Solid Edge Cutout depth changes after direct edit of bend radius

The user has imported a sheet metal part from a third party application into a Solid Edge Ordered part file.  Subsequently, they transform it using 'Thin Part to Sheet Metal'.

They then try and do a direct edit on the bend - Modify - Bend Radius, changing it from 3mm to 5mm.  The result is that the depth of the cutout adjacent to the bend is modified - as indicated by the PMI dimension in the images below.

After the bend is modified you can see the depth of the cutout increases.

Solution

The reason for this is that as an imported file the cutout gets considered as bend relief - therefore when the bend radius is modified the geometry adjusts to maintain the depth of this 'bend relief'.  If you compare the two images below, you will see that the PMI dimension for the 'bend relief' remains consistent at 47.12mm.

A workaround is to import the file into a Synchronous part - best practice is to then optimize the Part Copy.  Then go to Tools - Transform - Thin Part to Synchronous sheet metal.  This way a flange is recognised and becomes a Synchronous feature.

The way that the part is evaluated in Synchronous results in the Cutout not being considered as bend relief - although the concept of bend relief does exist in Synchronous and is created with the flange - in this case the cutout will not pass the criteria of being considered bend relief.

Once the transformation to Synchronous sheet metal part has happened the radius of the bend can be modified whilst maintaining the cutout depth.

Hardware/Software Configuration

Platform: INTL64
OS: windows
OS Version: n/a
Product: SOLID_EDGE
Application: PART/SHEETMETAL
Version: V221.0
Function: DIRECT

Ref: 002-8559050