Uncomplicated Sheet Metal Design

The Alibre Design sheet metal module allows you quickly and easily create sheet metal parts within the Alibre Design interface, without having to learn or purchase a separate program. This comes with all the advantages of complete integration, such as a seamless workflow and instant flat pattern and detailing in Alibre Design's drafting component.

Straightforward Interface

The sheet metal module comes with the same easy-to-learn interface that Alibre Design is known for. Within several minutes you can create your first sheet metal part. All sheet metal functions are located within a separate, dedicated sheet metal workspace, so the only tools you see are those that are relevant to sheet metal design.

Fully Parametric Design

Parametric means easy to make changes. The dimensions, bend angles, punch profiles, flange lengths - they're all quickly editable should you need to make design changes at any point. When you make any change it cascades throughout the design and updates all downstream features that are affected. If you've already created a 2D drawing, it gets updated as well. Below is an example of creating a precise, dimensioned sketch for a punch profile.

The Tools

Tab

Tabs turn a precise 2D sketch into 3D material. All sheet metal parts start off as a tab and are then added onto from there.

Flange

The Flange tool creates precise flanges with a variety of options for different bend relief types and controllable bend allowances.

Closed Corner

The Closed Corner tool allows you to create several types of closed corners between flanges to achieve the result you want.

Dimple

The Dimple tool turns a 2D sketch into a punched dimple. You can choose to have the material cut by the dimple tool to make things like flanged holes.

Chamfer and Fillet

Use the Chamfer and Fillet tools to quickly add rounds and chamfers to your 3D design by simply selecting the edges you want to apply them to.

Cut

The Cut tool turns 2D profiles into punched cuts. You can use sketches of any complexity, and can create cuts across flanges.

Hole

Use the Hole tool to create intelligent holes in your design. Using the Hole Wizard, you can create holes such as counterbored, simple, countersunk, or tapered, picking from a variety of thread options. This intelligent information is carried over to 2D drawings for you, so you can keep manual detailing to a minimum.

3D Flat Pattern

Use the Flat Pattern tool to instantly see a flat pattern of your design during the design phase. Flat Patterns can be automatically created in 2D drawings.

Instant 2D Flat Patterns

Once you've created your sheet metal part in 3D, you can easily create an associative 2D drawing that updates if you make any changes to the 3D part later. Creating a flat pattern for a 2D drawing is as simple as selecting the Flat Pattern checkbox in the 2D Drawing creation wizard.