Create a Free Surface
You can create a Sheet Metal surface whose result is not connected.
-
From the Model section of the action bar, click Convert
Surface
.
-
Click Free
.
-
Select the surface.
The reference wire and the fixed point are automatically selected. The red arrow indicates the direction of the material to be created.
: surface
: reference wire
: fixed point
-
To offset the surface, enter a value in the Offset
box.
By default, there is no offset and the value is set to 0mm. You can click
to invert the side of the offset length.
-
Click OK.
The volume is created.
-
From the standard area area of the action bar, click
Fold/Unfold
.
The volume unfolds according to the defined Reference wire and Invariant point.
Create Free Surfaces from a Ruled Surface
You can create free surfaces from a ruled surface.

- Right-click the Surface box and select Insert Surfaces > Create Multi-sections Surface.
-
Select the two sketches in the tree as surfaces.
: section 1
: closing point 1
: section 2
: closing point 2
Important: The two sketches that define the loft can be on parallel or nonparallel planes. -
In the Coupling tab, couple sketches together by
selecting points.
: section 1
: closing point 1
: section 2
: closing point 2
: couplings
-
To visualize the multisections surface, click
Preview.
A preview of the unfolded free surface is displayed, as well as its thickness in light blue.
A reference wire and invariant point are automatically selected. To modify them:-
Select a reference wire lying on the surface.
-
Select an invariant point that lies both on the surface and on
the reference wire.
Important: The reference wire and the invariant point, used to unfold the free surface, must lie on the surface, as well as the tear wire.
-
Select a reference wire lying on the surface.
- Optional: Select the Neutral fiber check box if the selected input surface is not ruled.
-
Select a tear wire.
The unfolded view of the free surface starting from the tear wire appears.
Important: A free surface can only be created if the surface shows a tangency continuity. -
To offset the surface, enter a value in the
Offset box.
By default, there is no offset and the value is set to 0mm.
The offset of the surface is previewed. - Click OK.
- Optional:
From the standard area section of the action bar, click
Fold/Unfold
to unfold the surface.
Create Free Surfaces from a Double Curvature Surface
You can create free surfaces from a double curvature surface.

-
Select the double curvature surface.
A Reference wire and an Invariant point are automatically detected.
: reference wire
: invariant point
You can modify the Reference wire and the Invariant point :
- Click the Reference wire and Invariant point boxes.
- Select the reference wire and the invariant point directly in the work area.
-
Click Preview to preview the unfolded free
surface.
- Click Close to close the Flattened Surface Length Distortions dialog box and go back to the Convert Surface dialog box.
-
To offset the free surface, enter the required value in the
Offset box.
By default, there is no offset and the value is set to 0mm.
The offset is previewed. - Click OK.
-
From the standard area area of the action bar, click
Fold/Unfold
.
The surface is unfolded:
Important: The symmetry might not be preserved.