Follow this ZW3D WuKong sheet metal tutorial to create a part, build and edit flanges, add slots and louvers, and generate a flat pattern for manufacturing.
Table of Contents
In this tutorial, we will explore the key sheet metal features in ZW3D WuKong 2027, including flange creation, flange editing, Joint Flange, Merge Flange, slots, louvers, and flat pattern generation. By following this workflow, you will learn how to build a complete sheet metal part from initial geometry to manufacturing-ready output.
Every sheet metal part starts with well-defined base geometry. Before adding flanges, bends, or formed features, establish the overall shape and key dimensions of the part. A clean, fully constrained sketch provides a reliable foundation for later operations and helps preserve design intent as the model becomes more complex.
To begin, click Sketch and select the reference plane for the base profile. Use tools such as Rectangle to create the main outline, then add Line, Arc, or other sketch entities where the profile requires additional detail. Remove unwanted geometry with Trim, and apply dimensions and geometric constraints to control the size, position, and relationships between sketch elements. Continue until the profile is fully defined, keeping the sketch focused on the main shape before adding smaller features.
After completing the sketch, click Extrude Tab and select the planar profile to be used for the operation. Open the drop-down arrow beside the thickness setting, choose Dynamic Input, and enter the required sheet thickness. Check the material direction before confirming the feature. The resulting base body provides the starting geometry for flanges, cutouts, bends, and other sheet metal features.
After creating the base tab, flanges are used to turn the flat profile into a functional 3D sheet metal part. They define the main folded structure, including side panels, mounting edges, return bends, and other extensions connected to the original sheet. ZW3D provides several flange tools for building, shaping, and controlling the folded structure of a sheet metal part.
ZW3D includes several flange tools for different sheet metal conditions. Flange creates a flange along a selected portion of an edge, Hem Flange folds the edge back onto the sheet, and Twist Flange creates a gradual twisted transition. For continuous bends along a complete edge, Full Flange is the more direct option.
Start Full Flange and select the edge that will form the new folded section. The Flange Parameters panel controls how the flange is positioned and shaped, including its bend radius, bend angle, length type, and overall length. Use the live preview to judge the flange direction and final placement in context with the rest of the part. When needed, reverse the direction or trim adjacent bends so the new flange fits cleanly with the surrounding geometry before confirming the feature.
Full Flange is particularly useful for creating enclosure sides, continuous mounting edges, and other folded sections that need to extend across the full length of the selected edge.
A standard flange works well for straight, uniform extensions, but many sheet metal parts require a more specific outline. Flange with Profile creates custom flange shapes from a sketch, making it useful for sloped, stepped, or other non-rectangular profiles.
Start Flange with Profile and select the edge where the flange will be created. Click Edit Profile to enter the sketch environment and define the required outline.
The profile can be reshaped by dragging sketch entities or refined with exact dimensions and constraints. Additional lines, arcs, or circles can also be introduced where needed, while ZW3D keeps the flange connected to the existing sheet metal body and preserves its thickness and bend relationship.
This approach is especially useful when the flange must match surrounding components or provide clearance for assembly without adding several separate trimming features afterward.
Fold by Line creates a bend along a defined sketch line on an existing sheet metal face. Unlike a flange created from an outer edge, it places the bend within the sheet, making it useful for local folds, stepped forms, and other controlled bend features.
First, select the sheet metal face to be folded and enter the sketch environment. Use Line to draw the bend line at the required position, then add dimensions or constraints if more precise control is needed. Exit the sketch and start Fold by Line.
Select the sketch line, choose the face to be folded, and define the folding direction. Set the bend angle, bend radius, and material position, using Flip Bend Direction when the preview bends the sheet to the wrong side.
Joint Flange and Merge Flange are important sheet metal features in ZW3D WuKong 2027, designed to simplify the creation and management of complex connections between separate sheet metal sections or bodies. Joint Flange connects separate sheet metal shapes, while Merge Flange combines separate sheet metal bodies into a single part that can still be processed with standard fold and unfold operations.
Start Joint Flange and select the two sheet metal sections to be connected. Choose the corresponding edges or faces that define the connection, then check the preview to make sure the sections meet in the intended position.
Adjust the connection direction and the available joint parameters where necessary. Once the transition is clean and the adjoining sections are aligned correctly, confirm the feature. Inspect the joint for gaps, overlaps, or unexpected changes around nearby bends.
Use Merge Flange when the model contains separate sheet metal bodies that need to become one part. Start the command, select the main body, and then select the additional body or bodies to be merged.
Check the preview to confirm that the bodies connect correctly and that their thickness and adjoining geometry are compatible. Confirm the operation, then use Unfold or Flatten to verify that the merged model still produces a valid flat pattern.
Slots are often used for mounting, alignment, adjustment, cable routing, and ventilation. When the part is already folded, unfold the target area first so the slot can be created on the flat sheet.
Select the face where you want to create the slot and enter the sketch environment. Start Slot, place it in the required position, and define its centerline, length, width, orientation, and end radius. Add dimensions and constraints where precise positioning is required, then exit the sketch.
Click Extrude and select the slot profile. Set the extrusion depth so it passes through the sheet, then choose Remove under Boolean to cut the slot from the part. After confirming the feature, fold the sheet back and check that the slot remains correctly positioned relative to nearby bends and mounting components.
Louvers create angled openings for ventilation and airflow, while dimples add local raised or recessed areas for stiffness, clearance, or positioning. Both features are created from sketch geometry on the target sheet metal face.
To create a louver, begin with a sketch on the sheet metal face where the ventilation opening is needed. A simple line defines the louver position and length, while dimensions help keep its placement consistent with nearby edges or features.
After leaving the sketch, apply Louver to the selected face and sketch line. The feature settings control the louver size and orientation, and Flip Louver 180 Degrees can be used when the opening faces the wrong way.
For repeated ventilation openings, create one louver first and apply Pattern Feature. Select the louver as the base feature, then define the pattern direction, number of instances, and spacing. A second direction can be added to build multiple rows, with Symmetry used when the pattern needs to extend evenly on both sides.
To create a dimple, begin with a closed sketch profile on the target sheet metal face. A circle is the most common choice, although other smooth, fully connected shapes can also be used. Dimensions and constraints help control the feature size and keep it accurately positioned.
After leaving the sketch, apply Dimple to the profile and the sheet metal face. The feature settings control the dimple style, forming direction, and dimensions. To create multiple dimples, follow the same workflow used for louvers: create one dimple first, then use Pattern Feature to repeat it across the panel with the required layout and spacing.
Sharp corners can increase stress around formed or cut features and may also complicate manufacturing or assembly. Adding fillets creates smoother transitions, improves edge quality, and reduces the risk of interference with nearby components.
Start Fillet, select the edges or corners to be rounded, and enter the required radius. Check the preview to make sure the fillet fits the surrounding geometry, especially near bends, slots, and formed features.
Use fillets only where they support the design. An oversized radius can reduce clearance or change important dimensions, so similar features should use a controlled and consistent value.
These three tools support different stages of sheet metal editing and validation, from working on individual bend areas to checking the complete developed part.
Existing designs do not always begin as native sheet metal parts. Imported components, legacy models, and early concepts may be available only as standard solids. Convert to Sheet Metal allows suitable geometry to be reused as a sheet metal model, so the part can be edited with sheet metal tools and checked in its unfolded state.
Start the command, select the solid body, and identify the face that will serve as the reference. Set the required thickness, then review the bend recognition and material direction in the preview. Clean geometry, uniform wall thickness, and regular bend regions will generally produce a more reliable conversion.
A reliable sheet metal workflow depends on more than creating the final 3D shape. Bend control, flange design, feature placement, and flat-pattern preparation all contribute to a practical, manufacturable part.
ZW3D WuKong 2027 brings these tasks into a connected workflow, covering base geometry, custom flanges, complex connections, functional features, folding operations, flat-pattern generation, and solid-to-sheet-metal conversion. Explore these tools in WuKong 2027 to see how they can simplify everyday sheet metal design and reduce unnecessary rework.
The solid may have inconsistent thickness, irregular bend geometry, or surfaces that cannot be unfolded. Models with uniform walls, clean geometry, and regular bend regions usually convert more reliably.
Common causes include inconsistent thickness, invalid bend geometry, overlapping flanges, insufficient corner relief, or features that interfere with bend regions. Check the bend connections, reliefs, and developed geometry before attempting to flatten the part again.
Overlaps are often caused by unsuitable flange connections, insufficient corner relief, or features placed too close to bend areas. Review the bend lines, reliefs, and adjoining geometry before flattening the part again.
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