SheetMetal Forming

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Revision as of 23:45, 17 August 2021 by FBXL5 (talk | contribs) (Added usage and example, extended description, prepared properties section)

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SheetMetal Forming

Menu location
SheetMetal → Make Forming in Wall
Workbenches
SheetMetal
Default shortcut
M F
Introduced in version
-
See also
None

Description

The SheetMetal Forming command creates an embossed shape in a SheetMetal wall using a separate solid object.

The back side plane of the shapedefining solid is used to position and orient the embossed shape, i.e. their local coordinate systems will have the same origin and the same orientation by default.
The angle around the z-axis and offsets in x, y, and z direction may be altered by changing the parameter values in the properties window.

Usage

  1. Select the wall of the SheetMetal object to be embossed
  2. Select the back side of the shape defining solid
    • Note: Don't forget the Control/Command key!
  3. Activate the Make Forming in Wall command using:
    • Make Forming in Wall button
    • SheetMetal → Make Forming in Wall drop down menu
    • keyboard shortcut: M then F

Properties

Data

Base

Parameters

View

Base

Display Options

Object Style

Selection


Example

A hexagon bowl with embossed centre

Preparation

This bowl is made of a folded sheet metal object with a shape embossed, both have to be prepared in advance.

No need to work with coplanar sketches here.

SheetMetal bowl and embossing object

Workflow

  1. Select the wall of the SheetMetal object to be embossed
  2. Select the back side of the shape defining solid
  3. Press the Make Forming in Wall button
    or use the keyboard shortcut: M then F


    Done!

  4. Alter orientation and position
    1. Activate the WallForming object in the Tree view
    2. Set the value of the parameter angle to e.g. 45°
    3. Set the value of the parameter offset, x to e.g. greater than 0

      Here it is plain to see that it doesn't make sense to move the embossed geometry outside the selected wall.

    4. Setting the value of the parameter offset, z to e.g. greater than 0 isn't any better:

      At least the FreeCAD doesn't crash when a part has two bodies...

  5. Some hints
    1. The height of the defining solid determines the depth of the embossed shape.
      That means changing the parameter offset, z to alter the depth won't deliver expected results.
    2. The embossed geometry is made of a shell object i.e. it has a constant thickness.
      And so the defining solid has to be offsetable, otherwise the tool will fail to create the emboss.