Bounding Boxes for Sheet Metal
You can create a bounding box for a multibody, single body, or sheet metal part. You can also create a bounding box for any cut list item in a cut list, independent of the type of solid or sheet metal bodies in the item.
The bounding box is represented by a 3D sketch and is based, by default, on the X-Y plane. Taking into consideration the bounding box's orientation, the bounding box is the smallest box in which the body fits. You can create rectangular and cylindrical bounding boxes.
Benefits of bounding boxes:
- For parts, bounding box dimensions are available as properties in the Configuration Properties tab of the Properties dialog box. For cut lists, the overall dimensions of the bounding box appear in the Cut-List Properties dialog box. You can use these dimensions in a bill of materials or other annotations.
- With a bounding box, you can determine the length, width, and height of the stock required for the body. This helps you to know how much space is required for packaging the product.
- With weldments, you no longer have to find the stock size for plates manually.
Bounding Box Orientation
The orientation of a bounding box is based on one of the following:
- The X-Y plane (default)
- A preselected plane or planar face
Exceptions to these orientations are for weldment gussets and end caps:
- For gussets, the orientation plane for the bounding box is parallel to the gusset faces.
- For end caps, the orientation plane for the bounding box is parallel to the planar faces that they cap.
- For a linear structural member, the orientation plane for the bounding box is perpendicular to the sketch line defining the member.