CAD Forum

We've tried several ways to get the first sheet metal feature to use a specific gauge table instead of no gauge table. Is there a way to do this? The closest we can get is by creating a tab with the desired default gauge table and thickness, then delete the tab but not the sheet metal feature and save that as the template. I don't think we want that for ALL of our parts, so we would need a separate part template for sheet metal parts?

How are others doing this?

Thank you.

Yes, you would need a different part template for sheet metal. If we were staying with SWX we would have a bunch of templates for each file type. It speeds things up dramatically at the cost of one extra click when starting a part.

mike miller wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 11:25 am Yes, you would need a different part template for sheet metal. If we were staying with SWX we would have a bunch of templates for each file type. It speeds things up dramatically at the cost of one extra click when starting a part.

What's the one extra click?

I'm a bit concerned about the extra templates to maintain. But considering the lost time due to selecting gauge table or users forgetting to select the gauge table I'd guess it's worth the extra templates.

bnemec wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 11:33 am What's the one extra click?

I'm a bit concerned about the extra templates to maintain. But considering the lost time due to selecting gauge table or users forgetting to select the gauge table I'd guess it's worth the extra templates.

The extra click is only if you have them in folders, which I would highly recommend. Especially now that 2022 has pre-defined flat pattern drawing views, which gives SWX a capability that SE has had for years.

Depending on your SW version, you can also set the gauge table per material.
Unfortunately, it must be a custom material, which adds another layer of maintenance in a shared environment.
Check Guage Table and select it from the dropdown: You must also check "Use material sheet metal parameters" in the sheet metal PM. (If you haven't selected a material, you can't check this.)
Note how the table is grayed out since it's material dependent. No need for a separate template.
No need to prebuild anything other than the custom materials and the gauge tables.
Just select the appropriate material and check the "Use" box.

KevinC wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:55 pm Depending on your SW version, you can also set the gauge table per material.
Unfortunately, it must be a custom material, which adds another layer of maintenance in a shared environment.
Check Guage Table and select it from the dropdown:
image.png
You must also check "Use material sheet metal parameters" in the sheet metal PM. (If you haven't selected a material, you can't check this.)
Note how the table is grayed out since it's material dependent.
image.png

No need for a separate template.
No need to prebuild anything other than the custom materials and the gauge tables.
Just select the appropriate material and check the "Use" box.

At the start of this SW journey we looked into several ways to go about this. Of course the VAR tech knows how to set each option up, but has little to no real experience using each of them in various environments. So hind sight is 20-20 or maybe better. I don't know how much longer we have to use SW to decide what would have been the best way to set up sheet metal. Doesn't matter because we're pretty much stuck with what he started with.

We have 4 excel sheets for the different kinds of materials. Then we use the desired bend table and gauge on the first sheet metal feature.

It would be a GD nightmare to do a different template for each material. And most likely more clicks when you want to change thickness or alloy.

Edit/add: Since I believe you're on PDM, I would have the bend tables be in a folder that you get files when you login, and clear cache when you logout. Same practice that should be used for templates. That will keep your users up to date.

Craig Schultz wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:45 am We have 4 excel sheets for the different kinds of materials. Then we use the desired bend table and gauge on the first sheet metal feature.

We just have 2 excel sheets, one for steel and one for alum. Tried to keep it as simple as possible. We use the desired bend table and gauge on the first sheet metal feature too, when the users remember. It's a lot of clicks and there's a fair lag waiting for the gauge table to be loaded.

Craig Schultz wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:45 am It would be a GD nightmare to do a different template for each material. And most likely more clicks when you want to change thickness or alloy.

If we were to add a part template for sheet metal it would just be for Steel and only be for 11ga which is by far the most popular material. I'm not sure I want to add template for this anyway.

Craig Schultz wrote: ↑Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:45 am Edit/add: Since I believe you're on PDM, I would have the bend tables be in a folder that you get files when you login, and clear cache when you logout. Same practice that should be used for templates. That will keep your users up to date.

Yep, that's where the sheets have been since created. Those folders are set to get latest on log in. Not set to clear cache on logout though, haven't seen a reason to.

"Yep, that's where the sheets have been since created. Those folders are set to get latest on log in. Not set to clear cache on logout though, haven't seen a reason to."

In case you make a change to the excel sheets. That way they're always pulling from the most recent version of your bend tables.

"If we were to add a part template for sheet metal it would just be for Steel and only be for 11ga which is by far the most popular material. I'm not sure I want to add template for this anyway."

One sheet thickness wouldn't be a big deal to have a separate template.