Changing sheet metal thickness cause losing all the features

[isaac.folk]

This is my first time using this forum.  I really thank you in advance to whoever willing to assist.  I am almost done with the design and want to change the sheet metal thickness.  Somehow Inventor is not able to find edges again in flange feature again after changing thickness.  When I try to fix the flange feature, edges are highlight, but it is not able to generate the feature.  Maybe my file is corrupted, or software issue on my computer?  Is anyone able to modify the thickness of my file attached and not losing all the feature?  Thanks!

[karthur1 · Accepted solution]

In your extrusion 1, change this extrusion thickness to "Thickness".

Now in your "Sheet Metal Styles" dialog, change your thickness here to whatever you want it to be.

Your part should update just fine.

Thanks

[andrewdroth · Accepted solution]

If you change the "Extrusion 1" distance to use the 'Thickness' parameter it will work better.

But you should have really started with a 'face' command instead of an 'extrusion'.

There's some other things that could be done differently, but let me know if that fixes your problem.

EDIT: Like he said^^^

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi Issac,

In addition to Kirk's and Andrew's solutions, I suggest you use Sheet Metal Rule to drive the Thickness. I guess you started out the part as a regular part without using a sheet metal template. Then you converted the regular part to a sheet metal part by overriding the thickness. This should work fine. This workflow is more like a shortcut. It is not how sheet metal parts should be designed.

Sheet Metal design is more like rule-based design. You need to set up the thickness, material, bend radius, and so on. These parameters are defined in the rule (Manage -> Styles Editor -> Sheet Metal Rule), driving the sheet metal model.

Many thanks!

[isaac.folk]

Karthur1,

As a beginner on Inventor, I am trying to learn the software and perform at my job.  I am sure I have done many wrong steps!  I really thank you for the quick support.  You have shown me linking the extrusion distance to thickness setting.  That is really awesome!  Many thanks!

Regards,

Isaac

[isaac.folk]

Andrew,

You are right on.  Everyone have gotten my problem fix!  I really thank you for your support!

Regards,

Isaac

[isaac.folk]

Johnson,

I think you are right about how I created the part from beginning.  It was a couple months ago when I first started to use Inventor.  You and everyone is awesome in the forum!  Many Thanks!

Regards,

Isaac