The contents of the bend process attribute can be checked or inquired for each bend. Other features can also be inquired; namely: punches, stamps, and reliefs. Sheet metal parts that were not designed with Creo Elements/Direct Sheet Metal, but imported from other systems, do not have these attributes.
Every sheet metal part designed with Creo Elements/Direct Sheet Metal has attributes which define the chosen bend processes. For production reasons the bend process is generally the same for all bends of a sheet metal part, but it could differ because of other reasons.
The information about features at a selected face or on a whole part is by default displayed in an Output window, in which you can save the data to a text file. Features can also be labeled on the part itself, and you can keep these labels.
To inquire features,
1. Click Sheet Metal and then, in the Post Process group, click the arrow next to Inquire.
2. Click Feature. The Inquire Features dialog box opens.
3. Click one of the following:
◦ In Part: To inquire features in the part as a whole (for example, all bends are reported on).
◦ At 3D Elm: To select faces, edges, or vetices
4. Switch on the features that you want to inquire; All is selected by default. You can select one or more of the following:
◦ Bends
◦ Reliefs
◦ Punches
◦ Stamps
5. Select the object you want to inquire:
◦ Click Face and click a face belonging to the feature you want to inquire. All faces of the selected feature are highlighted.
◦ Click In Part and click the part whose features you want to inquire. All features selected above are highlighted on the part. (This is useful to determine missing attributes (that is, non-Creo Elements/Direct Sheet Metal features) on a part.)
Creo Elements/Direct Sheet Metal displays the results in an Output window. You can continue to switch on or off features to inquire, change the face or part, or change the display options.
6. To change the display of feature information in the viewport, set one or more of the following display options:
◦ Click the Labels check box to display a 3D Note showing the numbered feature and the flat text of the feature:
◦ Click the Keep Lbls check box to keep the labels after the inquiry has ended.
◦ Click the Verbose mode to display the feature information in the Output window. This option is on by default.
◦ Click the Text only check box to display only the flat text of the feature in its label:
This option is useful (when used with Keep Lbls) if the data is to be transferred to Creo Elements/Direct Annotation; the flat information will therefore be seen on the 2D views.
7. Click to end the inquiry.
For example, when inquiring a bend face, Creo Elements/Direct Sheet Metal displays the contents of the bend attributes in the Output window (when the Verbose check box is selected). The information includes the bend process, the inner and outer radius, and the browser name of the bend feature. For example:
The bend was created in shop: demoshop The process attribute of the bend is: Bend Forming The tool key of the bend is: ( RADIUS 1.6 mm ANGLE 90 deg). The browser name is: bend_2 The inner radius of the bend is: 1.6 mm The outer radius of the bend is: 2.85 mm The bend surrounds an angle of: 90 deg The bend allowance using current shop is: -2.35 mm Flat-Text: Bend form R=1.6 A=90 deg UP
Inquiring 3D elements
At 3D Elm lets you select faces, edges, and vertices. A bend relief of the type 'no relief' and a temporary relief is possible. A temporary relief only exists for a corner with a folded and an unfolded bend. If a part is selected, the output summary only counts corner and bend reliefs. Temporary reliefs are not counted.
Inquire.
to end the inquiry.