Save Sheet Metal Parts Directly to DXF or DWG!

Hello everyone.  In the past couple of releases of SOLIDWORKS I have received questions from several different companies about how to save from a sheet metal part directly to a DXF or DWG file that you can take to a laser or plasma cutter.  When the question came again today I figured that maybe if I add this little bit of info to the blog some users may find it useful.  Previous to SOLIDWORKS 2008 I would have called this a limitation, or shared a macro with the customer that allowed them to do just that.  SOLIDWORKS 2008 now allows us to do exactly what those customers were asking for without a workaround or macro.  If you right click on the flat pattern of a sheet metal part you will now notice that there is an option to “Export Flat Pattern to DXF/DWG”.  By default it will bring up the save dialog box and allow you to choose between DXF and DWG.  It will also add the words “Flat pattern” to the existing file name. Just an example of how SOLIDWORKS gives users the tools they request.

Design better!

Keith Schaefer