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Easy method for exporting sheet metal flat pattern to STEP file?

Member Posts: 2 EDU

We are using Onshape for design, but when it comes to CAM we are forced to export all of our models to files that are imported into Fusion360 for processing and machining on our CNC router. Until Onshape actually gets their CAM Studio actually running and available to the general public, this is our only option currently.

Now we have a situation - we have folded sheet metal parts that need to have the flat pattern exportable so we can actually machine the part without having to run through a lot of hoops on Fusion360. We worked out how to create flat pattern drawings, but exporting to something like a STEP file seems to be lacking.

I'm used to SolidWorks, sheet metal and flat patterns are super easy there. Even Fusion360 wasn't so bad once you worked out a few of their odd choices. I really want Onshape to be similarly simple, particularly since my "work force" in this case is high school students often learning CAD for the first time, and in a time crunched production environment where there is not a lot of time to stumble around what should be a simple process. Sheet metal design is often the most elegant way to attack some designs, and I'd hate for the students to get a bad opinion of the process.

Comments

  • Member Posts: 1,954 PRO

    A flattened sheet metal is inherently 2D, any reason you need it as a STEP? Can a 2D DXF not work in your workflow?

    Otherwise you can insert a flat pattern into an assembly and export a STEP from there…

    You could also use either the "flat pattern without edges" FS if you don't want the bend lines to show:
    https://cad.onshape.com/documents/d075777b23239493791a6871/v/8725ed1ea47f3c78bf784922/e/dba9566c2dda32a29752e76b

    Or the "Flat pattern copy" FS (although this one requires "finishing" the sheet metal model for some reason): https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4357eff2151398c89303c467/v/3bd121d14269dd21d6d52704/e/31206977c0ba652ad907d54a

  • Member, csevp Posts: 849 PRO

    Are you cutting the flat patterns yourself? On a laser machine? DXF is what is mostly used for flat patterns in industry, not STEP. And any laser/waterjet machine will accept dxf. If you are instead sending the parts to a sheetmetal vendor, then you would send them a STEP of the fully bent part.

  • Member Posts: 294 EDU

    I also have my own Extract Flat FS

    https://cad.onshape.com/documents/ee5fe3705045d8cf9e3fe478/w/6c8344d774ce4c4c0e00ad7e/e/2e3c34069cc7000fbe02adb9

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