How to Show Bend Notes in SolidWorks Drawing?

Understanding Bend Notes in SolidWorks Drawings

Bend notes play a crucial role in the design and manufacturing processes involving sheet metal parts. These notes provide important information about bends, helping engineers and fabricators understand how to appropriately shape materials.

Step 1: Setting Up Your Sheet Metal Part

Before you can display bend notes in a SolidWorks drawing, ensure you have a properly modeled sheet metal part. Start by accessing the “Sheet Metal” tab in SolidWorks and choosing the appropriate sheet metal features based on the design requirements.

1. Create a new part file.
2. Use the "Base Flange" or "Tab" feature to establish your sheet metal geometry.
3. Ensure that your part includes defined bends, as this will be essential for generating bend notes.

Step 2: Creating the Flat Pattern

Once your sheet metal part is modeled, the next step is to create the flat pattern. The flat pattern is a 2D representation of your 3D part, capturing all relevant bend features needed for manufacturing.

1. Go to the “Sheet Metal” features in your part.
2. Select the “Flatten” feature to convert your 3D model into a 2D flat pattern.
3. Confirm that your bends are accurately represented and positioned.

Step 3: Generating the Drawing

Create a drawing document for your sheet metal part to visualize all components, including bend notes.

1. Navigate to “File” and select “Make Drawing from Part” or “Assembly.”
2. Choose the appropriate drawing template that applies to sheet metal.
3. Drag and drop the flat pattern view from your Model/Design Tree onto the drawing sheet.

Step 4: Adding Bend Notes

With your drawing in place, you can now insert bend notes to clarify how the part should be bent during fabrication.

1. Access the “Annotations” tab within the drawing document.
2. Search for the “Bend Note” feature in the dropdown menu.
3. Click on the flat pattern view where you want the bend note to appear.
4. Customize the bend note properties to reflect the specific angles and radii of the bends. This can be done by editing the properties of the note directly in the drawing.

Step 5: Finalizing the Drawing

Once the bend notes are added, make sure the drawing is finalized for presentation or sharing with the manufacturing team.

1. Review all annotations to ensure clarity and completeness.
2. Adjust any dimension settings if needed to enhance readability.
3. Save your drawing and consider creating a PDF version for distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I hide bend notes in SolidWorks?

You can hide bend notes by right-clicking on the specific note in the drawing and selecting the "Hide" option. This process does not delete the note but simply makes it invisible for that view.

Can I modify bend note text or properties?

Yes, you can modify the text and properties of the bend note. Right-click on the bend note and select "Properties" to change attributes such as the text content, font size, and any additional specifications.

What happens if I change the bend in my 3D model? Will it update the drawing?

Yes, if you modify a bend in your 3D model, the changes should automatically reflect in the drawing. Ensure to regenerate the drawing views after making any modifications to see the updated bend notes.