Use a flat pattern to create drawings for manufacturing.
The flat pattern is the shape of the sheet metal part before it is formed. It shows bend lines, bend zones, punch locations, and the shape of the entire part with all bends flattened and bend factors considered.
Create Flat Pattern creates a flat pattern within the sheet metal part feature browser. A set of flat pattern edit commands are active while the model is displayed in the flat pattern state, including:
Conversion of a sheet metal part to a standard part automatically deletes the sheet metal flat pattern. Any time you delete a flat pattern in a sheet metal part, you also delete all of the flat pattern views in associated drawings.
Physical iProperties (including but not limited to: mass and volume) calculate differently depending upon the folded or flat state of the model. Any alternative punch representations present in your flat pattern impacts physical iProperties as does the last calculated model state (folded or flat with any edits in the flat).