Inventor - Create Flat Pattern from imported STEP files

By Florentina Stirbu

Sometimes, Inventor cannot create a flat pattern from parts that were not originally made using Sheet Metal environment specific commands.

In this example, this is a STEP file I would like to have a Flat Pattern for.

The first thing to check is if the Sheet Metal Default Thickness matches the thickness of the part:

However, adjusting the default thickness might not help.

If the Flat Pattern still cannot be created, the part can be rebuilt as shown in the video below:

Steps:

1. Create a surface body
2. Remove the existing solid
3. Thicken the surface body (using the Sheet Metal Defaults thickness value)
4. Create Flat Pattern