Welcome to the Onshape forum! Ask questions and join in the discussions about everything Onshape.
First time visiting? Here are some places to start:- Looking for a certain topic? Check out the categories filter or use Search (upper right).
- Need support? Ask a question to our Community Support category.
- Please submit support tickets for bugs but you can request improvements in the Product Feedback category.
- Be respectful, on topic and if you see a problem, Flag it.
If you would like to contact our Community Manager personally, feel free to send a private message or an email.
Sheet Metal 2.0
Ben_Misegades
Member Posts: 133 ✭✭✭
The addition of sheet metal functionality to OS was a great one, and was what finally spurred us to start paying for OS for our company.
Now that we've had some time to explore the functionality of OS's sheet metal features, I'm anxiously awaiting round two of SM with increased and better functionality. Things that, in my opinion, are necessary additions:
- Converting parts modeled like sheet metal to Onshape sheet metal. As in, being able to import a model that was modeled in a different program as SM and converting it to SM.
- Tabs! Being able to add material to edges of SM parts is a must.
- Extrude removing material from SM parts and flanges. This fails all too often, and I can't understand why.
- Move-face command on sheet metal parts fails all too often, ought to be improved as well.
- Mirroring of sheet metal parts and features
- Manipulation of SM parts in the flat. Having the flat pattern in an adjoining window is great, now I would like to be able to work in it, as well with things like extrude remove and tabs and such
- Ability to create and flatten lofted sheetmetal, tubes, etc.
- Sketched bends, joggles, hems, etc.
- Export DXF directly from flat pattern window without having to create a drawing
- Bend lines and bend information (radius & angle) that are automatically added to SM flat patterns in a drawing
So basically anything I can do in Solidworks
The SM things that OS can do, I would say it already arguably does better than Solidworks, now I'd like to have all of the remaining SM features that Solidworks (and other packages) have.
Now that we've had some time to explore the functionality of OS's sheet metal features, I'm anxiously awaiting round two of SM with increased and better functionality. Things that, in my opinion, are necessary additions:
- Converting parts modeled like sheet metal to Onshape sheet metal. As in, being able to import a model that was modeled in a different program as SM and converting it to SM.
- Tabs! Being able to add material to edges of SM parts is a must.
- Extrude removing material from SM parts and flanges. This fails all too often, and I can't understand why.
- Move-face command on sheet metal parts fails all too often, ought to be improved as well.
- Mirroring of sheet metal parts and features
- Manipulation of SM parts in the flat. Having the flat pattern in an adjoining window is great, now I would like to be able to work in it, as well with things like extrude remove and tabs and such
- Ability to create and flatten lofted sheetmetal, tubes, etc.
- Sketched bends, joggles, hems, etc.
- Export DXF directly from flat pattern window without having to create a drawing
- Bend lines and bend information (radius & angle) that are automatically added to SM flat patterns in a drawing
So basically anything I can do in Solidworks
The SM things that OS can do, I would say it already arguably does better than Solidworks, now I'd like to have all of the remaining SM features that Solidworks (and other packages) have.8
Comments
Thank you for a comprehensive list. After sheet metal 1.0 we will be iterating on sheet metal improvements, so you'll see a lot of these requests appearing as our regular updates. Please add your vote to improvement requests this helps us to prioritize or projects. When cut or move face fail unexpectedly for you, please submit it to support via Feedback tool , sharing your document if possible.
Yes please! Sometimes I need to flatten curved faces for laser cutting. Exact Flat is nifty but the pricing is well above what I can afford for my projects. Flattening inside OS (preferably not limited to SM parts) would be a time saver.