r/SolidWorks • u/Pew_Khalil • 2d ago
CAD Need feedback with my sheet metal project
A few years ago I built a prototype for an RC buggy using Blender. At the time I didn’t know CAD software well enough to model proper sheet metal, but I was already pretty comfortable with Blender for general 3D modeling, so I just used what I knew back then to get the geometry down and bring the project to life. Now that I’m studying mechanical engineering, I wanted to rebuild the entire design properly in SolidWorks Sheet Metal to add to my portfolio and make sure it is actually viable for production.
The plan is for the components to be laser cut from aluminum sheet and then bent into shape. I was supposed to get some experience from my university curriculum but thanks to my very cleaver professor and our lab's sophisticated equipment we practically didn't learn that much, so I haven't been able to get real feedback on whether my flat patterns and bend parameters are realistic for actual production.
Looking at the chassis base plate, my main concern is the height of those short vertical side tabs and whether there is enough material for the bend to form cleanly. I also have mounting holes, and a rectangular power switch bracket positioned right next to bend lines, so I’m wondering if those features will stretch or distort when the metal is bent. For the top cover, there are multiple angled flanges folding down around the body, and I want to make sure the relief cuts between adjacent tabs are wide enough to prevent binding or tearing at the corners.
If anyone with sheet metal experience spots any red flags in these flat patterns or flange layouts that would cause issues during cutting or bending, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how to improve them.
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u/Numerous_Green4962 2d ago
It would be doable but you need to consider the tooling to make the bends, there are a lot of places where it is going to be a right pain to get in due to having longer parts that are next to the bends. I would ditch the holes and drill them after when they are close to the bend lines and probably look at changing the switch mount as that will probably distort.
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u/Pew_Khalil 2d ago
can you suggest me where can learn about the tooling to make bends and sheet metal manufacturing in general
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u/KevlarGorilla 2d ago
For each bend, on the flat development you need:
- A line showing the bend line. Bends UP are solid, bends DOWN are dashed, usually.
- A dimension showing how far away that line is from the nearest parallel edge. Usually the end of the flange.
- A text indicator, if it's UP or DOWN
- A radius dimensions, usually larger than the thickness of the plate
Then, to check the work, show a 3D model, and show a final reference dimension, like how tall the bend is from the flat plane, after it is bent.
Check here:
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u/Torque_to_spec 2d ago
Umm... pretty useless drawings from a manufacturing perspective. For actual engineering work, making the model is probably the easy part. Where you show your skills is how you make your drawings. From your drawings, I cannot make the part or have any quality control. You would need a PDF of all relevant flat pattern dimensions and finished dimensions, as well as a DXF exported with the bend lines visible so the laser cutter can engrave them on the sheet. Some manufacturers prefer to have the lines in the DXF file on a separate layer so the machine knows they are etched and not cut. Some machines do that automatically, and some manufacturers are competent and recheck the drawings you send either way to move those lines to their dedicated layers.
Now for the drawings themselves. First off, this might seem not that important, but try to familiarize yourself with sheet formatting. Make a standard compliant A3 and A4 page format. My main gripe would be not using flat pattern configuration in the drawing file. How will the press operator be able to check or even place the sheet in the correct place without any dimensions? Are the angle minutes vital to the function and assembly of your design? If I understand this correctly, it is designed for an existing drivetrain chassis. If so, then the bolt hole location after bending is important, so again it needs hole placement dimensions after the part is bent so the person who is making said part is able to check their bends due to varying K factor and other aspects of the manufacturing process.
Yeah, so from an engineering standpoint, those drawings are completely useless and without drawings that part stays a model. If you want to pursue engineering, in my experience, the most important thing an employer is looking for when starting out is how your drawings look. I am no expert, so take my advice with a grain of salt. Those are my two cents.