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      <title>Generate the blank shape</title>
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      <div class="title_topic4" id="xps10_pagetitle">Generate the blank shape</div>
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      <p class="para_topic">Use <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b>&nbsp;<img align="bottom" src="graphics/flatten_icon.gif" border="0"> when you're making drawings of the flattened blank shape created by your sheet metal part.
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      <p class="para_topic">To create a flat solid, you need to click on two items in the graphics window.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">The first is a planar reference face, and the second is a linear reference edge. These references allow you to position the flat solid body for export to a machining tool.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">If you enable <b class="uiTerm">Move to Absolute CSYS</b>, the placement and X-axis references that you selected are used to reposition the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b> body at the absolute coordinate system. If you disable it, the reference face of <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b> feature is held stationary. The images below show this. In each image, the pink face is the selected reference face and the blue solid is the resulting <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b> body. In the first image, the option is disabled; in the second, it is enabled.
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      <p class="para_topic"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/flatsolid_toggle_off.jpg" border="0">&nbsp;&nbsp;<img align="bottom" src="graphics/flatsolid_toggle_on.jpg" border="0"></p>
      <p class="para_topic"><b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b> is always applied to the end of the model tree, so it's always at the last feature in timestamp order, unless you create a <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b> (which is always after <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b>). Any changes made to the 3D formed model are automatically reflected in the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b>, and in the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b> as well. 
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      <p class="para_topic">To create a <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b> feature:
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            <p class="para_item">Click <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b>&nbsp;<img align="bottom" src="graphics/flat_pattern_sc.gif" border="0">.
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            <p class="para_item">Select a planar face from the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Solid</b> to use as a basis for the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b>. Click <b class="uiTerm">OK</b> to create the <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b>.
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      <p class="para_topic">The <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b> feature is created in a special FLAT-PATTERN view that you can add to a drawing. To see the FLAT-PATTERN, in the <b class="uiTerm">Part Navigator</b>, click to expand <b class="uiTerm">Model Views</b>, then double-click the FLAT-PATTERN view.
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