To Work with a Sketch Copied to a Flat Pattern

You can copy a sketch to a flat pattern, delete it, control sketch visibility, and break the link between sketches.

You can create a 2D sketch on the face of a folded sheet metal part and copy it to the flat pattern of the part. The 2D sketch must be created on a planar face and not on side faces.

Any images or blocks embedded within the sketch are also copied. If a flat pattern does not exist, the sketch is copied as soon as the flat pattern is created.

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, changes made to the sketch copy in the flat pattern do not appear in the original folded model sketch.

When you delete a flat pattern, the sketch is not deleted. When the flat pattern is recreated, the sketch is automatically copied.

As unconsumed sketches, copied sketches are exported with the flat pattern during a DWG/DXF translation, including layer, including color, line type, and line weight control.

You can turn on and off the visibility for both sketches, and you can break the associative link between the sketches.

Note: You cannot copy a sketch created in the bend zone of a sheet metal part after unfolding it with Unfold.

Copy a Sketch to Flat Pattern

After you copy a sketch to a flat pattern, the node for the sketch changes appearance to indicate that the sketch is copied successfully . The Flat Pattern browser displays the copied sketch node appears as shown:

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Folded Part.
2. In the Folded Part browser, select one or more nodes for the Folded Models to copy, right-click and then click Copy to Flat Pattern.

Control Sketch Visibility

By default, the copied sketch is copied to the flat pattern with visibility turned on. If you copy a sketch with its visibility turned off, the Folded Model browser displays the sketch icon as unavailable () and the copied sketch also appears unavailable in the flat pattern ().

• Copy a folded model sketch to the flat pattern with its visibility turned off.

Delete Sketch from Flat Pattern

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Flat Pattern.
2. In the Flat Pattern browser, select one or more nodes for sketches to delete from the flat pattern. Right-click, and then click Delete.

   The copied sketch or sketches are deleted and no longer appear in the Flat Pattern browser.

   Tip: You can also remove a folded model sketch from a flat pattern. In the Folded Model browser, right-click the sketch node, and then clear the option Copy to Flat Pattern.

   The original folded model sketch is retained, and then in the Folded Model browser, it appears as a normal sketch icon.

Break Link between Sketches

You can break the link or links between the folded part and flat pattern sketch or sketches. Both sketch icons then appear as normal sketch icons in their respective browsers.

1. On the ribbon, click Sheet Metal tab Flat Pattern panel Go to Flat Pattern.
2. In the Flat Pattern browser, select one or more Sketch: Copy nodes.
3. Right-click, and then click Select Break Link.