Sheet Metal Modeling

Robust and economical, sheet metal provides an astonishing array of uses for mechanical design applications. Alibre Design has a dedicated sheet metal module with tools specific to this design process.

Sheet Metal Modeling

Dedicated sheet metal tools

All the sheet metal tools are found in Alibre Design’s dedicated sheet metal module, bringing everything you need into one place.

Lofted Transitions

Create complex transition parts using the Lofted Flange wizard. Rectangle-Rectangle, Rectangle-Circle, and Oval-Oval end conditions are supported, along with positioning and angle end conditions.

Flat Patterns

Create instant flat patterns with a single click. You can also unbend and rebend bends during the design process, and send flat patterns to a 2D drawing for output to fabrication.

Convert parts to sheet metal

Sometimes it’s easier to get the basic shape of your part or enclosure using regular part modeling tools. Other times, you may have an imported sheet metal part with no design history. In both cases, you can leverage Alibre Design’s sheet metal conversion wizard. Select which areas of the model should be bends, and the rips are automatically applied.

Sheet Metal Tools

  • Tab
  • Contour Flange
  • Lofted flange
  • Flange
  • Sketch bend
  • Closed corner
  • Dimple
  • Cut
  • Corner chamfer
  • Corner round
  • Unbend
  • Rebend
  • Flat pattern
  • Convert to Sheet Metal

We put our cement spreader truck bodies through a major redesign using Alibre Design, which has significantly reduced both engineering and build times. This is really important since many of the bodies are customized to fit specific customer needs, and the quicker we can go through the customization process in engineering the quicker the shop can get started.

Bernard Hershberger

STOLTZ Mfg., LLC