How to Work with Tabs in BricsCAD Mechanical

Quick answer: Tab features create easy, robust connections between sheet metal parts, and are created from junctions. SMTABCREATE confirms exactly the same command covered on this hub’s Sheet Metal Commands page.

Creating a Single Tab

SMTABCREATE creates a single tab by default, with just one slot.

1. Hover over a junction face and choose Create single Tab from the Quad menu, the same tool on the Sheet Metal ribbon tab, the Sheet Metal menu, or the command itself. You’re prompted to select a junction to create a single tab, or choose Array.
2. Select a junction face; you’re prompted to enter the tab’s length, or choose Central point.
3. Define the length using the dynamic length entry fields; the tab places symmetrically around a central point.
4. Choose Central point instead to position the tab manually; you’re prompted to select the point, using two tab-controlled dynamic dimensions relative to the junction, or choose Length.
5. Choose Length to specify it directly, or press Enter to finish the command.

Creating an Array Tab

An array tab has several slots, unlike a single tab.

1. Hover over a junction face and choose Create array Tab from the Quad menu, the same tool on the Sheet Metal ribbon tab, the Sheet Metal menu, or the command itself. You’re prompted to select a junction to create a single tab, or choose Array.
2. Choose the Array option; you’re prompted to select a junction or curved hard edge, or choose Single tab.
3. Select a junction face; you’re prompted to accept the tab configuration, or choose Flip, slot Number, Distance, Length, Round radius, CHamfer distance, or Accept.
4. Adjust the array tab’s appearance with these options: Slot Number (setting it to 3, for example, isn’t symmetric by default, choose Flip to place those three slots on the other side of the junction instead); Length (the slot’s length); Distance (the dimension between slot centers).
5. Adjust Round radius and Chamfer distance to define fillets and chamfers on the edges (set either back to zero if applied by mistake).
6. Choose Accept, or press Enter, to create the tab and finish the command.

Creating a Curved Array Tab

Similar to a straight array tab, but placed along a curved path instead.

1. Hover over a curved hard edge and choose Create array Tab from the Quad menu, the same tool on the Sheet Metal ribbon tab, the Sheet Metal menu, or the command itself. You’re prompted to select a junction or curved hard edge, or choose Single tab.
2. Select the curved hard edge.

Modifying Tabs

Single and array tabs have different editable properties, available in the Mechanical Browser, click the tab feature’s name to edit it.

A single tab has Length, Clearance (the gap between the tab and its slot faces), Fillet radius, and Chamfer distance. An array tab has Slot number, Distance, Length, Clearance, Fillet radius, and Chamfer distance. Curved array tabs can’t be modified at all.

Deleting Tabs

Use SMDELETE (not applicable to curved tabs), a junction feature creates in place of the deleted tabs, confirming the same general SMDELETE behaviour covered on this hub’s Sheet Metal Commands page.

Exploding Tabs

Worth flagging: this SMEXPLODE is a genuinely distinct, feature-level command, not the same as the assembly-level BMEXPLODE covered on this hub’s Representations page. Use it to explode a tabbed junction into a set of individual tab features; the tab’s geometry stays the same, but its faces distribute across several separate junction features.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between the SMEXPLODE used here and the BMEXPLODE used for assembly exploded views? They’re entirely different commands: this SMEXPLODE operates at the feature level, splitting a tabbed junction into individual tab features, while BMEXPLODE creates assembly-wide exploded view representations.

Can I modify a curved array tab’s properties after creating it? No, curved array tabs can’t be modified.

What happens if my array tab’s slots end up on the wrong side of the junction? Choose the Flip option during creation to move them to the other side.

What replaces a tab feature once it’s deleted with SMDELETE? A junction feature takes its place.