If you do much sheet metal design, chances are your shop has a large collection of punch tools for creating both common and specialty cuts and embossed features on your parts. You can use the Sheet Metal Punch iFeature to incorporate these features in your sheet metal part models.
Create Sheet Metal Punch iFeatures in the part environment using sketches and features that represent the final model feature.
After you save the file, you use tools in the iFeature environment, in the form of commands, to convert Sheet Metal Punch iFeatures to table-driven Punch iFeatures, modify Punch iFeatures, and view the iFeature Punch catalog.
Sheet metal punch tools as iFeatures
Sheet metal punch tools are iFeatures with additional attributes that typically cut simple or complex hole shapes in a face of your part. Punch tools may also partially penetrate the face of your model and leave an embossed indentation or both cut and deform in a single operation.
By using the Extract iFeature command and selecting the Sheet Metal Punch iFeature type, additional data can be specified during the creation of the iFeature. This data includes:
- Punch ID designation
- Selected sketch to define an alternative representation in the flat pattern
- Custom depth parameter that can be extracted later in drawing annotation
Sheet metal punch tool to capture shop-specific identification
Your fabrication shop may have a unique system of tooling identification. This Punch ID information can be stored with the geometric data that defines the part feature and later be extracted in drawing annotations.
Punched feature with an alternative display in flat pattern
By defining your Sheet Metal Punch iFeature with an alternative sketch you have the option of selecting one of the following representations of the punched feature when the sheet metal part is displayed as a flat pattern and when the flat pattern is detailed in a drawing view:
- Full 3D feature representation
- Alternative sketch representation
- Center mark representation
Table-driven sheet metal punch tools
Often, sheet metal punch tools are similar, varying only by one or two parameters. These types of features lend themselves to definition by a table of parameters. Single Sheet Metal Punch iFeatures can be converted to a family of table-drive punches by using the iFeature Author command. Table-driven punch tools can be edited later using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
Edits to sheet metal punch iFeature
You can edit a Sheet Metal Punch iFeature file or a specific instance of a placed Sheet Metal Punch iFeature, including its sketches. To edit the iFeature file, use the View Catalog command, browse to the appropriate file, and then double-click to open. Use feature commands as needed to modify and then save the file. Instances of the iFeature already in use are not updated by changes to the iFeature file.
To modify a Sheet Metal Punch iFeature you used in a part, right-click the Punch iFeature in the browser, and then select Edit Feature. You can change variables such as position geometry, a parameter value, or reorient the coordinate system, but you cannot add or delete geometry or parameters.
Other occurrences of the iFeature in this file or occurrences that were placed are not affected by edits.
Edits to table-driven sheet metal punch iFeature
Be sure to create Sheet Metal Punch iFeatures that contain all parameters you want to include in a table-driven Sheet Metal Punch iFeature. Once you convert a regular Sheet Metal Punch iFeature to a table-driven Sheet Metal Punch iFeature, you cannot add or remove parameters.
You can, however, right-click the table icon in a part file where you used a table-driven Sheet Metal Punch iFeature, and then select Edit Table. You can add or delete rows or modify column attributes, but you cannot add or delete parameters. Your changes effect only the current table-driven Sheet Metal Punch iFeature. Other instances of the same table-driven Sheet Metal Punch iFeature do not update.