{"id":5509,"date":"2018-02-22T10:43:02","date_gmt":"2018-02-22T10:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.solidapps.co.uk\/blog\/?p=5509"},"modified":"2018-02-22T10:43:02","modified_gmt":"2018-02-22T10:43:02","slug":"understanding-multibody-sheet-metal-thickness-derived-mirror-part-thickness-and-the-thickness-global-variable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solidapps.co.uk\/blog\/2018\/02\/understanding-multibody-sheet-metal-thickness-derived-mirror-part-thickness-and-the-thickness-global-variable\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Multibody Sheet Metal Thickness, Derived Mirror Part Thickness and the Thickness Global Variable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Before starting with the main issue of the article, let\u2019s review how the sheet metal thickness works when dealing with multi body parts.<\/p>\n

When you create a sheet metal part, you have one Sheet-Metal feature (Part Thickness) and as many Sheet-Metal# (Body Thickness) features as sheet metal bodies. The \u201cThickness Global Variable\u201d always reflects the part thickness. (Fig. 1)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 1<\/strong><\/p>\n

By default, when creating a sheet metal body, the thickness of the body is controlled by the part thickness. If you want a body to have a different thickness from the part thickness, you edit the Sheet-Metal# body feature, check the \u201cOverride default parameters\u201d and enter the desired thickness (Fig. 2)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this particular example, the part thickness still is 2 mm, and it will only control the thickness of the U-shaped body (Fig. 3)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 3<\/strong><\/p>\n

Any additional bodies created in the part will \u2014 by default \u2014 have the part thickness (2 mm) (Fig. 4)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 4<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now you insert a mirror part, with the \u201csheet metal information\u201d option checked and still linked to the parent part (Fig. 5)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 5<\/strong><\/p>\n

Editing the mirrored part sheet metal feature shows the part thickness was \u201ctransferred\u201d to the mirrored part thickness. Also, the thickness global variable is still representing the part thickness of the mirrored part. (Fig. 6a)<\/p>\n

Editing the sheet metal features of the bodies show that now each body has the \u201coverride default parameter\u201d checked. (Fig 6b and 6c).This means that the thickness of these two mirrored bodies are not controlled by the mirrored part thickness. The reason for checking the \u201coverride default parameter\u201d is that otherwise, all the bodies would respond only to the mirrored sheet metal part thickness and have a 2 mm thickness.<\/p>\n

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Fig. 6<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this point you add another body to the mirrored part. Notice the \u201cOverride default parameter\u201d is unchecked. Therefore, the new body will have the mirrored sheet metal part thickness at 2 mm (Fig. 7)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 7<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now you change the parent\/seed sheet metal part thickness. Notice the mirrored part thickness and global thickness variable does not change. (Fig. 8)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 8<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, the U-shaped body \u2013which was linked to the original\/seed part \u2014 will update (Fig. 9). This was the same body that was responding to the seed part thickness (see Fig. 3)<\/p>\n

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Fig. 9<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why does the mirrored part thickness\/global variable not change? Is this correct?<\/p>\n

Yes, that is correct. Although we call the derived part a \u201cMirror Part\u201d, in reality this is a different part. Even though the U-Shaped body has the \u201cOverride default parameters\u201d option checked, this is the only body linked to the seed part thickness.<\/p>\n

In summary: (Fig. 10)<\/p>\n