Configuration Editor - Manage Exported Physical Properties (Sheet Metal)

In addition to the exported physical properties of the folded sheet metal part (see Exported Model Properties), you can export additional custom properties from the sheet metal flat pattern.

Note: A sheet metal part must have a flat pattern to enable the export of these properties.

Click the button to view a video that demonstrates how setup the export of physical properties..

The following table outlines the properties that can be exported from a sheet metal flat pattern.

Exported Data	Custom Property Name(s)	iPropWiz CPFR Units Type
Flat extents	ipwFlatExtentsX ipwFlatExtentsY ipwFlatExtents1 ipwFlatExtents2	Length
Flat area	ipwFlatArea	Area
Outer loop	ipwFlatOuterLoopLength	Length
Inner loops	ipwFlatInnerLoopsLength ipwFlatInnerLoopsCount	Length Unitless
All loops	ipwFlatInnerLoopsLength ipwFlatInnerLoopsCount	Length Unitless
Thickness (New!)	ipwFlatThickness	Length

How to Prepare for iPropWiz Sheet Metal Properties Export

The preparation and export of sheet metal flat pattern properties is very similar to the export of model properties. You add appropriate iPropWiz Custom Property Format Rules (CPFRs) to the current iPropWiz configuration, and define the formatting in the Sheet Metal Properties tab. View the How to Prepare for iPropWiz Model Properties Export topic for more information on formatting exported extents and other properties. As outlined in the above table, the Flat extents export is X and Y information while Model extents includes a definition for extents in the Z direction. Likewise, the ordered flat extents contains only two values. The flat sheet thickness is also available as a separate exported property.

Flat Pattern Area

You can chose from three options for the exported flat pattern area.

Bounding Box: This option is the standard X & Y flat pattern area, which is the area of the bounding box that encompasses the entire flat pattern.

Outer Loop Area: This option exports the area described by the outer loop of the flat pattern, ignoring any cut-outs in the interior.

Flat Pattern Face: This option reports the surface area of the flat pattern face.

Flat Pattern Loops

iPropWiz can also export flat pattern loop information as custom properties. You can export custom properties that describe the number and length of "cut" loops in the flat pattern. A "cut" loop is a loop that cuts directly through the flat pattern. These are cuts that would be created by a through punch, laser, water-jet, plasma cutter or similar process. It does not include loops created by deformation punches such as louvers or lances.

The loop information includes:

Outer Loop Length: The length of the loop about the outside of the finished flat pattern.

Inner Loops Length: The total length of all inner "cut" loops.

Inner Loops Count: The number of inner "cut" loops, often used for pierce counts.

Total Loops Length: The sum of inner "cut" loops and the outer loop lengths.

Total Loops Count: Inner loops count + 1.

Note: The total loops length, and total loops count properties are automatically generated if both inner and outer loops are selected for export.

Flat Pattern Thickness (New!)

Although it is quite easy to export and even format the "Thickness" parameter as a custom iProperty in an Autodesk Inventor sheet metal document, iPropWiz improves on this by enabling conditional formatting of the thickness value. For example, you can use a decimal value for thinner sheet metal parts and switch to a fractional property value for parts made from thicker sheets.

Top