How to Weld a part ?

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have a sheet metal lid which requires the front corners welded and dressed for cosmetic and EMI reasons.  The point is that it is a part, and not an assembly. I can see weldment in the Environments tab with an Assembly, but nothing for parts. Is it available ? Or am I missing something and its done a different way.

Thanks,

[JDMather]

Place the part into an assembly file.

But really, do you need modeled weld beads - or will the weld symbol on drawing suffice?

[Cadmanto]

Welds can only be used in assembly mode.  Because generally you are welding parts together.

If you have an assembly that is not a weldment, you have to convert it first.

Once you do this, the weld options open up on the ribbon.

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[Anonymous]

In this case, Yes, I do need modelled weld beads. Inventor here is also
being used to provide Renders for the management and they object to the view
of the corners. I can easily put it on the drawing but really do want to add
it to the model to get something representative.

Thanks for the input. I'll give it a try in an assembly file.

[swalton · Accepted solution]

As @Cadmanto and @JDMather have noted, you will have to put the sheetmetal part in a weldment assembly.

We purchase sheetmetal parts from an outside vendor so we detail the base sheetmetal part and the assembly in the same drawing.

Our workflow for sheetmetal parts with PEMs or 3d modeled welds:

1. Model the part as normal. 
2. Name it 12345.ipt.
3. Make an assembly, named 12345.iam, and place the part grounded at the origin.
4. Add PEMs or other components.
5. Convert to a weldment if required.
6. Model the welds.
7. Create the Drawing file.
8. Place the part as the first view. 
9. Detail as necessary.
10. Place the assembly in a view.
11. Detail welds if required.
12. Place a parts list if required.
13. Call out components on assembly view if required.
14. Place the assembly (12345.iam) in the rest of the design.

[SBix26]

Do you need a flat pattern of the part?  If not, then you can simply model the welds in the part.  One trick that I have used with imported sheet metal parts (Hoffman enclosures, for example) is to Delete Face w/Heal all the adjacent faces, giving a sharp corner, then apply the appropriate fillets for an impossibly perfectly ground weld.

If you do need a flat pattern of the part, then the same technique can be used in a derived copy of the part.

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Sam B
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