How can I get the form features toolbar back on my geometry calculator window for a sheet metal analysis?

The geometry calculator tabs are specific to the process. In the case of sheet metal processes, there are several different tab-and-toolbar combinations depending on what is specified at the process level on the main window. To review those differences, open the sample file "sheet metal stamping part.dfm" included with the software installation. There are seven different sheet metal analyses of the same part. Each has the geometry calculator completed, and shows the geometry calculator inputs needed for different processes.

Follow the steps below for a demonstration of the geometry calculator for the Part-off analysis.

(1) With DFM Concurrent Costing running, open the file "sheet metal stamping part.dfm" installed in your \data\samples folder.

(2) Click the Part-off tab under the process chart on the main window to switch to that analysis.

(3) Click Separate operations process on the process chart. In the responses panel for this entry, note the group box Part-off data, with its two responses, Area of blank and Perimeter of blank. (Part-off has been chosen from the dropdown in the Perimeter process field in the Basic data box.) If you have this area and/or perimeter data already, you can enter it directly. The geometry calculator is provided to assist you if these values are not available.

(4) Open the geometry calculator (View-Geometry Calculator.) There are three tabs. The first is Part-off. Its toolbar consists solely of area shapes. This tab calculates the blank area and perimeter.

(5) Click the first rectangular area entry on the geometry chart. The right panel shows the dimensional inputs for the rectangular element.

(6) You can make this a positive or negative shape by clicking one of the buttons in the Shape box on the right panel.

(7) There is also a perimeter tab on the right panel, where you define the lengths for the entry that contribute to the blank perimeter.

(8) When you have defined both the total area and perimeter of the part-off blank, you can transfer these totals to the responses on the main window for Area of blank and Perimeter of blank.

(9) Now switch to the second tab on the geometry calculator, Punch holes 1. The 1 refers to the fact that your process chart on the main window has only 1 machine setup for hole punching. It could have more, if needed to process this part. You would add setups by changing the value for Hole punching from 1 to 2, for example, in the Additional setups group box when the Separate operations process is selected on the process chart. Then to see the additional setup added to the process chart, click the Calculate button.

(10) In the geometry calculator, with the Punch holes 1 tab selected, note that there are both solid and negative shape toolbars. You primarily use the negative shapes toolbar. But when you need to calculate the area and perimeter of an irregular hole (last button on the negative shapes toolbar), you must define the elements of the irregular hole using the positive area toolbar.

(11) Finally, click the tab Form bends 1. Again the 1 refers to the fact that there is a single setup for bend forming on the process chart. The toolbar for this tab consists of a single button, the bend.

Go here for information on how to transfer geometry totals to the analysis.