto.
Figure 11: Extending the Right-hand Side of the Flat Wall
2. Create another extend wall on the left-hand side using the edge and
surface, as shown in the following figure.
NOTES
Select outside
edge and outside
surface to extend
upto
Figure 12: Extending the Left-hand Side of the Flat Wall
3. Save the BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT and open the

ROUTED_SYSTEM.ASM. The system automatically updated the
assembly with the changes to the BATTERY_BRACKET.PRT.
4. Save the assembly and erase all the models from memory.

NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Unbending Complex Geometry
Select the top flat

surface to remain
fixed
Figure 13: Connector Part
Task 1. Open the CONNECTOR.PRT and create a regular Unbend.
1. Open CONNECTOR.PRT. Create a Regular Unbend All feature.

Select the surface shown in the above figure to remain fixed.
2. Switch to the views labeled 1_DEFORM and 2_DEFORM to select

the surfaces to deform, as shown in the following figure.
Select these side

surfaces as
deform areas
Figure 14: Selecting the Deform Areas
NOTES
3. Refine the shape of the deformed sections. Click Deform Control

> Define > Auto Area #1 > Deform Type > Manual .
4. Sketch a spline, as shown in the following figure, and complete the

feature.
Sketch a spline
for the deform
area
Figure 15: Refining the Deform Area
5. Save the completed connector part and erase it from memory.
Figure 16: Unbent Connector

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
You have learned to:
Create a sheetmetal component using the top-down design approach

and unbend complex sheetmetal geometry using deformation areas.
Module
Documenting Sheetmetal Design

In this module you learn how to create a multi-model production
drawing. You learn how to document the bend order sequence of a
sheetmetal part.
Objectives
Create a production drawing showing the flat and designed states

of a sheetmetal part.
Document the bend order sequence of a sheetmetal part using a
bend order table.
Page 13-1
NOTES
CREATING FLAT STATES USING FAMILY TABLES

You can assist manufacturing by creating Flat Pattern representations from
the sheetmetal design model using the Flat State option in the SETUP
menu. The system creates a simple family table with the as designed
model as the generic and the Flat State as the instance. The system will
automatically update the flat state with all modifications made to the
design model.
Family tables offer an efficient method for developing variations of your

sheetmetal design. You can generate variations of the original model by
reusing the existing data. The variations are referred to as instances and
the original model is known as the generic model.
Using this method, you can increase your productivity by:
Storing multiple similar models within the same file.

Saving different steps of the manufacturing of a model.
Saving a developed flat instance inside a formed generic model.
The instances created with the Flat State option are initially completely
unbent. Features created in Flat State instances behave just like those
created in regular family table members.
You can create the first flat state instance from a generic model that is
either fully formed or fully flat.
If the generic model is (fully) formed, the UNBEND FEATURE dialog

box prompts for the unbends necessary to make it fully flat. The
system then creates the instance. The family table for the generic
model now contains a new column listing the new unbends. The
unbends are suppressed for the generic model and enabled for the
instances.
If the generic model is already flattened (fully flat), the system
prompts you to select the unbends that you created to make it that way.
It creates the first flat state instance and bends back the generic (by
suppressing the unbend). The Family Table for the generic model now
contains a new column listing the unbends. The unbends are
suppressed for the generic and enabled for the instances.

NOTES
Retrieving Instances
Once the family table resulting from the flat state is created, you can
retrieve the flat state instance using one of the following three methods:
Highlight the instance name in the FAMILY TABLE dialog box and
click Open .
Open the generic model to obtain a list of its instances. You can
retrieve either the generic model or a specific instance. When
retrieving an instance, you can select the instance by its name or by a
specific parameter.
If an instance index file is present, retrieve the instance directly.
CREATING MULTI-MODEL DRAWINGS

Once you have defined a flat state, you can use both instances of the
model in a production drawing. By creating a multi-model drawing, you
can add details, drawing annotations and dimensions for both states, as
well as independently scale views of the instances.
Note:
When you add a model to a drawing, Pro/ENGINEER only
associates that model. Once you have associated both instances
of the sheetmetal model to the drawing, you can change the
active model using the Set Model option in the DWG
MODELS menu.
Tweaking the Flat Pattern

The flat pattern that the system generates when you create an unbend
feature may not represent the exact outline of the model because
deformation areas may exist in the model geometry. Using your
knowledge of sheet geometry, you can add material to the flat pattern by
using the Deform Control element discussed earlier.
Docum enting Sh eetm eta l Des ign Pag e 1 3-3

NOTES
Figure 1: Using Deform Control to Tweak the Flat Geometry
DOCUMENTING THE BEND ORDER

To document the bend order for manufacturing, you can use a bend order
table, as shown in the following figure. With the model completely
unbent, you can select the bend or groups of bends in sequence; then save
the bend order table to a file named PARTNAME.BOT. You can show it on
a production drawing by creating a note and reading it in the .BOT file. If
you change the table in Sheetmetal mode, the note on the drawing
automatically updates; however, you must add any new bends to the table
manually.

NOTES
Sequence 1,
Sequence 3, Bend 1
Bend 1
Sequence 1,
Bend 2
Sequence 2,
Bend 1
Sequence 2,
Bend 2
Sequence 4,
Bend 1
Figure 2: Creating a Bend Order Table

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to document the manufacturing process of
a sheetmetal model.
Method
In this exercise, you add a solid protrusion to a sheetmetal part and
document the manufacturing process by creating a production drawing.
Tools
Icon Description
Flat Use Radius Wall

Unbend
Done
Show/Erase Axes
Show All detail items

Show/Erase Notes

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Documenting the Model

Task 1. Retrieve the DOC_CONVERSION sheetmetal part and create a
flat state.
1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select the GENERIC and click

Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. This part contains an
edge rip feature that enables it to be flattened.
Select this
surface to
remain
fixed The edge rip
feature is
located along
this edge
Figure 3: Specifying the Surface to Remain Fixed
2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Flat State > Create .
3. Accept the default name of DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1 for the

flat pattern instance. Press <ENTER>. Click Fully Formed from
the PART STATE menu.
4. Select the top surface, as shown in the above figure, to remain

fixed. It highlights the corner surface in red and indicates that it
will be deformed.
5. Click OK . The system automatically creates a third version of the

model in the family table, which now includes the following:
A fully formed version (the generic).
A fully flat version (the flat state named
DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1) using edge rips.
A special version for the bend order table with the corner
removed by a surface rip.

NOTES
Task 2. Open the flat state instance.
1. Click Window > Close to close the active window.
2. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select

DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1 and click Open in the SELECT
INSTANCE dialog box.
Task 3. Redefine the unbend feature to define Deform Control to better

represent the flat state geometry.
1. Select the Unbend feature from the model tree and right-click
Redefine as shown in the following figure.
Figure 4: Redefining the Unbend
2. Select the DEFORM CONTROL element and click Define .
3. Click Auto Area # 1 . The UNBEND dialog box displays.
4. Select the DEFORM TYPE element and click Define .
5. Click Manual . The system automatically places you in Sketcher, so

that the deform area can be sketched.
6. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch a single

arc, as shown in the following figure, to define the deformed area.

NOTES
Have the endpoints

and center of the arc
snap to these
vertices
Figure 5: Sketching Protrusion to Add to the Instance
7. Click [Done]. Click OK > Done > OK . Set the unbent part to
its default orientation, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 6: Unbent with Deform Control
8. Save the model and close the active window.
Task 4. Create an additional wall on the generic model. Check the

Model Tree for the suppressed unbend feature.
1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select the GENERIC and click

Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box.

NOTES
2. Create a flat use radius wall. Click [Flat Use Radius]. Click
Part Bend Tbl > Done/Return . Click Inside Rad > Done/Return .
3. Select the green edge as shown in the following figure. Accept the
default bend angle of 90 degrees, and click Done . Click Okay to
accept the default viewing direction.
Select this edge

(green side)
Figure 7: Specifying the Edge for the Wall Feature
4. Click Close from the REFERENCES dialog box. Sketch three lines
and dimension them, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 8: Sketching Section of the Additional Wall
5. Click [Done].

NOTES
6. Click No Relief > Done. Click Enter Value and type [0.25] as
the bend radius and press <ENTER>.

8. Save the model and close the active window.
9. Open the fully flat state (i.e., DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1). Notice
the new wall in the flat instance. Click Regenerate , if necessary.
10. Close the window.
Note:
Any changes made to the fully formed generic will be
propagated to the flat state instance automatically.
Task 5. Create a bend order table for the DOC_BND_ORD_TBL

instance.
1. Open DOC_CONVERSION.PRT. Select DOC_BND_ORD_TBL and

click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE dialog box. Set the model to
the default orientation.
Note:
Since the bend order table cannot unbend any geometry that
has to be deformed, this instance contains a surface rip that
removes the convex corner from the model.
Specify this
surface to remain
fixed
Figure 9: Specifying the Top Surface to Remain Flat

NOTES
2. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Bend Order > Show/Edit . Select
the top flat surface of the part, as shown in the above figure.
3. Select the first two bends, as shown in the following figure. These
will be included in the first bend sequence.
Select these two

bends
Figure 10: Specifying Bends for Bend Order Table
4. Click Done Sel > Next . Specify the top same surface to remain
fixed. The system bends back the two selected bends and displays
the model, as shown in the following figure.
5. Select the bend for the second sequence, as shown in the following
figure.
Select this
bend for the
second
sequence.
Figure 11: Specifying Bend for Second Sequence

NOTES
6. Click Done Sel > Next , and specify the same top surface to remain
fixed.
7. The model should now have the bend in the second bend sequence
bent back, as shown in the following figure. Select the last bend, as
Select this bend
Figure 12: Specifying Bend for Third Sequence
8. Click Done Sel > Done , and specify the same surface to remain
fixed. The system should now inform you that the bending
sequence is successful.
9. Click Info to view the bend order table. The table should appear as
Figure 13: Bend Order Table

NOTES
Note:
The out and in references in the bend order table refer to the
GREEN side of the sheetmetal. Since it is a text file, you can
modify text in the .bot file at any time.
10. Close the INFORMATION window.
11. To create a drawing with the bend order table that includes the
notes to the appropriate bend, create a regular unbend all feature in
the DOC_BND_ORD_TBL instance. Click [Unbend].
12. Click Regular > Done . Select the same top surface of the model to
remain fixed.
13. Click Unbend All > Done . Click OK to complete the unbend
feature.
14. Save the model and close the window. Make sure you close all
active windows, if open.
Task 6. Create a two-sheet multi-model drawing to document the flat

state and bend order table that you just created.
1. Create a new drawing. Click File > New . Click Drawing as the file
type. Type [DOC_CONV]. Remove the check mark from the Use
default template check mark at the bottom of the NEW dialog
box. Click OK .
2. Click Browse to select DOC_CONVERSION.PRT as the default

model, as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 14: Selecting the default model
3. Click Open . Accept all other defaults and click OK .
4. Select THE GENERIC and click Open in the SELECT INSTANCE

dialog box.
5. Create a general view of the generic model. Click Views > Add
View > General > Full View > No Xsec > Scale > Done .
6. Select a point in the right upper corner of the drawing to place the
view.
7. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>. Leave the view in the
default orientation. Click OK from the ORIENTATION dialog box.
8. Add the flat state instance to the drawing. Click Dwg Models >
Add Model.
9. Select the DOC_CONVERSION.PRT and click Open. Select the

DOC_CONVERSION_FLAT1.PRT from the SELECT INSTANCE
dialog box and click Open .

NOTES
10. Click Add View > General > Full View > No Xsec > Scale >
Done .
11. Select a point in the lower left-hand corner.
12. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>.
13. Orient the view. Select the top green surface as the FRONT
reference and the top green edge of the model as the TOP
reference. Click OK . If necessary move the view to locate it, as
Figure 15: Design and Flat State Models
14. Click View > Show and Erase . This should open up the
SHOW/ERASE dialog box.
15. Click SHOW tab and . Click in the SHOW BY

area of the dialog box. Click Yes to confirm the Show All. Click
Accept All in the PREVIEW tab.
16. Click Close to close the dialog box.
17. Click Insert > Dimension > New References . Create the
dimensions shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Note:
Use the same technique to create dimensions as you would in
the sketcher. Select the entities. Middle-click to place the
dimension.
Figure 16: First Sheet of Drawing
18. Click Return from the ATTACH TYPE menu. Make sure you are in
the DRAWING menu.
19. Create a second sheet to display the bend order table. Click Sheets
> Add > Done/Return . The system will add a sheet and make that
active.
20. Click Views > Dwg Models > Add Model .
21. Select DOC_CONVERSION.PRT and click Open. Select

DOC_BND_ORD_TBL. Click Open from the SELECT INSTANCE
dialog box.
22. Click Add View > General> Full View> No Xsec > Scale >
Done .
23. Select a point in the middle of the screen.

NOTES
24. Type [0.3] as the scale and press <ENTER>.
25. Select the top green side as the FRONT reference and the top green
edge as the TOP reference. Click OK from the ORIENTATION
dialog box. If necessary, move the view to locate it to the middle
of the drawing.
26. Click Done/Return .
27. Click View > Show and Erase .
28. Click the SHOW tab. Click and . Click

in the SHOW BY area of the dialog box. Click Yes to confirm the
Show All. Click Accept All in the PREVIEW tab. This will display
the bend order table, as shown in the following figure.
29. Click Close to close the dialog box.
Figure 17: Second Sheet of Drawing
30. Save the drawing and erase it from memory.

NOTES
MODULE SUMMARY
You can create a flat state instance of a sheetmetal part for use in
documenting the design for manufacturing.
You can create the flat state instance from a generic sheetmetal part
that is either fully formed or fully flat.
Once you have defined a flat state, you can use both instances of the
model in a production drawing.
You can tweak the flat pattern by creating a flat wall or solid
protrusion in the model.
To document the bend order for manufacturing, you can use a bend
order table.

Module
Sheetmetal Design Information

In this module, you learn how to extract design information from a
sheetmetal part. You learn to setup standard sheetmetal design rules.
Objectives
Calculate measurements on a sheetmetal model.

Use Gaussian Curvature analysis to identify surfaces that cannot be
unbent without deformation.
Generate sheetmetal bend reports.
Generate sheetmetal radii reports.
Set up design rules.
Page 14-1
NOTES
EXTRACTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION

Pro/ENGINEER provides you with unique tools that you can use to
extract design information from a sheetmetal part.
Calculating Measurements
Using the Measure option from the ANALYSIS menu, you can determine
the curve length, angle, surface area, and distance. For example, you can
compare the length of an edge on a bend in its bent state versus its unbent
state or check complex angles between walls.
Analyzing Surfaces
One of the most common problems encountered when modeling
sheetmetal components is an inability to unbend the geometry. Surfaces
that curve in two directions must deform drastically to form that shape in a
sheetmetal model. Pro/ENGINEER cannot capture this deformation
through empirical formulation. Using the Gaussian curvature tool, you can
calculate a summation of the maximum and minimum curvature vectors at
any point on a surface, as shown in the following figure.
Fringe Plot
surfaces with
non-developable
geometry

NOTES
Figure 1: Using the Gaussian Curvature Tool
Pro/ENGINEER highlights the model with a fringe plot, distinguishing

any surface that curves in two directions (non-developable) from those
with zero curvature. Planar surfaces and ruled surfaces (cylinders and
cones) have a Gaussian curvature value of zero, since there is no curvature
in at least one direction on the surface.
Generating Bend Reports

By generating a bend report, as shown in the following figure, you can
interrogate bends on a model to obtain information on the overall
calculation parameters used in the component. The report can also provide
you with information concerning bends that are not 90 degrees, so that you
can interrogate them further. This can be very helpful when you use bend
tables or a bend formula that does not consider the bend angle in its
calculation.
Sh e etmet al De sign Info rm at ion Pag e 1 4-3

NOTES
Figure 2: Typical Bend Report
Generating Radii Reports

Using a sheetmetal radii report, as shown in the following figure, you can
investigate the bend radii of a model, including the feature ID, dimension
parameter name, and the radius value. You can use radii reports to also
quickly determine if the radii values adhere to the company standard.

NOTES
Figure 3: Typical Radii Report
SETTING UP DESIGN RULES

Design rules vary according to the materials and manufacturing process
that you use to develop your model. To set up design rules for a model,
you can use the Design Rules option in the SHEETMETAL SETUP menu.
Establishing a Design Rule Table

To set up design rules, you must establish a design rule table, as shown in
the following figure, and assign it to the model. You can develop as many
tables as you would like, based on the different manufacturing practices
and materials that you use. Using the tables, you can establish rules for
values such as minimal slot widths and depths, minimal cut distances from
boundaries, and minimal wall heights.

NOTES
Figure 4: Default Settings
After you set up the rules for your model, you can check for design
violations in the model. An information window displays the rule name
and formula, along with the dimensional values, enabling you to determine
why it did not meet the rule criteria, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 5: Violated Rules

NOTES
Goal
The goal of this laboratory is to learn how to obtain information and
verify that your design rules have not been violated before sending the
sheetmetal part to manufacturing.
Method
In this exercise, you use sheetmetal information tools to obtain design
information about the sheetmetal part.

NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Using Sheetmetal Information Tools

Task 1. Open the DOC_CABLEBOX sheetmetal part and review the
geometry.
1. Open DOC_CABLEBOX.PRT.
Figure 6: DOC_CABLEBOX.PRT
2. Click Info > Feature from the pull-down menu and select the last
three features in the model tree, one by one, to review them. Close
the information window. Click Done Sel after reviewing the
features.
Task 2. Create a bend report.
1. Click Info > Sheetmetal from the pull-down menu.
2. Click Bend Report from the SHEEMETAL INFO dialog box, as


NOTES
Figure 7: Sheetmetal Info Dialog
3. Clear the File check box to write output only to the screen. Click
OK .
4. Click View > Line Numbers in the information window. Note that
the part information is displayed on lines 2 through 8, including the
part name, material, thickness, y-factor and k-factor.
5. Note that the two bend IDs use a feature bend table (lines 10
through 15). In the Model Tree, identify the two bends with the
IDs shown in the information window. Select the two bends and
notice that the system highlights them on the model.
Note:
You may need to click View > Model Tree Setup >
Highlight Model in the MAIN window.
6. Note that the same two bend IDs are listed on lines 17 through 22
as being non-90-degree bends. After reviewing the information,
close the information window.
Task 3. Create a sheetmetal radii report.
1. Create a radii report. Click Info > Sheetmetal from the pull-down
menu. Click Radii Report and clear the File check box to write
output only to the screen.
2. Click View > Line Numbers in the information window.
3. Note that the part information is displayed on lines 2 through 8,

including the part name, material, thickness, y-factor and k-factor.

NOTES
4. Four bends were created (on lines 10 through 17) with non-
suggested radii. Use the Model Tree to determine the location of
these bends on the model, then close the window.
Task 4. Create a design rule, assign it to the part, and check the design.
1. Click Set Up > Sheet Metal > Design Rules > Define . Type
[rule_set1] as the name and press <ENTER>. A Pro/TABLE
editor appears.
2. Investigate the seven default design rules. Notice that the left
column contains parameter names for each design rule, and the
right column contains the design rule in the form of a value or
equation involving R and T. The design rule value or equation is
always the minimum allowable value.
3. Change the MIN_CUT_TO_BEND to [4*T+R], change

MIN_LASER_DIM to [1.25*T], change MIN_WALL_HEIGHT
[0.5*T+R], and change MIN_CUT_TO_BOUND to [5*T]. Save and
exit Pro/TABLE editor.
4. Assign the rule set to the part. From the RULE MGMT menu, click
Assign > From Part > RULE_SET1 . Note the message that
appears in the message area.
5. From the INFO pull-down menu click Sheetmetal > Design

Check to check the design rules. Clear the File check box. Click
OK .
6. Click View > Line Numbers to display line numbers in the

information window.
7. Review the information window. Notice that line 3 displays the

design rule set that you assigned to this model.
8. Read the information in line 1. Select line 9 and observe the

model as it highlights the violating dimension [0.38]. The current
value column corresponds to the highlighted dimension. Using the
RULES VIOLATIONS DIAGNOSTIC window, investigate the
model further, and then click Cancel .
Task 5. Modify the model to avoid the two MIN_CUT_TO_BEND

violations.
1. Click Modify > Query Sel and select the rectangular form, as

NOTES
Use Query
Sel to select
this
rectangular
Form
feature.
Figure 8: Modifying the Dimension
2. The system does not show the actual violated dimension of 0.38
because the form was placed with the offset dimension of 0.75.
Click the 0.75 dimension and change it to [0.85]. Regenerate the
model.
3. Click Info > Sheetmetal > Design Check . Use the RULES
VIOLATIONS DIAGONISTICS window to verify that the
modification eliminated the violation.

Module
Additional Exercises
This appendix provides you with additional practice of some of the
concepts covered in this training course. The exercises can be
completed during class if time permits, or they can be done on your
own time as they require no pre-existing files.
Page A-1
NOTES
EXERCISE 1: Creating a Blended Primary Wall

In this exercise, you create a blended wall as the sheetmetal primary wall.
Figure 1: Blended Primary Wall
Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part with a blended wall.
1. Create a new sheetmetal part named BLEND.PRT using the default

template.
2. Click [Blended Wall]. Accept the defaults Parallel > Regular

Sec > Sketch Sec > Done > Straight > Done .
3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane and Flip the
arrow for the direction of feature creation.
4. Select datum plane TOP as the Top reference and sketch the first
section, as shown in the following figure.
Pag e A- 2 F u n d a m e n t a l s o f Sh e et m e t a l De s i g n
NOTES
Figure 2: First Blend Section
5. Click Sketch > Feature Tools > Toggle Section (or click Toggle
Section from the pop-up menu) to toggle to sketch the second
section.
6. Sketch the second section within the first, as shown in the

following figure.
Figure 3: Second Blend Section
Addit ional Exe r cis es Pag e A- 3

NOTES
Tip:
If you need to change the start point of one of the blend
sections, select the desired vertex on the section and click
Start Point from the pop-up menu.
7. After exiting from Sketcher, flip the arrow to the inside. Type
[0.1] as the thickness and [7.0] as the depth for the second
section, and press <ENTER>. The part should display as shown in
NOTES
EXERCISE 2: Creating a Flat Primary Wall

In this exercise, you create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall as the
sheetmetal primary wall.
Figure 5: Flat Primary Wall
Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part with a flat wall.
1. Create a new sheetmetal part named SWEEP.PRT using the default

template.
3. Select datum plane FRONT as the sketching plane and datum plane
TOP as the Top reference.
4. Sketch the section as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 6: Section Dimensions
5. Type [0.1] as the thickness and press <ENTER>. The completed

part should display as shown in the following figure.
NOTES
EXERCISE 3: Creating a Swept Secondary Wall

In this exercise, you create a swept secondary wall along a tangent edge.
Figure 8: Swept Secondary Wall
Task 2. Retrieve the sweep sheetmetal part and create a swept wall.
1. Open SWEEP.PRT.
2. Click [Swept No Radius Wall].
3. Click Tangnt Chain and select the green edges indicated in the
following figure. Note the location of the start point, and click
Start Point to change its location if necessary.
Start point
here
Select this green

edge for the
tangent chain
Figure 9: Defining the Trajectory Path

NOTES
4. Accept the default upward direction, and create the cross-section of

the swept hem. Sketch the section as shown in the following
figure. Use a 270-degree 3-point arc, a tangent arc, and a line.
Figure 10: Section for the Swept Blend
5. When you have finished sketching, click No Relief > Done > OK .
The part displays as shown in the following figure.
NOTES

NOTES
EXERCISE 4: Creating a Twisted Secondary Wall

In this exercise, you create a twist wall along an edge, and then unbend the
geometry to observe the changes that occur in the developed length.
Figure 12: Twisted Secondary Wall
Task 1. Create a flat primary wall.
1. Create a new part named TWIST.PRT using the default template.
2. Create a flat primary wall as shown in the following figure.
Figure 13: Flat Primary Wall
Pag e A- 10 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

NOTES
Task 2. Create a twisted wall along the bottom of the part.
1. Click Insert > Sheetmetal Wall > Twist.
2. Select the green or white lower edge of the wall, as indicated in the
following figure.
Select bottom
edge to attach the
twist wall
Figure 14: Attachment Edge
3. Click Use Middle to create a datum point at the midpoint of the

selected edge to locate the twist axis.
4. Type [2.0] as the start width and press <ENTER>. The default
value is the length of the selected edge.
5. Type [2.5] as the end width and press <ENTER>.
6. Type [2.5] as the twist length (length after twisting) and press
<ENTER>.
7. Type [90] as the twist angle and press <ENTER>.
8. Type [4.0] as the developed length and press <ENTER>. This

represents the length of the wall if you unbend it.
9. Click OK . The completed part displays, as shown in the following

figure.
Addit ional Exe r cis es Pag e A-11

NOTES

NOTES
EXERCISE 5: Bend Line Adjustment

In this exercise, you control bend line placement with relations.
Task 1. Create a new sheetmetal part named BLA.PRT.
1. Create a sheetmetal part named BLA.PRT using the default

template.
2. Create a flat wall, sketched on datum plane FRONT, as shown in

Figure 16: Section for Flat Wall
Task 2. Create two angular bend features.
1. Create a regular Angle bend using the part bend table and an inside
radius. Sketch the section shown in the following figure on the
large front face of the part.

NOTES
BS = bend side
FS = fixed side
Sketched bend line Use RecRelief here
BS FS
Figure 17: Flat Wall Section
2. Specify the bend and fixed sides, as shown in the following figure.
3. Use RecRelief on the right side (inside) and no relief on the other
side. For the rectangular relief, specify a width of [0.5] and Up To
Bend depth.
4. The bend angle should be 90 degrees and the radius is [1.0]. If the
wall bends the wrong direction, Flip the direction. The part should
display as shown in the following figure.

NOTES
Figure 18: First Bend Feature
5. Create the same bend on the other side of the part as shown in the
following figure.
Figure 19: Second Bend feature
Task 3. Determine if bend line is in the desired location.
1. Click Analysis > Measure . Click Distance from the TYPE pull-
down menu.
2. Select the two surfaces shown in the following figure. The distance
reported should be 0.054. The two surfaces are not coplanar
because the bend line adjustment is incorrect. You used a value of
0.5. The formula for the BLA is BLA= L - (R+T), where L is the
developed length, R is the inside radius, and T is the thickness.

NOTES
Measure between
these surfaces
Figure 20: Distance Measurement
Task 4. Add a relation to control the BLA.
1. Click Modify and select the left bend. The dimensions should
display as shown in the following figure. The developed length (L)
is 1.70.
Figure 21: Bend Dimensions
2. Click Modify and select the original flat wall feature.
3. With the dimensions shown, click Relations .
4. Identify the symbolic form for the appropriate dimensions shown

in the following figure. Find the developed length (d14), the inside
radius (d13), the thickness (d8), and the BLA (d9). Your
dimension symbols may be different.

NOTES
Figure 22: Dimensions Required for Relation
5. Click Add . The relation you need is the equation for the BLA. For
this example in the following figure, the relation is d9= d14 -
(d13+ d8). Enter your relation. Be sure to use your dimension
symbols. Press <ENTER> twice.
7. Measure the distance again to ensure that the surfaces are coplanar.
8. Create a relation for the right-side bend.
9. To test the relations, modify both of the bend radii to [2.00].
10. Regenerate the part twice.
11. Measure again to ensure that the surfaces remain coplanar.

NOTES
EXERCISE 6: Creating an Edge Bend and a Rip

In this exercise, you create a part with a constant thickness in Part mode,
convert the part into a sheetmetal part, and unbend it using the edge bend
and rip features.
Figure 23: Part with Edge bend and Rip
Task 1. Create a new solid part named RIP.PRT.
1. Create a new solid part named RIP.PRT using the default template.
2. Create an extruded thin protrusion with a rectangular section as

3. Create the feature on both sides of the section.
4. Enter [0.1] as the width (thickness) of thin feature, and [4.0] as

the blind depth.
Figure 24: Sketch for Thin, Solid Protrusion

NOTES
Task 2. Convert the solid part into a sheetmetal part.
1. Click Applications > Sheetmetal .
2. Click Driving Surface for the conversion method.
3. Specify the outer surface, as indicated in the following figure, as

the driving surface (the driving surface is the green side of a
sheetmetal part).
4. Accept the default value of [0.1000] for the thickness. The system
automatically converts the part into a sheetmetal part.
Select this surface as

the green surface
Add Edge Bend to

these edges
Figure 25: Specifying Driving Surface and Adding Edge Bends
Task 3. Create edge bends on the four corner edges.
1. Click [Bended Edge].
2. Select all four edges shown above in the above figure (you can
select inside or outside). Complete the feature. The system creates
the edge bends using the thickness of the material as the inside
radius of the bend.
3. Modify the radii of each bend to [2.0]. The model should display

NOTES
Sketch the rip on

this surface
Figure 26: Sketching Plane for the Rip Feature
Task 4. Create a regular rip.
1. Click [Rip]. Click Regular Rip > Done .
2. Select a surface, as indicated in the above figure, as the sketching

plane. Use the Default reference plane.
3. Sketch a spline shown in the following figure. Reference and

dimension the ends of the spline and complete the rip feature.
Figure 27: Section Sketch for the Rip Feature

NOTES
Task 5. Create a flat pattern of the model.
1. Click [Flat Pattern].
2. Specify a surface to remain fixed, as indicated in the following

figure.
Select this surface

to remain fixed
for flat pattern
Figure 28: Specifying Top Flat Surface to Remain Fixed
3. The completed flat pattern should display as shown in the

following figure.

Appendix
Using PTC Help

You can use PTC Help to quickly search for Pro/ENGINEER
information. PTC Help includes quick references and detailed
information on selected topics.
Objectives
Start PTC Help.

Search for specific information about Pro/ENGINEER.
Obtain context-sensitive help while performing a task.
Page B-1
NOTES
PTC HELP OVERVIEW

PTC Help is a fully functional help system that is integrated into
Pro/ENGINEER.
PTC Help Features

PTC Help offers:
A new help system with a table of contents, an index, and searching

capability
Context-sensitive help, allowing access to PTC Help with a click of
the mouse
Online Tutorials focussed on teaching different aspects of the software
Expanded help topics available as special dialog boxes
Please visit the PTC Technical Support Online Knowledge Database ,
which features thousands of Suggested Techniques. For more
information, see the Technical Support Appendix.
USING THE Pro/ENGINEER HELP SYSTEM

Launching Help: Four Methods
There are four procedures for launching the help system.
1. From the Main Menu

This is the standard way of accessing the full-blown help system complete
with contents, index, and search capabilities. Depending on your system
speed, it may take a few seconds to launch the entire help system.
Click Help > Contents and Index from the main menu as shown in the
following figure.
Pag e B- 2 Append ix B
NOTES
Figure 1 Starting PTC Help
The Pro/ENGINEER Online Help homepage appears in your web browser

window.
Figure 2: Contents and Index in PTC Help
In the left frame of the window, you see a list of topics arranged in a tree
structure. By clicking on each higher level topic, you can access sub-
topics, and by clicking the sub-topics you can access detailed instructions,
explanations, and tips.
Usin g PT C Help Pag e B- 3

NOTES
2. Through Context-Sensitive Help
1. Click on the right end of the main toolbar.
2. Click on any icon or any part of the Pro/ENGINEER main window

about which you want an explanation.
3. A browser window opens that explains the topic.
4. In the following example, clicking on the model tree icon in the

toolbar launched a browser window that explained the icon
functionality.
Figure 3: Context-Sensitive Help
5. In addition, you will also notice at the lower left there is a See
Also link which on clicking provides a list of related topics that
may be of immediate interest.
NOTES
6. You may click on any topic you want to read additionally.
Figure 4: The See Also List of Topics
3. Through Pro/ENGINEER Menu Manager
1. Click on the right end of the main Pro/ENGINEER toolbar.
2. Click any menu command from the menu manager.
3. A TOPIC ROUTER browser window opens with a list of topic links

that explain the menu command.
4. Click the topic you want to read.
5. In the following example, clicking on X-Section in the menu

manager launched the TOPIC ROUTER browser window with a list
of two useful topics.

NOTES
Figure 5: Launching Help through Menu Manager
4. By Right-Clicking on Vertical Menu Commands
1. Right-click and hold on a menu command until the GETHELP

window appears.
Figure 6: Right-Clicking in Menu Manager
NOTES
PTC HELP MODULE LIST

There are four main branches in the PTC Help table of contents:
Welcome, Pro/ENGINEER Foundation, Using Foundation Modules, and
Using Additional Modules.
Figure 7: Four Main Branches in Help System
Consult the following list to find a particular module in the table of

contents:
Figure 8: Foundation and Additional Modules in Help

Appendix
PTC Global Services: Technical Support

PTC Global Services is committed to providing top quality assistance
to our customers. In addition to our Technical Support Hotline, we
also have Web-based offerings that are designed to fit your
individual needs by providing 24 hour / 7 day availability.
PTC Global Services is also committed to continually improving
customer service. Through our Quality Monitoring program, we
have demonstrated our commitment to service by achieving Global
ISO 9000 Certification for our Technical Support offerings.
Objectives
Open a Technical Support Call.

Register for on-line Technical Support.
Navigate the PTC Products Knowledge Base.
Find telephone numbers for technical support and services.
Page C-1
NOTES
FINDING THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT WEB PAGE

Choose Support from the PTC Home Page www.ptc.com or go directly to
www.ptc.com/support/support.htm.
OPENING TECHNICAL SUPPORT CALLS

Opening Technical Support Calls via E-mail
Send email to cs_ptc@ptc.com with copen as the e-mail subject.
Please use the following format (or download the template from
www.ptc.com/cs/doc/copen.htm):
FNAME: First Name

LNAME: Last Name
CALLCENTER: U.S., Germany, France, U.K., Singapore, or
Tokyo
PHONE: NNN NNN-NNNN x-NNNN
CONFIG_ID: NNNNNN
PRODUCT: X
MODULE: XX
PRIORITY: X
DESC_BEGIN:
description starts
description continues
description ends
DESC_END
Pag e C- 2 Append ix C
NOTES
Opening Technical Support Calls via Telephone

Call us directly by telephone (refer to the Contact Information page for
your Local Technical Support Center).
The Technical Support Engineer will ask you for the following
information when logging a call:
Your PTC software Configuration ID

Your name and telephone number
The PTC product (module) name
Priority of the issue
Opening Technical Support Calls via the Web

You can use the PTC Web site www.ptc.com/support to open Technical
Support calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by using the Pro/CALL
LOGGER
Sending Data Files to PTC Technical Support

To send data files to PTC Technical Support, please follow the
instructions at: www.ptc.com/support/cs_guide/additional.htm.
When the call is resolved your data will be deleted by the Technical
Support Engineer. Your data will not be divulged to any third party
vendors under any circumstances. You may also request a Non-Disclosure
Agreement from the Technical Support Engineer.
Cu s t o m e r Su p p o rt I n f o rm a t i o n Pag e C- 3
NOTES
Routing Your Technical Support Calls
Call
Customer question
Telephone Call Web Call
Tech SupportEngineer Call is automatically created

creates a call in the database in the database
Investigation Call Back and Investigation
Support Engineer
solves issue or
reports it
to Development (SPR)
SPR
Software Performance Report
SPR fixed from Development
Software Performance Report (SPR)
SPR Verification through Tech. Support Engineer
Update CD to customer
NOTES
Assigning Technical Support Call Priorities

Extremely Critical Work stopped
Critical Work severely impacted
Urgent Work impacted
Not Critical
General Information
Software Performance Report Priorities

Top Priority Highly critical software issue that is causing a work
stoppage.
High Critical software issue that affects immediate work and a
practical alternative technique is not available.
Medium Software issue that does not affect immediate work or a
practical alternative technique is available.
REGISTERING FOR ON-LINE SUPPORT

Go to www.ptc.com/support and click Sign-up Online , to open the
registration form and enter your Configuration ID.
To find your Pro/ENGINEER Configuration ID, click Help > About

Pro/ENGINEER .
Complete the information needed to identify yourself as a user with your

personal data. Please write down your username and password for future
reference.
NOTES
ONLINE SERVICES
After you have registered you will have full access to all Online Tools.
You can search our Knowledge Base using a Search-Engine. Our Online
Support Applications controls the status of calls (Call Tracker) and SPRs
(SPR Tracker) and adds comments to these. If you add a comment, the
Technical Support Engineer assigned to your call will be notified
automatically.
Additionally, contact information such as the customer feedback line and

electronic order of software and manuals are available.
The Software Update Tool allows you to request the latest software
updates for any PTC product.
FINDING SOLUTIONS IN THE KNOWLEDGE BASE

The Technical Support Knowledge Base contains over 18,000 documents.
Technical Application Notes (TANs), Technical Point of Interest (TPIs),
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and Suggested Techniques offer up-
to-date information about all relevant software areas. All FAQs and
Suggested Techniques are available in English, French, and German.
NOTES
Terminology used by Technical Support

TAN Technical Application Note provides information about SPRs that
may affect more than just the customer originally reporting an issue.
TANs also may provide alternative techniques to allow a user to continue
working.
TPI Technical Point of Interest provides additional technical information

about a software product. TPIs are created by Technical Support to
document the resolution of common issues reported in actual customer
calls. TPIs are similar to TANs, but do not reference an SPR.
Suggested Techniques Provides step-by-step instructions including

screen snapshots, on how to use PTC software to complete common tasks.
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions provides answers to many of the most

commonly asked questions compiled from the PTC Technical Support
database.
NOTES
GETTING UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION

To subscribe to our Knowledge Base Monitor e-mail service, go to
www.ptc.com/support.
1. Click Technical Support > Online Support Applications >

Knowledge Base Monitor .
2. Select the PTC Product or Module for which you want to get
information.
3. You will receive daily e-mail with update information; this can
help you by upgrading to a new PTC product or to a new release.
Figure 1: Knowledge Base Monitor Sign Up
NOTES
CONTACT INFORMATION
PTC Technical Support Worldwide Electronic
Services.
These services are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
Web:
www.ptc.com/support/index.htm (Support)
www.ptc.com/company/contacts/edserv.htm (Education)
E-mail:
cs_ptc@ptc.com (for opening calls and sending data)

cs-webmaster@ptc.com (for comments or suggestions about
the Customer Service Web site)
FTP (for transferring files to PTC Technical Support):
ftp.ptc.com
Technical Support Customer Feedback Line

The Customer Feedback Line is intended for general customer service
concerns that are not technical product issues.
E-mail:
cs-feedback@ptc.com
Telephone:
www.ptc.com/cs/doc/feedback_nums.htm
NOTES
Telephone
For assistance with technical issues, contact the Electronic Services noted
in the previous section, or the Technical Support line as listed in the Phone
and Fax Information sections below.
PTC has nine integrated Technical Support Call Centers in North

America, Europe, and Asia. Our worldwide coverage ensures telephone
access to Technical Support for customers in all time zones and in local
languages.
North America Phone Information

Customer Services (including Technical Support, License Management,
and Documentation Requests):
Within the United States and Canada:
800-477-6435
Outside the United States and Canada:
781-370-5332
781-370-5513
Maintenance:
888-782-3774
Education:
888-782-3773
NOTES
Europe Phone Information

Technical Support Phone Numbers:
Austria 0800 29 7542

Belgium 0800-15-241 (French)
0800-72567 (Dutch)
Denmark 8001-5593
Finland 0800-117092
France 0800-14-19-52
Germany 0180-2245132
49-89-32106-111 (for Pro/MECHANICA outside of
Germany)
Ireland 1-800-409-1622
Israel 1-800-945-42-95 (All languages including Hebrew)
177-150-21-34 (English only)
Italy 800-79-05-33
Luxembourg 0800-23-50
Netherlands 0800022-4519
Norway 8001-1872
Portugal 05-05-33-73-69
South Africa 0800-991068
Spain 900-95-33-39
Sweden 020-791484
Switzerland 0800-55-38-33 (French)
0800-83-75-58 (Italian)
0800-552428 (German)
United Kingdom 0800-318677
License Management Phone Numbers:
Belgium 0800-75376
Denmark 8001-5593
Finland 0800-117-092
Eastern Europe 44 1252 817 078
Cu s t o m e r Su p p o rt I n f o rm a t i o n Pag e C- 1 1
NOTES
France 0800-14-19-52
Germany 49 (0) 89-32106-0
Ireland 1-800-409-1622
Italy 39 (0) 39-65651
Netherlands 0800-022-0543
Norway 8001-1872
Portugal 05-05-33-73-69
Russia 44 1252 817 078
Spain 900-95-33-39
Sweden 020-791484
Switzerland 41 (0) 1-8-24-34-44
United Kingdom 0800-31-8677
Education Services Phone Numbers:
Benelux 31-73-644-2705
France 33-1-69-33-65-50
Germany 49 (0) 89-32106-325
Italy 39-039-65-65-652
39-039-6565-1
Spain/Portugal 34-91-452-01-00
Sweden 46-8-590-956-00 (Malmo)
46-8-590-956-46 (Upplands Vasby)
Switzerland 41 (0) 1-820-00-80
United Kingdom 44-0800-212-565 (toll free within UK)
44-1252-817-140
Asia and Pacific Rim Phone Information

Technical Support Phone Numbers:
Australia 1800-553-565
China* 10800-650-8185 (international toll free)
108-657 (manual toll free)
Hong Kong 800-933309
India* 000-6517
NOTES
Indonesia 001-803-65-7250
7-2-48-55-00-35
Japan 120-20-9023
Malaysia 1-800-80-1026
New Zealand 0800-44-4376
Philippines 1800-1-651-0176
Singapore 65-830-9899
South Korea 00798-65-1-7078 (international toll free)
080-3469-001 (domestic toll free)
Taiwan 0080-65-1256 (international toll free)
080-013069 (domestic toll free)
Thailand 001-800-65-6213
*Note: Callers dialing from India or China must provide the operator with
the respective string:
China MTF8309729
India MTF8309752
The operator will then connect you to the Singapore Technical Support
Center.
License Management Phone Numbers
Japan 81 (0) 3-3346-8280

Hong Kong (852) 2802-8982
Education Services Phone Numbers
Australia 61 2 9955 2833 (Sydney)

61 3 9561 4111 (Melbourne)
China 86-20-87554426 (GuangZhou)
86-21-62785080 (Shanghai)
86-10-65908699 (Beijing)
Hong Kong 852-28028982
India 91-80-2267272 Ext.#306 (Bangalore)
91-11-6474701 (New Delhi)
91-226513152 (Mumbai)
Cu s t o m e r Su p p o rt I n f o rm a t i o n Pag e C- 1 3
NOTES
Japan 81-3-3346-8268
Malaysia 03-754 8198
Singapore 65-8309866
South Korea 82-2-3469-1080
Taiwan 886-2-758-8600 (Taipei)
886-4-3103311 (Taichung)
886-7-3323211 (Kaohsiung)
ELECTRONIC SERVICES
Up-to-Date + Worldwide = Maximum
Information ISO 9000 Productivity
Certification with
Quality Control
PTC
System
Products

PTC ProEngineer Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design T780-320-01 PDF

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

PTC ProEngineer Fundamentals of Sheetmetal Design T780-320-01 PDF

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

PTC Global Services

Trademarks of Parametric Technology Corporation or a Subsidiary

Order Number DT-780-320-EN

Education Services Registration in North America

Technical Support (Monday - Friday)

INTRODUCTION TO SHEETMETAL DESIGN 1-1

PRIMARY WALLS 2-1

SECONDARY WALLS 3-1

UNBEND, BEND BACK, AND CUTS 4-1

NOTCHES AND PUNCHES 5-1

DUPLICATING FEATURES 6-1

SHEETMETAL FORMS 7-1

BEND FEATURES 8-1

UNBENDING SHEETMETAL GEOMETRY 9-1

SHEETMETAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENT 10-1

CONVERTING SOLID PARTS 11-1

PROJECT LABORATORY 12-1

DOCUMENTING SHEETMETAL DESIGN 13-1

SHEETMETAL DESIGN INFORMATION 14-1

Introduction to Sheetmetal Design

Identify the capabilities of the Pro/SHEETMETAL design

Design a sheetmetal part that defines the supporting structures in an

Creating Sheetmetal Parts

Sheetmetal Mode Create a new sheetmetal part using the default

Pag e 1- 2 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

Figure 1: Creating a New Sheetmetal Part

Assembly Mode Create a sheetmetal component in an assembly.

Figure 2: Creating a Sheetmetal Component

Introducti on to Sh eetm etal D esig n Pag e 1- 3

Sheetmetal Applications Convert solid models to sheetmetal

Figure 3: Converting Solid to Sheetmetal Models

Using Sheetmetal-specific Features

notches bend backs

Displaying the Sheetmetal Part

Sheetmetal parts have a constant thickness. Pro/ENGINEER creates the

Pag e 1- 4 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

Orienting the Sheetmetal Part

Figure 4: The Developed Length

Introducti on to Sh eetm etal D esig n Pag e 1- 5

INTRODUCTION TO TOP-DOWN DESIGN

Component Component Component

Figure 5: Distribution of Information from Top to Bottom

The stages of top-down design are:

Pag e 1- 6 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

Figure 6: Top-down Design Architecture

In the traditional assembly design approach, an engineer designs

Component Component Component

Figure 7: Traditional Design Approach

Disadvantages of the Traditional Design Approach

Introducti on to Sh eetm etal D esig n Pag e 1- 7

After detecting problems, the designer manually adjusts each model. As

Advantages of Top-Down Design Methodology

Manage large assemblies

ELEMENTS OF TOP-DOWN DESIGN

Defining Preliminary Product Structure

Using Skeleton Models

Space claim (form / fit)

Component to component interface definition (fit)

Pag e 1- 8 Fundament als of Sh e etme t al De sign

Motion representation (function)

Communicating Design Intent

Populating the Assembly

Managing Part Interdependencies