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      <title>Accessing sheet metal modeling functions</title>
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      <div class="title_topic2" id="xps10_pagetitle">Accessing sheet metal modeling functions</div>
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      <p class="para_topic">To access the <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal</b> modeling functions, select <b class="uiTerm">Application&rarr;Modeling</b>. This functionality enables you to create and edit <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal</b> features (providing you have the proper licenses).
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      <div class="title_division">Accessing the Sheet Metal Forming/Flattening program</div>
      <p class="para_division">The remaining Sheet Metal functions reside under <b class="uiTerm">Application&rarr;Sheet Metal&rarr;Forming/Flattening</b>. This application enables you to change the state of Sheet Metal features (using <b class="uiTerm">Part in Process</b>). You can create flat patterns of solid bodies (with or without sheet metal features) using <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern</b> and <b class="uiTerm">Flat Pattern Annotation</b>. When you first enter Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening, the <b class="uiTerm">Part in Process</b> dialog box appears. If your part does not contain a solid or sheet body, the <b class="uiTerm">Wireframe Flattening</b> dialog box appears.
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      <div class="title_division">Common Sheet Metal Design functions</div>
      <div class="title_division">Unformed and formed entries</div>
      <p class="para_division">The <b class="uiTerm">Unformed</b> state is a solid body completely flattened and the <b class="uiTerm">Formed</b> state is a solid body fully formed. For a detailed description of these and other states, see  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/pip_ov.html');return(false);">Part In Process</a>.
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      <div class="title_division">Self&ndash;forming features versus forming operations</div>
      <p class="para_division">Sheet Metal features support two methods of forming. Self&ndash;forming features (also called formable features) are capable of changing their state. <b class="uiTerm">Flange</b> is an example of a feature that can be self&ndash;forming. You can change the state of self&ndash;forming features using the <b class="uiTerm">Form/Unform</b> dialog box in Modeling or using<b class="uiTerm"> Part In Process</b> in Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening. If you want to create features (such as holes) on self&ndash;forming features, you must use sheet metal features (e.g., <b class="uiTerm">Hole</b>). Self&ndash;forming features have the advantage of being easy to use and unform.
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      <p class="para_division">The second forming method for sheet metal features uses forming operators (<b class="uiTerm">Unbend and Rebend</b> features). You can apply these features to geometry that is not self&ndash;forming. For example, the Unbend feature can unform any flange&ndash;like geometry that consists of a cylindrical bend face, regardless of the construction method used. Forming operators have the advantage of not requiring sheet metal features.
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      <p class="para_division">You can choose whether or not to create self&ndash;forming Sheet Metal features by setting the appropriate value in <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal Preferences</b>.
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      <div class="title_division">Working in an assembly</div>
      <p class="para_division">You can use Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening in an assembly part. For example, if you want your component part to contain only geometry, you might want to create a single&ndash;component assembly in which you can place your Part In Process information or flat pattern.</p>
      <div class="title_division">Component will be loaded</div>
      <p class="para_division">When you use Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening, information about features is used to create <b class="uiTerm">Part In Process</b> information. For this reason, the Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening application makes sure that this information is loaded before using an assembly part. You may notice messages to that effect when you first use an assembly in a Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening session.
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      <div class="title_division">Different information in component and assembly</div>
      <p class="para_division">When you use Sheet Metal Features and Forming/Flattening in an assembly, all of the <b class="uiTerm">Part In Process</b> information, flat patterns, and preferences will save in the assembly. Changes made to any of this information in the assembly do not affect those saved with the component, and vice versa.
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      <div class="title_division">Formed state the same in component and assembly</div>
      <p class="para_division">When you execute the component in an assembly to any state, whether it is <b class="uiTerm">Formed</b>, <b class="uiTerm">Unformed</b>, or any intermediate sequence, you are forming the component part. If you save the part in some intermediate state, that state is reflected everywhere the component is used.
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            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/note.gif" alt="Note" title="Note"></td>
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                  <p class="para_note_body">If you form a component while in an assembly, you are forming the component part. If you use it in any other assembly, be sure to file the component part in the fully formed state.</p>
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      <div class="title_division">Defaults for sheet metal dialog boxes</div>
      <p class="para_division">Almost every item on a <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Metal</b> feature, preference, or <b class="uiTerm">Application</b> dialog box has a default value in the sheet metal defaults file ug_smd.dpx. You can edit this file and change any of the values. In NX, when you open a sheet metal feature, preference, or <b class="uiTerm">Application</b> dialog box for the first time, these default values appear. Each numeric default value has both an English default, denoted by the _EU suffix, and a metric default, denoted by the _MU suffix.
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      <div class="title_division">Global Parameters</div>
      <p class="para_division">In some <b class="uiTerm">Sheet Meta</b>l dialog boxes, certain items may not be visible due to the use of global parameters. For example, if you use a global <b class="uiTerm">Bend Allowance Formula</b>, that button will not be visible on the <b class="uiTerm">Flange</b> dialog box. For a detailed description of this behavior, see  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('sheetmetaldes/preferences_pref_general.html');return(false);">Preferences</a>.
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