Dimple Die Punch Tool - How To

[Anonymous]

Thanks to this forum, I finally figured out how to make my own custom Dimple Die Punch Tool iFeature for Sheet Metal.  Below is the .IDE, .IPT & folder including screen shots on how I created it.  Works great, but I welcome any suggestions on improving it.

TIP:  Ensure a sketch in your iFeature has a "Hole Center" Point.  This was one of my stumbling blocks at first.

Great forum with invaluable info here.  Hopefully, this Punch Tool saves someone a few hours of having to figure it all out.

Cheers,

Bruce

[Anonymous]

Here's some screen shots of results (attached)

[b.mccarthy]

The *.ide works great, however, I cannot get it to unfold correctly, even though "Unfold in flat pattern" is selected. Am I missing a setting somewhere?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Stephen,

It really depends on how the deformation was created in ide. If possible, please share an example here or send it to me directly johnson.shiue@autodesk.com. It is either a bug or a limitation.

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Stephen,

Here is the modified version of the punch tool. I used two Extrusions to create the punch and a Fillet to round off the edges. The chamfer is not necessary. See DIMPLE_DIE_fixed.ipt (saved in 2018).

As you can see the punch tool can be placed on any face and near the bend zone. The Bend Radius needs to be big enough. Otherwise, the geometry will be deformed in way failing to unfold.

Please let me know if more information is needed.

Many thanks! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[b.mccarthy]

Hello Jonathan,

Thank you for this, however, I still cannot generate a standard, planar flat pattern. The dimples still show. Am I missing something?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Stephen,

I think I may have misunderstood your question. To remove the punch from Flat Pattern, you need to change a setting in Flat Pattern. Open the sheet metal part and edit the Flat Pattern -> Edit Flat Pattern Definition -> Punch Representation -> select one of the options that does not include "Formed Punch Feature").

Is this what you were looking for?

Many thanks!

[b.mccarthy]

Hi Jonathan,

None of the flat pattern options will display the hole without deformation. I have not explained the issue well enough....

One of my clients is asking to see the flat pattern dxf with the hole cutouts, prior to dimpling, as this is the typical workflow at their shop. In your sample, the punch OD is 2", but the pre-dimple hole OD would have to be 1.5" more or less. So, basically, the tool works backward, in that it is adding material to the hole, instead of deforming existing material.

Is there anyway to get the flat pattern to show the hole when unfolded, without having to add hole features to it directly?

Thanks for your help.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Stephen,

I see the issue now. You want to be able to represent the part in two different states (with hole vs with punch).This is actually doable. Here is the trick.

1) Create the holes (no punch) in the folded model.

2) Create the flat pattern. Or you can use Unfold/Refold feature toe show the flattened state.

3) In the flat pattern add the punches.

When you don't want to see the punches, simply suppress them in the flat pattern. An other way is to derive the sheet metal part (with holes) into another sheet metal part. Add punches there and create flat pattern. So, you will have two flat patterns (one from the original part with holes; one from the derived part with punches).

Many thanks!

[b.mccarthy]

A possible approach, but I think the dimples should be in the folded part and holes in the flat.

Thank you!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Then I think you could leverage "Punch Removal" workflow (Edit Flat Pattern Definition -> Punch Representation). This will remove the punches. Then you can add the holes in flat pattern.

Many thanks!