Sheet Metal Flatten Pattern View in Drafting

You can create a flatten (unbended) sheet metal view in the drafting.  

To create a flatten view in drafting:

  1. Activate the Sheet Metal application.
  2. Click the “Flat Pattern” command. (In the sheet metal application)
  3. Select the face on the sheet metal model to specify a reference face for flattening. (The “Select Face” in the “Upward Face” tab highlighted in the “Flat Pattern” dialog box.)
  4. Click “Ok” to finish the “Flat Pattern” command.
  5. Start the Drafting application.
  6. Start the Base View command.
  7. Select the “Flat Pattern” view from the list of the “Model View to Use” in the “Model View” tab in the “Base View” dialog box.
  8. Specify the location of the “Flat Pattern” view in the graphics window.
  9. The view will be created and the command dialog box will close.

Note: If you will export the dwg file for laser cut manufacturing, you should be very careful.

  • Is the scale of the “Flat Pattern” view 1/1 or not?
  • Is the “Flat Pattern” view perpendicular to the flattened face of the sheet metal? (Perpendicular to “Upward Face” in step 3)

Note 2: In the view, there will be several notes to define the bending. If you want you can delete these notes.

  • Bend Direction
  • Bend Angle
  • Bend Radius
  • Bend Sequence ID

Note 3: You can create dimensions between edge and bend axis.

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