A very user-friendly command called create form is used for designing formed components in Pro Engineer. The point to be noted here is that you can use either a sheet metal punch or a die, but not both, to create a sheet metal forming feature in Pro Engineer. Suppose you need to create a louver in the sheet metal component as in the snapshots below (click on them to enlarge):
The louver can be designed by using the punch as well as the die option. In both cases, you need to model a part which can be used as a die or punch.
By using the die option:
- The die part (say, d.prt) should look like below:
Select the die part (d.prt). Assemble the d.prt with respect to the sheet metal part using assembly constraints. Make sure it is fully constrained. Select the Bound Plane and Exclude Surface as shown. Select the vertical face as Exclude surface, so that opening of the louver is created.
- In the sheet metal mode of ProE go to insert → shape → form → die → done
By using the punch option:
- The punch part(say p.prt) should look like:
- Go to insert → shape → form → die → done.
- Select the p.prt.
- Assemble it suitably with respect to sheet metal part in order to make it fully constrained.
- Select the vertical face as exclude surface in order to create the opening of the louver.
