Hi Folks,
I have been playing around with sheet metal forming tools and using surfaces to show a better image of the part feature you will get when you use a given forming tool.
Essentially, the pallette will generally show you the anti-image of the part (a view of the punch). After a bit of playing around I have come up with a novel way of using surfaces to design your part feature in the pallette and have the part that forms inherit what was done, resulting in a forming tool.
In short - design your part feature (with surfaces) in the pallette part instead of playing the "punch design" game and hoping the part comes out right when the forming tool is applied. Derive the forming tool from the part and then hide the forming tool body (not required but makes the pallette look nicer). When you go to use the forming tool, the "real" part feature will appear and will be easier to understand. Since you have driven the forming tool part of the pallette model from a viable part definition, you are assured a correct forming tool outcome.
I like this one and thought is was worth sharing.
See two samples:
Later-
SMA