Sheet Metal - Flange at an Angle

[Anonymous]

Hello all - 

I have these parts that I need to draw up. Basically imagine yourself standing and pointing with both arms to something slightly above your head.

I was able to draw one side (arm) then create a flange to make the "straight" piece. I can't for the life of me figure out how to mirror the flange on the other side. It seems like I can only make perpendicular flanges and when I try to make one from a sketch it wants to create it in the wrong dimension.

[etfrench]

In this case it would be easiest to start with the center section:

The distance between the inner sides of the legs can be calculated precisely by using the Sheet Metal Rules.  In my model the flange thickness is 1mm and the bend radius is 1mm. Since the length of the initial flange is 28mm, the internal distance is 26mm.  You can do the same sort of calculation if you need to start with the leg.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for taking a look. Try downloading my actual part, it was hard to take a screenshot showing what I mean. 

What you made is a standard "U". In my part the legs are not straight when looked at from the side.

[etfrench · Accepted solution]

Sorry, that was the one angle I didn't look at  

You can also modify the shape of flange in the Model environment, so this shape could be made starting with the center section (slightly wider), then cutting away the excess.

[Anonymous]

Thanks again - I thought about mirroring it. Is there a way to join it after to make the "make flat pattern" function work. I'm trying to get this to output to a laser. 

[etfrench]

When you join the mirrored bodies, don't make a new component.  It should unfold then.

[lichtzeichenanlage · Accepted solution]

Here is a different approach to implement the design.

[lichtzeichenanlage]

Another way to do the trick - but I couldn't beat my first implementation in terms of number of steps 😉

[Anonymous]

Perfect. Thanks for the help!