SOLIDWORKS Exercise 1

Forming Tool

Exercise 1: Modify a standard form tool to create a custom size louver. Use the
Forming Tool custom louver to create form tool features in the Cover and create a
drawing and punch table.

This lab uses the following skills:

Custom Form Tools
Forming Tool
Punch Tables and Punch ID
Units: MMGS

Procedure
1 Open louver from the Design Library.
Click the Design Library tab in the Task Pane.
Expand the forming tools folder and select the louvers directory.
Double-click the louver in the lower pane to Open the part.
2 Save As...
Save the louver to the Desktop to prevent changes to the standard
louver part.
3 Review features.
Use Part Reviewer or the Rollback Bar to review how the part was
constructed.

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Exercise 1 SOLIDWORKS
Forming Tool

A Layout Sketch is used to

control the length and width of
the louver.
Boss-Extrude1 controls the
depth of the louver.
After the fillet is applied, the base
feature is removed.

The Orientation sketch was created by

converting the edges of the stopping face.
A face has a red appearance applied to
identify a face to be removed.

4 Required modifications.
The new louver will be 100mm in length. The width and depth will
stay the same.
The new louver will make use of advancements in form tool functions.
A Forming Tool feature will be used to automate the Orientation
sketch and faces to be removed. It will also be saved as a forming tool
file type.
5 Rollback.
Drag the Rollback par to position it between
the Layout Sketch and Boss-Extrude1.
6 Edit features.
Modify Base-Extrude to be 120mm long.
Modify the Layout Sketch to be 100mm in
length.

Rebuild the part if necessary.

7 Roll to End.
Move the Rollback bar to the end of the
FeatureManager tree.

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SOLIDWORKS Exercise 1
Forming Tool

8 Delete sketch.
Select the Orientation sketch and Delete it. Click Yes to confirm the
deletion.
9 Add Forming Tool feature.
Click Forming Tool .
Click the appropriate faces for Stopping Face and Faces to Remove.
Click the Insertion Point tab. The insertion point is located at the
center of the stopping face by default. This is acceptable for this part.

Click OK .
10 Rename configuration.
Because we may want to configure this part in the future to create
additional sizes, well rename the configuration to make it more
descriptive.
Click the ConfigurationManager tab above the FeatureManager tree.
Change the name of the Default configuration to be 100x6mm.
11 Add PunchID.
Because we may want to locate this form tool with a punch table, well
add a PunchID property.

Click File Properties .

Click the Configuration Specific tab in the dialog.
Use the drop down menu in the Property Name cell to select
PunchID. The Value/Text Expression cell automatically populates
with the file name and configuration name. This can be modified if
desired. Click OK.

12 Save as Form Tool file type.

Click File, Save As and choose the file type Form Tool (*.sldftp)
from the list. Name the file Custom Louver and place it on the
Desktop.

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Exercise 1 SOLIDWORKS
Forming Tool

13 Close the louver part.

Close the louver part. There is no need to save. All the information
needed has been saved to the Custom Louver form tool.
14 Open Cover_Form Tools.
Open the existing part Cover_Form Tools.
The Custom Louver form tool feature will be added to this part.

15 Add Design Library location.

To access the form tool from the Design Library, add the Desktop as a
new file location.

Click the Design Library tab in the Task Pane.

Click Add File Location at the top of the Design Library pane.
For selected folder, choose the
Desktop. Click OK.
The Desktop is now listed as a design
library folder.
16 Add Custom Louver form tool
feature.
Drag and drop the Custom Louver
onto the top face of the Cover model.
Use the following settings for Type:
Click Flip Tool.
Rotation Angle = 270deg
Link to form tool = selected

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SOLIDWORKS Exercise 1
Forming Tool

17 Position.
Switch to the Position tab. Add three more instances and dimension as
shown.

18 Finish.
Click OK to complete the feature.

Save the part.

19 Make Drawing from Part.
Click Make Drawing from Part .
Choose the B_Size_ANSI_MM template.
20 Flat Pattern view.
Add a Flat Pattern view from the View Palette.
Clear the option for Bend Notes. This drawing will be used for punch
locations.
Change the Scale to be 1:3.

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Exercise 1 SOLIDWORKS
Forming Tool

21 Add a Punch Table.

Click Tables, Punch Table , from the Annotations toolbar.
For the Origin, select the hole edge at the top center of the view.
For Edges/Faces/Features, select the entire flat pattern face.

Click OK and place the table at the upper left.

Move the callouts created in the view off the form tool features to be
more visible.
22 Combine PunchIDs.
Access the Punch Table Properties by selecting the table at the upper
left .
Check the option to Combine same types.

23 Save and close all files.

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SOLIDWORKS Exercise 2
Sheet Metal Gusset

Exercise 2: Add a Sheet Metal Gusset feature to

Sheet Metal complete the part as shown.
Gusset This lab uses the following skills:
Sheet Metal Gusset
Units: MMGS

Procedure
1 Open the existing part SM_Gusset.

2 Add gusset.
Click Sheet Metal Gusset .
3 Position.
Select the underside faces of the bracket.
A bend edge of the first face selected is
used as the Reference line and an
endpoint is automatically selected as the
Reference Point for positioning.
Activate the Reference Point selection
box (pink). Right-click the edge and click
Select Midpoint.
Clear the Offset option, if necessary.
4 Profile.
The Profile groupbox allows for the depth
and shape of the gusset to modified.
Use the following Profile settings:
Indent depth = 20mm
Flat gusset
Edge Fillet = 2mm

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Exercise 2 SOLIDWORKS
Sheet Metal Gusset

5 Dimensions.
Use the following settings for the gusset
dimensions:
Indent width = 20mm
Indent thickness = 2mm
Side face draft = 10deg
Inner corner fillet = 2mm
Outer corner fillet = 4mm
6 Additional settings.
Click Full Preview.
For Flat Pattern Visibility, select Override
document settings, Show Profile, and Show
Center.

Click OK .
7 Examine the flat pattern.
Flatten the part to view the flat pattern.

8 Exit flatten.

9 Save and close all files.