Sheet metal bin

[RCERVA]

Hi.  Can someone please assist.  I've created a sheet metal bin and unfold the bin.  It is to big for 1 sheet so I want to split up the unfolded part into smaller pieces for my cnc laser.  Any ideas how this can be done.

Westfalia wash bins.ics

[HDEAR]

What's the largest sheet size and how will you join them ( butt weld, seam weld, fillet weld )

[RCERVA]

Hi.  Basically the 1st will be the 1 side with bottom.  The 2nd will be the other long side.  Then the 2 small sides will be added.  I've done it with the mitre tool so if you hide some portions and have bend notches you get weird results.

 

[RCERVA]

Hi.  Basically the 1st will be the 1 side with bottom.  The 2nd will be the other long side.  Then the 2 small sides will be added.  I've done it with the mitre tool so if you hide some portions and have bend notches you get weird results.

Doing laser welding so butt or seam does not matter.  Just need to get the parts spilt into 4 parts retaining the mitre.

[HDEAR]

OK, when I get time, I'll have a look. The way I see it at the moment you're better off to design in 3D the 4 separate parts then do a DXF off each, including the unfold. When making mitres, there is an option to create mitre flanges only. This allows you to make the mitre flanges that are all individual as opposed to linked so that if you alter one, the others don't change. The flip side of the coin is that if you want to alter more than one, you have to alter each individual one because they are not linked.

Harley

[RCERVA]

Thanks.  I'll try it to see if it works.

[RCERVA]

Hi.  Tried it but can't seem to mitre only top 40 and 20mm folds.

Wash bin side.ics

[HDEAR]

Here you go,

First trick is to NOT use out bends - use smooth bends. use your maths to work out sheet sizes deducting thicknesses and bend radii.

2nd trick is to create all the mitres from the finished bottom sheet size BUT check the create mitre flnages only

Make the whole assembly THEN make two copies of that. On the original, copy delete all the end and the rear side bends. Also delete the corner reliefs so the bend is parallel

 

On the other copies delete the bends you don't want. Move them into position and extend the bottom sheet to make up for the reliefs you deleted. 


If you look at my model you'll see where I deleted bends and then added stock. Then you can change the sheet sizes to match and your top mitres will follow into position.

It took about 3 minutes

 

Westfalia wash bins welded.ics

[HDEAR]

Here's a video with notes. I edited the note to add the deletion of the side bend before adding stock. Anyhow, the video should give you an idea.

Also I only labelled one finished part - you should really label as you go because it can get confusing.

Harley

Westfalia bins.txt

Westfalia Bins.ics

Edited March 28, 2023 by HDEAR

[RCERVA]

Thanks for your input.  Will go through all tonight if power and internet available.  Sitting in west africa where network very bad.  Took me about 20min to watch your 5min video.