To Place a Punch or Die Form Using Interfaces
1. Click
Model >
Form >
Punch Form or click
Model >
Form >
Die Form. The
Punch Form tab or the
Die Form tab opens.
2. Select a recently used punch form or die form or a standard punch or die form with a form interface from the list or click
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/UI_dir_open_image.png)
to browse to another form with a form interface.
| Use the punch_models_directory configuration option or the die_models_directory configuration option to specify a different location to retrieve punch or die form models. |
3. Make sure
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/auto_placement.png)
is selected.
4. Select an Interface Placement option from the list.
5. Select a copy option.
6. To change the surfaces selected that define the die pocket geometry, activate the
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/smt_die_pocket.png)
Die Shape collector and select one or more surfaces.
7. Click Placement. The Placement tab opens. The punch form constraint type automatically appears in the Constraint list.
8. Select a placement reference on the sheet metal part.
9. To flip the
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/smt_form.png)
punching direction, click
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/comp_flip.png)
.
10. Click Options. The Options tab opens. Perform any of the following operations:
◦ Click one or both of the Placement check boxes to round sharp edges. Provide any radius information.
◦ Select any surfaces to exclude from the punch.
◦ Add the manufacturing information for the Tool Name and Coordinate System.
| To automatically set the manufacturing information for the part, click Annotate > Annotation Feature > ![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/smt_form.png) . Click Forming and select surfaces to exclude from the punch. Click Manufacturing and set the tool name and coordinate system. |
11. Click
![](../../../sheetmetal/sheetmetaldesign/images/dash_done.png)
.