Flat pattern
See sheet metal parts flat, as they are cut, with the bend lines and the bend table.
- Flat pattern AdvancedPart Studio toolbar
| SchoolCAD | Onshape | Fusion | SOLIDWORKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat pattern | Flat view | Create Flat Pattern | Flatten |
Flat shows every sheet metal part flat, as it is cut from the sheet, with each bend line across it: blue lines bend up (towards you), red lines bend down. Click Flat again to fold the parts back. It works like Flat view in Onshape and Flatten in SOLIDWORKS.
While Flat is on, the bend table shows each part's flat size and its bends:
| Column | What it is |
|---|---|
| Bend | B1, B2, ... as labelled on the flat pattern. |
| Direction | Up or Down, seen from the side shown. |
| Angle | How far the bend goes. |
| Radius | The inside bend radius. |
| K | The K-factor used. |
| Length | How long the bend line is. |
| Allowance | The length of sheet the bend uses (its neutral arc). |
Select parts to see just their bends.
The laser cut file#
The laser cut file (Export → Laser cut) has each sheet metal part flat, with the bend lines on the BEND-UP-DO-NOT-CUT (blue) and BEND-DOWN-DO-NOT-CUT (purple) layers, labelled with their number, angle, direction and radius, and the bend table beside the sheets on the NOTES-DO-NOT-CUT layer.
If it does not work#
- The flat pattern overlaps itself: two walls lie over each other when flat, so it cannot be cut in one piece. Make a flange shorter, or move it.
- Changed after: not in the flat pattern: a feature changed the part in a way that does not go straight through the sheet (a pocket), so the flat pattern is as it was before. Move that feature, or make it cut right through.