How to design a sheet metal bracket for your PCB with a text prompt

Flux designs a bent sheet-metal bracket from your board dimensions and a text description. In this walkthrough, a 50 × 30 mm PCB gets an L-shaped aluminum bracket, an unfolded DXF, a bent STEP file, and two laser-cutting quotes.

The four turns took 1,817.606 seconds in total and used 7.6 Agent Compute Units. The sections below show the exact prompts and the output from each turn.

1. Describe the PCB and the bracket

Start with the board envelope and hole positions. State the material, thickness, flange purpose, and bend requirements in the same request.

Create a real bent sheet-metal mounting bracket for a 50 x 30 mm PCB with four M3 clearance holes at 3.5 mm inset from each board edge. Use 1.5 mm aluminum 5052, an L-shape with a flange to screw to a wall, a practical inside bend radius, and bend relief. Choose reasonable clearances and wall screw holes. Save the 3D bent part in this project and provide a rendered image and dimensions. Do not order anything or enter checkout.

Flux produced a bent 1.5 mm aluminum 5052 bracket with a 60 × 42 × 32 mm envelope. The bend is 90°, with a 2.5 mm inside radius and a 4.0 mm outside radius.

• Four Ø3.4 mm PCB holes on a 43 × 23 mm pitch.
• Two Ø4.5 mm wall-mount holes.
• Two 2 mm-wide bend reliefs with R1 ends, extending 4 mm into the flats.

This turn took 860.189 seconds and used 3.7 Agent Compute Units.

2. Ask for the unfolded DXF

Produce the unfolded flat pattern of this bracket as a downloadable DXF for laser cutting. Include the bend allowance assumptions, bend lines, and relief geometry. Verify the file is saved and provide its download link. Do not order anything or enter checkout.

Flux saved a flat pattern measuring 60 × 70.963716 mm. The calculation used K-factor 0.44 and a 4.963716 mm bend allowance. The bend centerline is at Y = 40.481858 mm.

The DXF has a closed cut perimeter and six circular holes. Cut geometry, bend references, tangent references, and notes use separate layers. An independent file audit found zero errors.

This turn took 763.354 seconds and used 3.2 Agent Compute Units.

3. Export the bent STEP

Export the bent bracket as a downloadable STEP file. Verify the file is saved and provide its link. State any other export formats that you actually produced, not merely formats you support.

Flux saved the bent STEP file and returned its download link. The downloaded file reopened as one valid solid with a 60 × 42 × 32 mm envelope. Its curved surfaces include the 2.5 mm inside and 4.0 mm outside bend radii.

This turn took 53.316 seconds and used 0.2 Agent Compute Units. Use the mechanical drawing and export guide for the file handoff.

4. Request manufacturing quotes

Get a real manufacturing quote for one bracket from SendCutSend or OSH Cut using this design and 1.5 mm aluminum 5052 with the bend included. Quote only. Do not place an order, enter checkout, make a payment, or send external messages. Report vendor, price, currency, lead time, and any missing information or limitation. Clearly distinguish a returned vendor quote from an estimate.

Flux returned two laser-cutting quotes for the flat part. Both use 0.063 in, or 1.6002 mm, 5052-H32 aluminum stock.

This turn took 140.747 seconds and used 0.5 Agent Compute Units. Read manufacturing in Flux for the quote workflow.

The final files

• Bent STEP: the 3D mounting bracket.
• Unfolded DXF: the laser-cut profile with separate bend-reference layers.
• Editable CAD source: the saved bracket definition.
• PNG renders: views of the bracket produced during the run.

Where Flux stops in this quote workflow

The vendor prices cover laser cutting of the flat part at the 0.063 in stock gauge. The design request used 1.5 mm sheet. The manufacturing handoff therefore includes a stock-thickness decision and a separate forming step. No order or checkout took place.

Start with your board

Start with your board dimensions, hole positions, and mounting direction. Read Make mechanical parts for the prompt workflow, the mechanical drawing and export guide for the file handoff, and the mechanical design FAQs for more prompt examples.

FAQ

Can I design a bent PCB bracket with a text prompt?

What is the difference between the STEP and DXF files?

What did the laser-cutting quotes cover?

How many Agent Compute Units did this bracket use?