29.10.2020 • C3D Modeler

One-Click Solid Body to Sheet Metal Conversion. New modeling method being added to C3D Modeler

The C3D Modeler geometric kernel provides dozens of different methods for constructing and editing geometric objects of any complexity, from surfaces to solids. Another method will soon appear. It is a group of methods for sheet metal modeling that converts solid bodies to sheet metal parts.

Following many requests from users of our C3D Toolkit, we began to develop this method, and now we are happy to announce that we are at the final stage of development. It is currently in beta.

The new solids-to-sheet metal method will reduce the time it takes to create a sheet metal part based on a solid model, complete with flattening. In literally one click, the algorithm converts the solid after the user selects the base face:

  1. Firstly, we select a planar base face on the solid body. This as a minimum is required for creating a sheet metal part.
  2. Secondly, we set the initial thickness of the part, and specify the direction in which the thickness should change.
  3. Finally, we select the model edges that are to be bent. Here, we have options for adjusting the radii and lengths of bends, edge rips, and flattening style.

The result is a sheet metal part that we can flatten and to which we can then apply additional sheet metal operations.

One-Click Solid Body to Sheet Metal Conversion. New modeling method being added to C3D Modeler, photo 1
Original solid body

One-Click Solid Body to Sheet Metal Conversion. New modeling method being added to C3D Modeler, photo 2
Sheet metal part from the solid body (left), and flattened (right)

This new method has the option to create bends on smoothly joined faces. So, when you create a sheet metal part using this new method, you no longer have to draw sketches or use operations that, for example, create bends. It is especially effective for sheet metal models imported from other CAD systems.

The demo in our video shows the conversion that the kernel is capable of now.

This new method is being added to the C3D Modeler kernel, and will be available to our customers in November.

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