Work with sketch in flat pattern

A 2D sketch can be created on the planar face of a folded sheet metal part and copied to the flat pattern of the part. Visibility for both sketches can be toggled on and off, and the associative link between the sketches can be broken.

The copied sketch is included in a DWG/DXF export with layer, color, line type, and line weight control fully supported.

Copy sketch to flat pattern

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Folded Part.
2. Right-mouse click over the Folded Model browser node of the Sketch you wish to copy.
3. Select Copy to Flat Pattern from the pop-up context menu to copy the sketch to the flat pattern.
4. The Sketch node icon in the Folded Model browser changes appearance to indicate that the sketch has been copied successfully .
5. The copied sketch also appears in the Flat Pattern browser appearing as shown:

Note: One or more sketches may be selected from the browser and copied simultaneously.

Sketch Visibility

A folded model sketch may be copied to the flat pattern even with its visibility turned off. The sketch icon then appears grayed out in the Folded Model browser .

The copied sketch in the flat pattern also appears grayed out when its visibility is turned off .

Note: The copied sketch is always copied to the flat pattern with visibility turned on.

Delete sketch from flat pattern

One or more sketches can be selected from the browser and deleted simultaneously.

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Flat Pattern.
2. In the Flat Pattern browser, right-mouse click over the Sketch: Copy node you wish to delete.
3. Select Delete from the pop-up context menu to delete the copied sketch from the flat pattern.
4. The copied sketch is deleted and no longer appears in the Flat Pattern browser.
5. The original folded model sketch is retained and then appears as a normal sketch icon in the Folded Model browser.

Note: A folded model sketch can also be deleted from the Folded Model browser. The sketch copied to the flat pattern is still retained after deleting the original sketch. It then appears as a normal sketch icon in the Flat Pattern browser.

Tip: You can also remove a folded model sketch from a flat pattern by right-mouse clicking over the sketch node in the Folded Model browser. When the pop-up context menu appears, remove the check to the left of Copy to Flat Pattern.

Break link between sketches

There is associativity between the original folded model sketch and the flat pattern copy. Any edits made to the original sketch appear in the copy. However, the associativity is not bi-directional. Changes made to the sketch copy in the flat pattern are not reflected in the original folded model sketch.

One or more sketches can be selected from the browser and links broken simultaneously. To break the link between sketches:

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Flat Pattern.
2. Right-mouse click over the Sketch: Copy node in the Flat Pattern browser.
3. Select Break Link from the pop-up context menu to break the link between the folded part and flat pattern sketch.

Note: Once the link is broken between the flat pattern sketch and the folded model sketch, both sketch icons then appear as normal sketch icons in their respective browsers.