SheetMetal Forming

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Revision as of 10:28, 19 August 2021 by FBXL5 (talk | contribs) (→‎Data: Properties added, (some quotations from PartFeature site))

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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

  • DataLabel (String): "User name of the object (UTF8)", default: WallForming (+ a sequential number for second and following items).
    The user editable name of this object, it may be an arbitrary UTF8 string.

Hidden properties Data

  • Data (hidden)Proxy (PythonObject): A custom class associated with this object. This only exists for the Python version. See Scripting.
  • Data (hidden)Base Feature (Link): Base Feature. Link to the parent feature.
  • Data (hidden)_Body (LinkHidden):
  • Data (hidden)Shape (PartShape): A Part TopoShape class associated with this object.
  • Data (hidden)Placement (Placement): The position of the object in the 3D view.
    The placement is defined by a Base point (vector), and a Rotation (axis and angle). See Placement.
    • Data (hidden)Angle: the angle of rotation around the DataAxis. By default, it is (zero degrees).
    • Data (hidden)Axis: the unit vector that defines the axis of rotation for the placement. Each component is a floating point value between 0 and 1. If any value is above 1, the vector is normalized so that the magnitude of the vector is 1. By default, it is the positive Z axis, (0, 0, 1).
    • Data (hidden)Position: a vector with the 3D coordinates of the base point. By default, it is the origin (0, 0, 0).
  • DataLabel2 (String): A longer, user editable description of this object, it is an arbitrary UTF8 string that may include newlines. By default, it is an empty string "".
  • Data (hidden)Expression Engine (ExpressionEngine): A list of expressions. By default, it is empty [].
  • Data (hidden)Visibility (Bool): If it is true, the object appears in the 3D view; otherwise it is invisible.
    By default this property can be toggled on and off by pressing the Space bar on the keyboard.

Parameters

  • DataSuppress Feature (Bool): "Suppress Forming Feature". Default value is false.
  • Dataangle (Angle): "Tool Position Angle". Default angle: 0,00°.
  • Database Object (LinkSub): "Base Object". Link to the planar face to be embossed.
  • Dataoffset (VectorDistance): "Offset from Center of Face". Default: [0,00 mm, 0,00 mm, 0,00 mm].
  • Datathickness (Distance): "Thickness of Sheetmetal". Thickness of the Data (hidden)Base Feature:.
  • Datatool Object (LinkSub): "Forming Tool Object". Link to the planar face used to position the Forming Tool

Parameters1

  • DataSketch (Link): "Point Sketch on Sheetmetal".

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.