Flatten Sheet Metal Part Solidworks

In the solidworks open dialog set the file filter to the required file type in this example it is a step file step stp.

Flatten sheet metal part solidworks.

Upholstery clothing even carbon fiber layups can be calculated using this feature. To return the part to its bent state. Select a face as the fixed face for the sheet metal part. It is designed for materials like cloth or leather but can be used for metal if there will be forming involved.

As shown in the figure below the flat pattern view is the same as the front view and shows the part in a bent state. However when i switch over to the second configuration 002 which is a mirrored part to the first config one of the bends that were mirrored will not flatten. The bend lines are shown by default when you unsuppress flat pattern1. When cleared the body is consumed by the convert to sheet metal feature.

Stop putting a small flat section on your part just to get it to convert to sheet metal. To hide the bend lines expand flat pattern1 right click bend lines and select hide. Improvements to flattening sheet metal parts make flattening succeed for complex shapes which previously failed. Select keep body if you want to keep the solid body to use in another convert to sheet metal feature.

Under sheet metal parameters. Flatten it by converting it using the insert bends command instead. In the featuremanager design tree select the part and click flatten sheet metal toolbar. When the flat pattern drawing view of a solidworks sheet metal part displays the part in the bent condition this can indicate an issue with the suppression state of the flat pattern feature.

All features before flat pattern1 in the featuremanager design tree appear in both the folded and flattened sheet metal part. To flatten the entire part if the flat pattern1 feature is present unsuppress flat pattern1 or click flatten on the sheet metal toolbar. In the cut list right click the body and click flatten. Here are a few simple steps to take in order to flatten your imported part.

In either the featuremanager design tree or the cut list right click the flat pattern feature for the part and click unsuppress. Flatten surface is only available in solidworks premium and is really the last chance for a part to be flattened from a 3d shape in automated way. On one of the configurations 001 the bends all flatten correctly. I have a sheet metal part with two configurations.

Set the sheet thickness and default bend radius. I checked the bend radius and it is at 015 for both configs.