Sheet Metal tab: flanges, bends, flat pattern and laser DXF

What it is

Bent sheet-metal parts with an exact flat pattern for laser cutting. A sheet-metal part opens straight on this tab.

Groups and buttons

• Flanges: Base Flange · Edge Flange · Miter Flange · Hem.
• Bends: Sketched Bend · Convert to Sheet Metal · Sheet rules.
• Flat pattern: Flatten · Flat DXF (laser) · Sheets (nesting) · Sheet-metal manufacturability check.

Step by step: a bent part

1. Draw the outline in a sketch and click Base Flange. Enter thickness and inner radius.
2. Select an edge and click Edge Flange; set length, angle and position in the PropertyManager.
3. In Sheet rules check material, thickness, inner radius, K-factor (default 0.44), relief and minimum flange. Apply regenerates the part.
4. Click Flatten to see the flat part with bend lines.
5. Flat DXF (laser) writes the cutting DXF: cut outline on layer AM_0, bends on AM_3 and notes on AM_5.

Tips

• Convert to Sheet Metal turns a bent STEP solid (from another CAD) into a KoCAD sheet part with flat pattern and DXF.
• Manufacturability check: hole too close to a bend, flange too short, missing relief — with reason and suggestion.
• Saving the rule table needs the KoCAD approval permission; read-only users can pick a rule.

Common mistakes

• Flattening fails on a STEP: the solid has no constant thickness. Use Convert to Sheet Metal or fix it in the source CAD.
• Wrong size on the laser: check the unit (mm) and 1:1 scale in the laser software. Check one physical part before the first production run.