Relief Cuts In Sheet Metal

For example if you make a partial flange as above using all the defaults the software makes relief cuts at the end of the bends as shown to the right.

Relief cuts in sheet metal.

This same tool can be used to make a flat piece of sheet metal that one would use to add edge flanges and other useful sheet metal features. Sheet metal parts may have sharp corners but designing a fillet of the material s thickness will make parts more cost effective. Bends in sheet metal are manufactured using sheet metal brakes. In general a minimum bend relief is equal to the material thickness plus the inside bend radius.

Options in basic sheet metal base flange tab. When designing parts for laser cutting one should not make holes smaller than the thickness of the material. A 1 degree tolerance on all bend angles. If it is ok for the metal to rip the minimum bend relief is zero.

One benefit of a bend relief is that it makes the part easier to produce. In the propertymanager under auto relief change the type of relief cut. To change the type of relief cut for all bends. Not shown scroll down in property manager is an auto relief setting that controls how corners and relief cuts are handled.

If you select rectangular or obround specify the relief ratio. To eliminate this a bend relief is added so the edge of the sheet metal is perpendicular to the bend. Relief cuts help parts avoid overhangs and tearing at bends.