Smart Features

Overview

The Smart Features technology manages the local intelligent update of the geometry after executing Sheet Metal commands. The behavior is controlled through the SmSmartFeatures user preference.

3 options are available:
  • Allow rebuilding sheet metal features:
    • Corner relief is transformed into 2 bend reliefs after executing SMSPLIT on a flange.
    • Unnecessary reliefs are removed.
  • Allow automatic edges imprint after rebuild: automatic imprinting edges for thickness faces.
  • Allow automatic creation of junctions after creating bends.
Note: Always keep Smart Features options ON, unless inconsistent behavior occurs.

Transformation of a corner relief into bend reliefs

When splitting a top flange by a line into 2 separate parts, the corner relief is transformed into 2 bend reliefs.

Smart features create bend reliefs automatically, which can then be switched to smooth. Without smart features, the corner relief is kept and cannot be switched.

Removing unnecessary cuts

In the model below, a corner relief cut exists, which is needed to prevent the material from being stretched.

When the top bend is converted into a junction, we get to separate parts. The smart features automatically remove the now unnecessary relief.

Smart features automatically fill unnecessary cuts, thus simplifying the geometry. Without smart features, the corner relief still exists.

Automatic imprinting of edges

Imprinted edges on thickness faces separate them into areas which can be reworked automatically. That means localized junctions can be converted into bends. Without automatically imprinted edges the SMIMPRINT command is needed here.

In the example below, we will separate a flange using junctions. We turn Rebuilding sheet metal features ON, and then use Automatic edges imprint after rebuild.

Allow automatic edges imprint after rebuild = ON.

Junction faces are split correctly.

Allow automatic edges imprint after rebuild = OFF.

Junction features overlap each other.

Automatic creation of junctions

In certain situations, when hard edges meet at the corner and we create a bend on all but one, which has to become a junction in order to make the part unfoldable.

Assume we create bends on the top face of a sheet metal box:

Then the remaining hard edges adjacent to the face must become junctions. When SmSmartFeatures = ON, this is performed automatically:

To be precise, the area of automatic junction creation is located to the common vertex of hard edges (or corner relief when bends are created). The option does not optimize the layout of the unfolded part.