Basic Steps to Model Anchor Bracket from 6mm Plate

lawrie

2 Feb, 2020 10:42 PM

This is the basic steps to model a version of anchor bracket manufactured from 6mm thk. mild steel plate. The software I have used is Alibre Design. The same basic approach would be taken using Solid Works, Solid Edge. or Inventor, with small differences due to the basic sheetmetal being a little bit different. My preference for making the pressed version of this part is a laser cut profile pressed into shape is a very simple way to make this. This is a good way to make a few or many of this part. The first step is to select a starting plane and sketch this basic shape. The construction lines are a guide. As I am allowing for thickness of material and radius of bends, I have offset the actual profile by 12mm

1. Step 1:

   

   I have set up the sheelmetal properties box to suit. For different CAD programs will look different, but will have a similar function

   
   

2. Step 2:

   

   A sketch is made on one of the planes. The sheetmetal Tab Tool is used to make the first model feature from this sketch Note how I have offset the sketch from the bottom by 12mm this is so when the bottom flange the bottom face will align with the bottom face of this plane

3. Step 3:

   

   The Sheetmetal Flange Tool is used to create the bottom flange. Note the bend location I selected. This is because I produced the tab feature to suit. The bottom flange. Note how I have modeled this part relative to the principal planes. The bottom face of the base flange is on top of the ZX plane, the back of the tab feature is against the YZ plane. This gives a good reference when I come to place part in an assembly

4. Step 4:

   

   

   The flange at the top is added the same way.

   
   

   
   

5. Step 5:

   

   The Corner Round Tool is use to radius the top flange

   

   Now the Corner Tool is used to put the 13mm radii on the bottom flange

   
   

6. Step 6:

   

   The plane at the top of the bottom flange is selected and a sketch laying out the two 11mm dia. holes is created. I used a concentric constraint to the corner radii is used to locate. The Cut Tool is used to make the holes.

   

   Now the 14mm dia. hole in the top flange is made the same way.

   
   

7. Step 7:

   

   Now I flatten all of the bends.

   

   I then use the Corner Tool to radius the corners as in the above image. The 20mm radius makes for a better part. The removal of the corners make a more " user friendly " part.

   
   

8. Step 8:

   

   Now use the " re-bend all bends tool ". The completed model of the part. The first step with designing and modeling any part starts with analyzing the function, coming up with a specification to enable part to fill this function and the best way to make part. It does not matter which software you will use, you need to start with an idea first. Then, with the basic concept thought out, and the knowledge of the tools available in your software package, and how to use them, you need to decide the steps required to produce the part. All of the CAD Modeling Packages follow the same principles, sketches on planes extruded, revolved, swept along paths, sometimes adding to , and sometimes subtracting from previous features. If you can' take the basic information contained in the anchor bracket image attached to your question and produce a useful model, either the same or different, but to perform the same function your basic CAD skills need a lot of work. If you desire to work in this industry you need to up-skill in this area. Also do not allow yourself to only use one software, learn to adapt your skills and knowledge to use whatever software is provided to you.,