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      <title>Bracket overview</title>
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      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Bracket overview</div>
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               <p class="para_td">Bracket Overview</p>
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               <p class="para_td"><a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/smfea_brack_geo_sel.html');return(false);">Options</a></p>
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               <p class="para_td"><a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/build_multi_parts.html');return(false);">Related Topics</a></p>
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      </table><br><p align="left"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/ico_t_sheet_metal_bracket.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">This option is a utility that creates a bracket from reference geometry. It is not a feature but a collection of features. Each bracket consists of a base pad, created by an <b class="uiTerm">Extrude</b> feature. A flange or general flange feature is built off the base pad. One or more cutout features then trim the flange to size. The cutout is built to match input reference points. The resulting bracket will align with the reference geometry. It is possible to build subsequent flanges off of existing bracket geometry.
      </p>
      <p class="para_topic">The flanges on a bracket can be formed and unformed as any other flange feature.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">To edit a bracket, you must edit the individual features that make up the bracket. A bracket is not associative to its reference geometry. If you need to create a fully associative straight&ndash;brake bracket, we recommend using the <b class="uiTerm">Multibend Bracket</b> feature.
      </p>
      <p class="para_topic">You can access the <b class="uiTerm">Bracket</b> dialog box from <b class="uiTerm">Modeling&rarr;Insert&rarr;Sheet Metal Feature&rarr;Sheet Metal Bracket</b> or from the <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal Feature</b> toolbar.
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      <div class="title_division">Terminology</div>
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               <p class="para_td">Base Face</p>
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               <p class="para_td">This is a planar face that will mate with the bracket base pad.</p>
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               <p class="para_td">Base Pad</p>
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               <p class="para_td">The portion of the resulting solid body upon which a flange is built. The base pad is constructed using an <b class="uiTerm">Extrude</b> feature.
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               <p class="para_td">Reference Face</p>
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               <p class="para_td">This face defines the mating surface for the bracket flange. The reference face must intersect the plane of the base face. If the intersection between these faces is linear, a flange feature is constructed. If the intersection curve is nonlinear, a general flange feature is constructed. When a general flange is built, it will approximate the reference face using linear cross sections.</p>
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               <p class="para_td">Clearance Points</p>
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               <p class="para_td"><b class="uiTerm">Points on the Base Face</b> and/or <b class="uiTerm">Reference Face</b> that can be used to define the size of the bracket. During construction of the bracket outline, clearance circles are created around each clearance point. The radius of each circle is the clearance distance. The bracket outline consists of tangent lines between these circles.
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               <p class="para_td">Intersection Curve</p>
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               <p class="para_td">This curve is the intersection of the plane of the base face and the reference face. If the plane and face do not intersect, the bracket cannot be created.</p>
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      </table><br><div class="title_division">Procedure</div>
      <p class="para_division">The steps for creating a bracket are:</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select a planar base face.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Optionally select clearance points on the base face.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select a reference face that intersects the plane of the base face.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Optionally, select clearance points on the reference face.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Reverse the material direction if necessary.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Specify bracket parameters.</p>
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         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Press <b class="uiTerm">OK</b> or <b class="uiTerm">Apply</b> when you are ready to create the base pad and flange.
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         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Choose to create a new body or unite the bracket base pad to some existing geometry.</p>
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            <p class="para_item">The system builds the base pad and flange. It then unforms the flange.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Optionally edit the unformed outline of the bracket. When complete, the system applies a cutout feature to the base pad and flange.</p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <div class="title_division">Selection steps</div>
      <p class="para_division">Upon entering the utility, the <b class="uiTerm">Bracket</b> dialog box includes selection steps. For further explanation of this type of dialog box, see <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.popUpPage('modeling/index.html?goto=modeling/title_page.html&vars=-aux,-home','linkInter','menubar=yes,status=yes,resizable=yes,toolbar=yes,scrollbars=yes,location=no,directories=no');return(false);">Modeling Help</a>.
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