Vad är Sheet Metal i IRONCAD?

Sheet Metal in IRONCAD is a module for designing and constructing sheet metal parts directly in 3D. You can create bends, unfold the sheet to 2D and export to DXF for laser cutting or other manufacturing.

Kan jag skapa bockar från 2D-skisser?

Yes, the Sketched Bend feature allows you to draw bend lines directly on the sheet metal from a 2D sketch. You then adjust the angle, radius and placement with handles in the 3D environment.

Hur fungerar plåttabellen i IRONCAD?

The sheet metal table gives you full control over material thickness, bending radii and k-factors. You can customize the table according to your own standards and materials, ensuring correct dimensions during manufacturing.

Kan jag exportera plåtar till DXF för laserskärning?

Yes, the Face To DXF feature allows you to export surfaces directly from your 3D model to production-ready DXF files for laser cutting or other CNC machining.

Vilka verktyg finns i Sheet Metal-modulen?

The Sheet Metal module includes tools such as Unfold/Refold, Corner Relief & Add Miter, Forming Tool & Loft, Punch Bend and Convert to Sheet Metal. All functions work with the same intuitive drag-and-drop principle as the rest of IRONCAD.

Finns det gratis utbildning för Sheet Metal i IRONCAD?

Yes, Solidmakarna offers free training material on YouTube with exercises and practical examples for both beginners and experienced users.

Hur fungerar Drag-and-Drop-metoden i Sheet Metal?

Using the catalogs in IRONCAD , you can easily drag and drop basic shapes, bends, holes and deformations directly onto your sheet metal. Then you customize these with your own dimensions and parameters.

Kan jag arbeta både i 3D och utbrett läge samtidigt?

Yes, features like Unfold/Refold allow you to switch between curved 3D view and unfolded 2D mode without losing control of the geometry.

Vad gör IRONCAD extra effektivt för plåtjobb?

IRONCAD combines flexible modeling, smart tools and fast export capabilities. You can work with both drag-and-drop and traditional sketch-based modeling, making the workflow faster and more intuitive than in many other CAD systems.

Sheet Metal in IRONCAD - Efficient 3D sheet metal design

More features in Sheet Metal

Sheet Metal in IRONCAD is full of smart features that allow you to work both faster and more accurately.
Here are some of the tools that will help you take your sheets to the next level.

Unfold/Refold

Allows you to quickly switch between weighted and unweighted sheet metal models to check bends, dimensions and expansion in real time.

This makes it easy to verify the design and ensure that each bend works correctly before exporting to DXF or production.

Create Loft

Create Loft allows you to create smooth transitions between multiple sheet metal parts or profiles.

The tool allows you to easily adjust both shape and curves directly in 3D, giving you full control over the design.

Forming Tool

Allows you to create complex sheet metal bends and details directly on the 3D model.

The tool provides full control over shape, depth and placement, simplifying sheet design and production.

Bend Notch

Used to cut precise recesses in bent sheet metal before bending.

This ensures a proper fit and reduces the risk of material conflicts during assembly.

Punch Bend

Allows you to create holes and recesses in the sheet metal while forming the bend.

This saves time and ensures that the holes end up exactly where they are needed in the finished bent material.

Corner Relief

Automatically creates recesses or notches in corners of bent sheets.

This prevents material interference and provides cleaner, more accurate bending.

Add Closed

Automatically closes open contours on sheet metal parts.

The function simplifies the creation of complete sheet metal features and ensures correct geometry for further processing.

Add Miter

Creates neat and precise straight corners on bent sheet metal parts.

This feature facilitates the joining of edges and gives a professional look to sheet metal parts.

Corner Break

Used to break off corners on sheet metal parts and create smooth, controlled finishes.

The feature simplifies both design and production by removing sharp edges.

Solid/Surface Flat Pattern from Faces

Creates an extended sheet directly from selected surfaces of your 3D model.

The function provides fast and accurate sheet metal expansion ready for manufacturing or DXF export.

Convert to Sheetmetal part

Transforms a solid 3D model into a sheet metal part with all bending and material properties intact.

This makes it easy to continue working with sheet metal tools and prepare the model for manufacturing.

Solid part to Sheetmetal part

Converts an existing solid 3D model into a sheet metal part with automatically generated bending edges and material settings.

This feature simplifies the workflow and saves time in the production of sheet metal parts.

Laptop displaying 3D CAD software with a complex yellow-outlined mechanical assembly model on screen.

Bend and create sheet metal parts quickly and efficiently

With IRONCAD's Sheet Metal features, you can design bent sheet metal directly in 3D. Create details from basic shapes, add holes, corners and bends with drag-and-drop from catalogs or via 2D sketches. Quickly change material, thickness or radius with handles in the scene and see the result in real time. Once the model is complete, you can easily unfold the sheet and export to DXF for laser cutting or other production - faster and smoother than with traditional CAD tools.

Flexible workflows with Drag-and-Drop and Sketched Bend

You can build sheet metal parts directly from catalogs with ready-made bends, corners and holes. These are fully editable and can be customized with your own dimensions. If you want full control over angles and radii, you can use Sketched Bend, where bend lines are drawn directly on the sheet and adjusted freely in the 3D environment. This provides an efficient workflow that saves time and reduces the need for readjustments.

Powerful Sheet Metal Tools

IRONCAD offers a host of smart features for sheet metal design:

Unfold/Refold - unfold and fold back the sheet without losing control of geometry.
Create Loft & Forming Tool - create advanced shapes and bends.
Corner Relief & Add Miter/Closed - handle corners and sharp edges easily.
Face To DXF - export surfaces directly from the 3D model to production-ready DXF files.

These tools are combined with an intuitive handle system that makes it easy to change features, angles and locations without having to go back to the original sketch.

Sheet metal table - Full control over material and bending

The sheet metal table allows you to define thickness, radii and k-factors for each sheet metal part. Changes are automatically updated in the 3D model and drawings, ensuring accurate and production-ready results. This feature gives you precision and efficiency at every stage of sheet metal design.

Free training materials and webinars

To get you started, we offer free training materials with clear examples and exercises for both beginners and experienced designers. You can also follow our webinar on Sheet Metal in IRONCAD, where we show smart tips and tricks for bent sheet metal.

FAQ

What is Sheet Metal in IRONCAD?

Answer: Sheet Metal in IRONCAD is a complete tool for creating, modifying and developing bent sheet metal parts in 3D. You can build sheets from scratch, add bends, holes and deformations - and then expand them into finished DXF files for production. It all happens in a single environment, without having to switch between multiple modules like in many other CAD systems.

Can I create bends from 2D sketches?

Answer: Yes! The Sketched Bend feature allows you to draw bend lines directly on a sheet in 3D and then adjust angles and radii dynamically. This makes it easy to build up bent details even from imported 2D drawings or simple contours.

How does the sheet metal table work in IRONCAD?

Answer: The sheet metal table gives you full control over material, thickness, bending radius and K-factor. Changes you make are automatically updated in both the 3D model and the drawing. The table makes it easy to ensure that all sheets follow the correct manufacturing standard and that the material selection is correct.

Can I export plates to DXF for laser cutting?

Answer: Absolutely. With Face To DXF, you export directly from the 3D model without having to create a 2D drawing. You choose exactly which surfaces you want to export and get production-ready DXF files at 1:1 scale - perfect for laser cutting, punching and other processing.

What tools are available in the Sheet Metal module?

Answer: IRONCAD's Sheet Metal contains a wide range of smart features, including

Unfold/Refold - unfold and fold back sheets quickly.
Corner Relief & Add Miter - manage corners and edges.
Forming Tool & Loft - create advanced shapes.
Punch Bend - add bends with pressure tools.
Convert to Sheet Metal - convert solids to sheet metal with one click.

All functions work with the same intuitive drag-and-drop principle as the rest of IRONCAD.

Is there free training for Sheet Metal in IRONCAD?

Answer: Yes! You can find free training material on our YouTube channel with exercises, examples and explanations of all key features. We also offer webinars and support for both beginners and experienced designers. Watch Sheet Metal Basic Course on YouTube

How does the 'Drag and Drop' method work in Sheet Metal?

Answer: Drag-and-drop lets you quickly build sheet metal details by dragging ready-made bends, holes or shapes directly from the catalogs into the scene. It's a unique method in IRONCAD that eliminates the need to create features manually. You can combine multiple tools, adjust dimensions and materials in real time - and work much faster than in traditional CAD systems.

Can I work in both 3D and wide mode at the same time?

Answer: Yes, IRONCAD allows seamless switching between 3D and expanded mode. You can make changes in the expanded view and see how they affect the 3D model directly, making it easier to control bend radii and sheet lengths.

What makes IRONCAD particularly effective for sheet metal jobs?

Answer: IRONCAD combines flexible modeling, smart tools, and fast export capabilities. You can create complex bends without getting locked into constraints, reuse components with drag-and-drop, and get production-ready files instantly - all in an easy-to-learn interface.

Sheet Metal in IRONCAD

Introduction to Sheet Metal

Plates via Drag-And-Drop from catalogs

...or work in expanded mode via Sketched Bend