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Learn how to create a sheet metal drawing with a bend table and take the part into CAM to be manufactured using Fusion.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
7 min.
Transcript
00:03
In Fusion, once you create a sheet metal component,
00:06
you can create a flat pattern that is used to create drawings of the component for manufacturing.
00:11
A flat pattern is a representation of the unfolded sheet metal part, taking the K-factor into consideration for accurate measurements.
00:20
With this outlet box sheet metal example open in Fusion, on the toolbar, switch to the Sheet Metal tab.
00:27
From the Create group, click Create Flat Pattern.
00:31
You are prompted to select a Stationary Face.
00:34
Pick the inside bottom face, then click OK.
00:39
The part is now represented as a flat pattern.
00:42
To return to the model, click Finish Flat Pattern.
00:46
In the Browser, you can see the new Flat Pattern under the sheet metal component.
00:51
Also, note that the sheet metal part is back in its folded state.
00:56
By activating the flat pattern from the Browser, you can return to the flat representation.
01:01
Click Finish Flat Pattern again to close it.
01:05
You can edit the sheet metal component and then update the flat pattern with the latest changes.
01:10
For example, you may want to suppress the slot feature running down the middle of the box.
01:16
In the Timeline, locate the extrusion for the slot.
01:19
Right-click this feature and select Suppress Features.
01:24
Once you suppress the feature, in the Browser, you see a warning on the Flat Pattern, indicating that it needs to be updated.
01:32
Right-click the pattern and select Update Flat Pattern.
01:37
You can now create drawings of the component for manufacturing.
01:41
From the Workspace menu, select Drawing > From Design.
01:46
In the Create Drawing dialog, set the Reference Contents to Select.
01:51
In the viewport, select the outlet box.
01:55
Then, from the Representation drop-down, select Flat Pattern.
02:00
Set the Standard to ASME, the Units to inches, and the Sheet Size to B.
02:07
Click OK.
02:09
Once the drawing view opens, in the Drawing View dialog, set the scale to 1:1.
02:16
Place the flat pattern on the drawing sheet, then click OK.
02:20
Now, you can create a bend table to assist with manufacturing.
02:25
In the Tables group, click Table.
02:28
In the Table dialog, confirm that the type is set to Bend Table.
02:33
Place the table in the upper-right corner of the sheet.
02:37
Notice that when you place the table, identification numbers are added to the flat layout.
02:42
However, some of the numbers are hard to see and should be repositioned.
02:47
Click a number, then drag the control point to reposition it.
02:51
You may want to renumber the bend identifiers, so that they are in order of bending.
02:56
In the Tables menu, select Renumber.
03:00
Now, click on the flat pattern numbers in the desired sequence to reorder them.
03:05
Notice that as you do this, the table also updates.
03:09
Finally, to show a folded representation of the outlet box on the drawing, add a base view.
03:15
In the Create group, click Base View.
03:19
In the Drawing View dialog, set the Orientation to a NE isometric view and the scale to 1:1.
03:27
Click in the drawing to place the view, then click OK.
03:31
Save the drawing and close the drawing tab.
03:35
Switch to the Manufacturing workspace, where you see the outlet box in its folded state.
03:40
To change to the unfolded state, in the Browser, expand Models and click to activate the Outlet Box Flat Pattern.
03:48
Now, create a manufacturing setup.
03:52
In the Setup group, click Setup.
03:55
To select a machine, in the Setup dialog, next to Machine, click Select.
04:03
In the Machine Library, select the Autodesk Generic 3-axis machine, then click Select.
04:09
If you are asked to download the model, download it to the current folder.
04:14
Back in the Setup dialog, next to Model, click Select and then select the sheet metal body.
04:21
In the dialog, switch to the Stock tab and set the Stock Side Offset to 0.5 in to add material around the part.
04:30
Leave all other settings as is and click OK.
04:33
You are going to cut the part out with the milling tool.
04:37
From the 2D group, select 2D Contour.
04:41
In the 2D Contour dialog, click Select to open the Select Tool dialog.
04:47
Expand the Fusion Library and select Milling Tools (Inch).
04:52
Then, change the Tool Category to Milling and the Type to Flat end mill.
04:59
Select the 1/16th inch Flat End Mill tool from the library, then click Select.
05:06
In the 2D Contour dialog, switch to the Geometry tab.
05:10
For the profile, select the bottom face of the part.
05:14
Doing this helps to ensure that it selects all the edges from that face, including the small hole profiles.
05:21
If you want to add tabs, in the dialog, select Tabs and set the Tab Distance to 1 inch.
05:29
Now, switch to the Passes tab and set the Lead End Distance to .08 inches.
05:35
Leave all other options as is, then click OK.
05:39
To play the simulation, in the Actions menu, click Simulate, then press Play at the bottom of the canvas.
05:49
When it finishes, click Exit Simulation.
05:53
Lastly, you can use the post process option to create the G-Code for you automatically.
05:60
In the Actions menu, select Post Process.
06:04
Now, you know how to cut out and bend a sheet metal part designed in Fusion.
Video transcript
00:03
In Fusion, once you create a sheet metal component,
00:06
you can create a flat pattern that is used to create drawings of the component for manufacturing.
00:11
A flat pattern is a representation of the unfolded sheet metal part, taking the K-factor into consideration for accurate measurements.
00:20
With this outlet box sheet metal example open in Fusion, on the toolbar, switch to the Sheet Metal tab.
00:27
From the Create group, click Create Flat Pattern.
00:31
You are prompted to select a Stationary Face.
00:34
Pick the inside bottom face, then click OK.
00:39
The part is now represented as a flat pattern.
00:42
To return to the model, click Finish Flat Pattern.
00:46
In the Browser, you can see the new Flat Pattern under the sheet metal component.
00:51
Also, note that the sheet metal part is back in its folded state.
00:56
By activating the flat pattern from the Browser, you can return to the flat representation.
01:01
Click Finish Flat Pattern again to close it.
01:05
You can edit the sheet metal component and then update the flat pattern with the latest changes.
01:10
For example, you may want to suppress the slot feature running down the middle of the box.
01:16
In the Timeline, locate the extrusion for the slot.
01:19
Right-click this feature and select Suppress Features.
01:24
Once you suppress the feature, in the Browser, you see a warning on the Flat Pattern, indicating that it needs to be updated.
01:32
Right-click the pattern and select Update Flat Pattern.
01:37
You can now create drawings of the component for manufacturing.
01:41
From the Workspace menu, select Drawing > From Design.
01:46
In the Create Drawing dialog, set the Reference Contents to Select.
01:51
In the viewport, select the outlet box.
01:55
Then, from the Representation drop-down, select Flat Pattern.
02:00
Set the Standard to ASME, the Units to inches, and the Sheet Size to B.
02:07
Click OK.
02:09
Once the drawing view opens, in the Drawing View dialog, set the scale to 1:1.
02:16
Place the flat pattern on the drawing sheet, then click OK.
02:20
Now, you can create a bend table to assist with manufacturing.
02:25
In the Tables group, click Table.
02:28
In the Table dialog, confirm that the type is set to Bend Table.
02:33
Place the table in the upper-right corner of the sheet.
02:37
Notice that when you place the table, identification numbers are added to the flat layout.
02:42
However, some of the numbers are hard to see and should be repositioned.
02:47
Click a number, then drag the control point to reposition it.
02:51
You may want to renumber the bend identifiers, so that they are in order of bending.
02:56
In the Tables menu, select Renumber.
03:00
Now, click on the flat pattern numbers in the desired sequence to reorder them.
03:05
Notice that as you do this, the table also updates.
03:09
Finally, to show a folded representation of the outlet box on the drawing, add a base view.
03:15
In the Create group, click Base View.
03:19
In the Drawing View dialog, set the Orientation to a NE isometric view and the scale to 1:1.
03:27
Click in the drawing to place the view, then click OK.
03:31
Save the drawing and close the drawing tab.
03:35
Switch to the Manufacturing workspace, where you see the outlet box in its folded state.
03:40
To change to the unfolded state, in the Browser, expand Models and click to activate the Outlet Box Flat Pattern.
03:48
Now, create a manufacturing setup.
03:52
In the Setup group, click Setup.
03:55
To select a machine, in the Setup dialog, next to Machine, click Select.
04:03
In the Machine Library, select the Autodesk Generic 3-axis machine, then click Select.
04:09
If you are asked to download the model, download it to the current folder.
04:14
Back in the Setup dialog, next to Model, click Select and then select the sheet metal body.
04:21
In the dialog, switch to the Stock tab and set the Stock Side Offset to 0.5 in to add material around the part.
04:30
Leave all other settings as is and click OK.
04:33
You are going to cut the part out with the milling tool.
04:37
From the 2D group, select 2D Contour.
04:41
In the 2D Contour dialog, click Select to open the Select Tool dialog.
04:47
Expand the Fusion Library and select Milling Tools (Inch).
04:52
Then, change the Tool Category to Milling and the Type to Flat end mill.
04:59
Select the 1/16th inch Flat End Mill tool from the library, then click Select.
05:06
In the 2D Contour dialog, switch to the Geometry tab.
05:10
For the profile, select the bottom face of the part.
05:14
Doing this helps to ensure that it selects all the edges from that face, including the small hole profiles.
05:21
If you want to add tabs, in the dialog, select Tabs and set the Tab Distance to 1 inch.
05:29
Now, switch to the Passes tab and set the Lead End Distance to .08 inches.
05:35
Leave all other options as is, then click OK.
05:39
To play the simulation, in the Actions menu, click Simulate, then press Play at the bottom of the canvas.
05:49
When it finishes, click Exit Simulation.
05:53
Lastly, you can use the post process option to create the G-Code for you automatically.
05:60
In the Actions menu, select Post Process.
06:04
Now, you know how to cut out and bend a sheet metal part designed in Fusion.
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