Learn how to effectively flatten parts in Fusion using sheet metal tools and best practices to create accurate flat patterns ready for laser cutting and fabrication.

Flattening a 3D part to prepare it for laser cutting or sheet metal fabrication can be challenging, especially when the design started as a 3D printed model. Fusion offers powerful sheet metal tools that make this process easier and more accurate. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through two effective workflows to flatten parts in Fusion for Manufacturing.

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Understanding the challenge when flattening parts in Fusion

When you start with a 3D design intended for printing, directly flattening it might cause issues like holes misaligning or inaccurate bend locations. One major factor to consider is how metal stretches during bending. Simply measuring edges on a 3D printed part wouldn’t account for this, leading to errors in the flat pattern for sheet metal fabrication.

Fusion solves this by enforcing sheet metal rules—parameters that control thickness, bend radius, and flat pattern behavior—ensuring repeatability and precision.

Workflow 1: Convert existing body to sheet metal

1. Convert to sheet metal: In the sheet metal workspace, use the “Convert to sheet metal” tool to transform your solid body into a sheet metal part. Fusion detects thickness and applies existing sheet metal rules if the design complies. However, if your design doesn’t fully conform (e.g., radius inconsistencies or thickness issues), the flat pattern may not generate correctly.
2. Fix bend radii: For sheet metal to flatten properly, inside and outside bend radii must respect thickness rules. For example, if thickness is 2.5 mm, the inside bend radius should be the outside radius minus 2.5 mm. Adjust fillets or delete incorrect corners and reapply correct radii to satisfy these constraints.
3. Create flat pattern: Once rules are met, create your flat pattern using the “Create flat pattern” tool, selecting a stationary face. Fusion will generate an accurate flattened version ready for laser cutting, with bend lines and hole positions aligned.

Workflow 2: Rebuild using sheet metal tools

If the original part doesn’t convert well, a more robust approach is rebuilding the part using sheet metal features:

1. Create a sketch: Sketch directly on the existing body’s face to capture the profile.
2. Use the sheet metal flange tool:
   Apply flanges around the edges with precise lengths determined by Fusion’s sheet metal rules.
3. Transfer features (e.g., holes): Project existing hole edges into the new sheet metal body, then extrude cut to create exact hole placements on your sheet metal part.
4. Generate flat pattern:Your rebuilt sheet metal component can now be flattened accurately, and design changes (like thickness adjustments) are easier because they update automatically with rule changes.

Key tips to flatten parts in Fusion

• Understand sheet metal rules: Fusion relies on thickness and bend radius rules to accurately simulate metal behavior during bending and flattening.
• Check radii and thickness prior to flattening: Make sure your bend radii are offset correctly; otherwise, flattening may fail or produce inaccuracies.
• Use the sheet metal workspace for fabrication tasks: Keep your design in the sheet metal environment to maintain control and flexibility.
• Leverage parametric updates: If manufacturing vendor requests different thickness or bend radius, just update the rule and Fusion recalculates the flat pattern.

Flattening parts in Fusion for laser cutting and sheet metal fabrication is best done by either converting conforming solid bodies or rebuilding parts with dedicated sheet metal tools. This approach ensures precision, vendor-ready results, and easy adaptability to manufacturing constraints.

How to flatten parts in Fusion video tutorial

Check out my tutorial video on how to flatten parts in Fusion for a step-by-step walkthrough and example: