Working with Tabs

Tab features are used to create easy and robust connections between sheet metal parts.

Tab features are created from junctions.

Creating a Single Tab

A single tab is created by default by the SMTABCREATE command. This feature only has a single slot.

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Hover over a junction face and click the Create single Tab () tool in the Quad menu.
    • Click the Create single Tab () tool button in the Sheet Metal ribbon tab.
    • Choose Create single Tab in the Sheet Metal menu.
    • Type SMTABCREATE in the Command line.
      You are prompted: Select junction to create single tab or [Array]:
  2. Select a junction face.
    You are prompted: Enter the length of the tab or [Central point]:
  3. Define the length of the tab.
    A tab is placed symmetrically in relation to a central point. Type values in the dynamic length entry fields to define the length of a tab.
  4. Select the Central point option to position the tab.
    You are prompted: Select the central point or [Length]:
    2 Tab-controlled dynamic dimensions are used to create a tab relative to a junction:
  5. Select the Length option to specify the length, or press Enter to finish the command.

Creating an Array Tab

An array tab feature has several slots, in contrast to Single tabs.

  1. To create an array tab, do one of the following:
    • Hover over a junction face and click the Create array Tab () tool in the Quad menu.
    • Click the Create array Tab () tool button in the Sheet Metal ribbon tab.
    • Choose Create array Tab from the Sheet Metal menu.
    • Type SMTABCREATE in the Command line.
      You are prompted: Select junction to create single tab or [Array]:
  2. Select the Array option.
    You are prompted: Select junction or curved hard edge to create array tab or [Single tab/selection options (?)]:
  3. Select a junction face.
    You are prompted: Accept tab configuration or [Flip/slot Number/Distance/Length/Round radius/CHamfer distance/Accept] <Accept>:
  4. You can use options to modify the appearance of an array tab (see the example below).
    • Slot Number = 3 - notice that the picture is not symmetric. If you click the Flip option, 3 slots will appear on the other side of the junction.
    • Length = 8 - the length of the slot.
    • Distance = 40 - the dimension between slot centers.
  5. Change the Round radius and Chamfer distance to define the fillets and chamfers for the edges.
    Tip: If you set fillets or chamfers by mistake, use zero values to turn them off.
  6. Once you have set all the options, choose Accept, or press Enter to create the tab and finish the command.
Fillets Chamfers

Creating a Curved Array Tab

This case is similar to creation of straight Array Tab, but the tabs are placed along a curved path.

  1. To create a curved array tab, do one of the following:
    • Hover over a curved hard edge and click the Create array Tab () tool in the Quad menu.
    • Click the Create array Tab () tool button in the Sheet Metal ribbon tab.
    • Choose Create array Tab from the Sheet Metal menu.
    • Type SMTABCREATE in the Command line.
      You are prompted: Select junction or curved hard edge to create array tab or [Single tab/selection options (?)]:
  2. Select a curved hard edge.

Modifying Tabs

Single and array tabs have different editable properties, which are available in the Mechanical Browser.

Click the tab feature name to edit.

A single tab has Length, Clearance, Fillet radius, and Chamfer distance parameters. Tab clearance defines the gap between the tab and the slot faces.

An array tab has Slot number, Distance, Length, Clearance, Fillet radius, and Chamfer distance parameters.

Note: Curved Array Tabs can not be modified.

Deleting Tabs

Use the SMDELETE command to delete tabs (not applicable for curved). A junction feature is created in place of the tabs.

Exploding Tabs

Use the SMEXPLODE command to explode a tabbed junction to a set of tab features. The tab geometry remains the same and its faces are distributed among several junction features.

Original tab feature Result of deletion Result of explode