Before diving into the details ofsheet metal fabrication, recognize a basic fact of all sheet metal parts: They start out flat. And no matter how convoluted or complex their final shapes may be, the wall thickness of those parts must be uniform throughout. So, for example, when designing a series of shelves to hold computer gear, you might be tempted to beef up the bottoms by making them thicker than the sides, but that’s not how the sheet metal world works. Unless we weld two pieces together (which is possible, but at additional cost),materialthickness should always be consistent. Aside from that, a variety of metals is available, including stainless steel, aluminum, cold-rolled and galvanized steel, and even copper and brass, in thicknesses ranging from 0.02 in. to 0.25 in. (depending on the alloy). Beyond sheet metal properties and available materials, here are eight ways to improve sheet metal parts.
Can anyone point me to an example (any 3d CAD format) of a sheet metal slot and tab joint (they're often seen in sheet metal fabrications to align parts prior to welding) edit I should point out that these things are probably not called slot and tab joints - I'm just hoping someone here will. Aside from that, a variety of metals is available, including stainless steel, aluminum, cold-rolled and galvanized steel, and even copper and brass, in thicknesses ranging from 0.02 in. (depending on the alloy). Beyond sheet metal properties and available materials, here are eight ways to improve sheet metal parts. The Tab and Slot feature creates tabs on one body and slots (holes) on another body to interlock the two bodies. You can specify how the tabs and slots look and how they are distributed along the selected entities. Tabs and slots make it easier to weld parts together and minimize the requirement to build complicated fixtures because you can interlock several sheet metal parts.
One important element to keep consistent is the bend radius. Pick up any bent metal bracket or mount and look at the inside corners—see that little radius there? It’s created by a punch and die set on a press brake. Protolabs can make bend radii all the way up to 1 in., but the standardtool setcreates a 0.030 in. internal corner, sotryto stick with this for the lowest cost. As for the external corners, these are largely a factor of the material, its thickness, and the internal bend radii used.
In a part, click Tab and Slot (Sheet Metal toolbar) or Insert Sheet Metal Tab and Slot. In the PropertyManager, specify options. In the graphics area, select an edge for the tabs and a corresponding face for the slots. Example of design for manufacturability (DFM) guidelines for sheet metal. Toggle navigation. Avoid large sheet metal parts with small bent flanges. When using slots and tabs the maximum width of the slot must be greater than the thickness of the tab and the tab. Tabs and slots make it easier to weld parts together and minimize the requirement to build complicated fixtures because you can interlock several sheet metal parts. This feature is available in all parts, not just sheet metal parts. You can use it in single bodies, multibodies, and parts in the context of an assembly.
Sheet Metal Design Pdf
On Z-shaped offset (1) features, try to keep all the bend radii the same, with 0.030 in. the preferred radius, and parallel planes should be at least two times the material thickness apart. With holes and slots (2), place at least 1/16 of an inch from the nearest wall or part edge for materials 0.036-in. thick or less, and 1/8-in. or more from the edge on everything else. Tabs (3) on either side of a notched feature should be at least 0.126 in. or two times the material thickness across (whichever is greater).
Also, keep in mind that metal resists bending. To prevent cracks and meet a +/- 1-degree bend tolerance, Protolabs will place bend reliefs in strategic part locations—with a box shape, for example, the corners will be relieved slightly to allow the flanges to meet properly. The total amount of bend relief in this case will not exceed the bend radius plus the material thickness, and be no wider than 0.030 in.
Offsets
Offsets are Z-shaped bends that might be used on brackets and clamps—the clips that hold your window screens in place are a good example. The same rules apply here as with any other bent part—try to keep all the bend radii the same, with 0.030 in. the preferred radius. Also, the parallel planes should be at least two times the material thickness apart, and you can expect Protolabs to maintain a tolerance of +/- 0.012 in. between the two features.
Hems
Bend a flange all the way over and you have a hem. They are used to strengthen part edges. An open hem is one that forms a U or C-shape and might be used to accept a pin for a hinge. Closed hems are basically flat, with the material folded over completely on itself. The inside diameter of an open hem should be equal to or greater than the material thickness, and the “return length” in either case should be at least four times that.
Panel fasteners and other types of PEM hardware can be added to bolster sheet metal parts or provide threads for assembly.
Holes and Slots
These should be placed at least 1/16 of an inch from the nearest wall or part edge for materials 0.036-in. thick or less, and 1/8-in. or more from the edge on everything else. Hole and width tolerances will be +/- 0.005 in. unless otherwise specified. Check with the manufacturer if an insert will be used, as additional clearance may be required. If using the eRAPID SOLIDWORKS plugin, all holes and slots should be a minimum of four times the material thickness from any part edge or feature.
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Tab And Slot Construction
Tabs and Notches
Sheet metal parts often require notches to accommodate a screw or other fastener. These should be one material thick or wider and extend no more than five times the slot width into the workpiece. Similarly, the tabs on either side of a notched feature should be at least 0.126 in. or two times the material thickness across (whichever is greater) and again, be a maximum of five times the part thickness in length.
Slots & Tabs
Slots & Tabs
Is anyone (successfully) using slots & tabs to locate parts in a welded assembly? We are in the agricultural equipment industry, so we use a lot of hot rolled steel. The thickness tolerance of the material has a direct effect on the thickness of the tab, which affects the locating ability. However, we also have more generous location tolerance than many of you work with. I am trying to write a design standard for slot and tabs and am not even convinced it will work on a large scale.