What's New

This page describes recent changes in xSheetMetal.

This page discusses:

R2022x FD01 (FP.2205)

Using Bend Allowance and Bend Deduction for Sheet Metal Components

You can use bend allowance and bend deduction for sheet metal.
You can use bend allowance and bend deduction along with the K- factor to calculate the developed length of sheet metal components.
Benefits: You can use bend allowance and bend deduction to calculate the developed length.
For more information, see Defining the Sheet Metal Parameters Creating an Extrusion Creating a Wall from an Edge

Creating Lofted Bents

You can create a lofted bend based on two sketches.
You can create lofted bends based on cylindrical bends. It works on open and closed profiles.
Benefits: You can create lofted bends based on cylindrical bends.
For more information, see Creating Lofted Bents

Including Sheet Metal Flat Pattern Body Features in DXF Files

You can include sheet metal flat pattern features in DXF files.
You have the option to add mapped entities and sketches to DXF files.
Benefits: DXF command is enhanced to support the default sheet metal flat pattern set.
For more information, see Saving as DXF

Improved Previews in Sheet metal Commands

The previews are improved to provide better visibility. Previews are modified from wire previews to shaded previews in some sheet metal features.
Benefits: You can create lofted bends based on cylindrical bends.
For more information, see Creating a Cutout Creating an Extrusion Creating Flanges

Enable Chain Selection for Convert Entity and Projection Curve

You can now use the new Select Chain context toolbar option to project and copy an entire chain of linked sketch entities or edges while converting sketch entities and creating projection curves.
Benefits: Converting entities and producing project curves is now faster due to the chain selection of sketch entities.
For more information, see Converting External Geometries and Sketches

Roll Back Behavior Improvements

After you finish editing a feature in a nonactive OGS set in the tree, the rollback shifts to its last position in the previously active set.
Benefits: The manual rollback to the previously active set is no longer required.
For more information, see Rolling Back Features in the Design Tree

Updated Context Toolbar in the Sketch Environment

The context toolbar, when sketching in the work area, now provides the additional commands such as Extrude , Normal To , and Hide . In addition to this update, the touch toolbar also displays the Normal To feature.
Benefits: It is now easy for users sketching in the touch environment to use the Extrude , Normal To , and Show/Hide features.
For more information, see Tablet or Mobile Device Option Context Toolbars

Lock and Unlock Workflow Updates

The workflow of Lock and Unlock features is now slightly changed to keep it consistent with all the platform applications. The existing Lock Geometry and Unlock Geometry features are removed from the Tools section of the action bar. However, the context toolbar options remain unchanged.
Benefits: The behavior of Lock and Unlock commands is now aligned with all the platform applications.
For more information, see Locking and Unlocking Components

Share as 3DXML to 3DSwym Improvement

You can now specify the 3DXML file name using the new 3DXML file options menu on the Share File dialog box before sharing it on the 3DSwym community.
Benefits: This improvement is helpful for a general purpose and for the Makers project.
For more information, see Sharing 3D Files with 3DSwym Communities

Print 3D Feature Enhancements

You can reposition and select geometries to exclude from the print envelope, and automatically orient geometries when using powder bed fusion 3D printers. Additional 3D printers manufactures are available, and selectable by the manufacture and technology.
Benefits: You can start the Print 3D command and select component geometries to remove from the print envelope. Just the visible geometries print. The Robot is available for rotating and positioning the geometry that works best for the print envelope.
For more information, see Printing 3D Models

Command Parking

You can temporarily park the current feature and create a reference or sketch entity to use in the dialog box of the parked feature without losing your work.
Benefits: You can park the open feature and create or edit a sketch or create a reference plane, then resume with the parked feature.
For more information, see Command Parking

Keyboard Shortcuts Displayed in Tooltips

You can display the keyboard shortcut in the tooltip for most commands when you hover your mouse over the command.
Benefits: Instead of clicking the command in the action bar with the mouse pointer, you can enter the command using a key or combination of keys from the keyboard. Hover over the command to display the shortcut in the title (top) of the tooltip.
For more information, see Keyboard Shortcuts

Smart Mate with Design Assistance

You can drag a component with one or more degrees of freedom and automatically create fully constrained mates with another component.
Benefits: The dragged component snaps into position and provides a preview of the mated solution. The mates display in the tree. You can accept, edit, or cancel the suggested mates.
For more information, see Creating Mates Using Smart Mate

Working with User Parameters

You can now create parameters and define their values.
Benefits: User parameters can be very handy because they can be:
  • Defined or constrained by relations
  • Used as the arguments of a relation
For more information, see Working with Parameters

Circular component pattern

You can now create circular pattern of a component in an assembly.
Benefits: You can create the Circular Component Pattern for any part in the assembly. Specify Instance angle or Pattern angle parameters to create the pattern.
For more information, see Creating Circular Component Patterns

Create construction geometry while sketching

You can now create a construction entity while sketching.
Benefits: You can enable the Construction mode to create construction geometry while sketching. The standard sketch enables, when the Construction mode is turned OFF.
For more information, see Working in Sketches

Import Revit files

You can now import geometry in the Revit file format.
Benefits: You can import Revit (*.rvt, *.rfa) files into the workarea of the app. The Revit files do not have any configurations to choose from.
For more information, see Working in Sketches

Restoring Unsaved Changes While Opening Models from Recent Content

You can now restore your unsaved changes even if you open your model from Recent Content on the home page.
Benefits: You can now choose if you want to open the restored version or revert to the permanently saved version.
For more information, see Home Page

Converting a Picture to a Sketch

You can convert an inserted picture into a 2D sketch.
Benefits: Converting a sketch allows you to more quickly create geometry from a picture by determining the edges of an object of interest and converting those edges to graphical entities which in turn are made into a 2D sketch.
For more information, see Converting a Picture to a Sketch

R2022x GA

Using Equations in Sheet Metal Features

You can use equations for all numeric parameters.
You can perform the basic operations such as bracket, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division on the parameter value.
Benefits: Equations can be used for all numeric parameters in sheet metal features.
For more information, see Sheet Metal Section

Selecting Sidewall Faces in Sheet Metal

Selecting sidewall is made easy.
Top or bottom faces are given priority for selection, however you can also select thin sidewall faces.
Benefits: You can select thin sidewall faces and use context toolbar commands for it.
For more information, see About Sidewall Faces Selection

Printing a 3D Model

A new option lets you offset the selected base, to fit the model into the print envelope of the 3D printer. Several other options have been added to detect clearance, hollows, and thin walls in the model.
Benefits: These changes help align the model properly within the 3D printer's envelope and identify potential print problems.
For more information, see Printing 3D Models

Opening Components without Subcomponents

When you import or open a component that does not have any sub, the component displays as in the tree.
Benefits: You can now distinguish the components with subcomponents from the components without subcomponents in the tree.

Using the Design Assistant

While creating a model, the Design Assistant displays when similar command suggestions are available.
Design Assistant
Benefits: This new icon is easier to identify from other toolbar commands.
For more information, see About Design Assistance for Sketch Design Assistance for Selection About Design Assistance for Mates

Shortcut Rings

Shortcut rings are available for all the modeling dashboard apps.
Benefits: You can use shortcut rings for quick access to the commonly used commands.
For more information, see Shortcut Rings