copy body in sheet metal

[alexhardie]

Hi,

I tried to copy a body in sheet metal.  It allows me to copy the body under the "copy/move" command, but then I lose the ability to unbend it. I'd like a way to keep the unbend functionality after copying a body.  If anyone knows a way, let me know!

Thanks!

[promm]

@alexhardie,

Copying bodies is currently blocked for sheet metal bodies.  You should have gotten the error message below, please let me know if you didn't.  If you create a new component, then your sheet metal body inside that component, you can then copy the sheet metal component.  Can you share your workflow for the use of copying the bodies and the steps you do after?

Thank you,

Mike Prom

[alexhardie]

Hey Mike,

Yes, it let me copy it as a body without an error message.  I'm not sure why I ended up with three bodies after the copy, maybe I just clicked something twice, but that's beside the main point.  See photos and attached F360 file.  I think doing it as a new component makes more sense though, so thanks for the suggestions.

[alexhardie]

The three bodies was my human error, I was able to recreate it from the original as a second body just now.

[alexhardie]

Doing it as a new component is definitely the way to go, thanks!

[alexhardie]

Is there a way to make a copy of a sheet metal component and add a feature (like a hole) to one component without affecting the other?  I have two very similar parts to model and I don't want to have to start over on the second part, just copy then modify.  This is why I started with bodies instead of components.

[alexhardie · Accepted solution]

Sorry, answered my own question.  For others reading this, create the original body within a new component, next right click and copy the component, then right click and "paste new".  This will give you an independent copy of the component which you can edit separately.  Thanks again for the help. 

[Samuel.Couture]

I would love to be able to convert the sheet metal object into a regular body. In some cases i don't mind loosing the ability to bend 

[jasonhomrighaus]

Found an even easier solution for you.  When you accidentally forget to make a sheet metal body outside of a component, you can save the model.  then open a new model and then insert the saved one into it.  now the sheet metal body is saved in a component and you can work with it as normal without having to recreate all your work.

Note if you have other components in your model use a save as and then delete the other components so that just the body you want to save is present.

[joshalicea]

IS there a way to do this? i need these bends sheetmetal tools help me make some parts but im going to 3D print these things. its easy to create a flange and then if i could move it over to a model so i can break it apart and do a few things that would be excellent...

[Anonymous]

A "friend" of mine created a sheet metal design with a dozen bodies in a single component.  How does he fix it, since he can't use the "create components from bodies" in sheet metal?

[Anonymous]

I figured it out.  Saved 3 days of work by exporting each body as a dxf, But I don't know how to get the bends back.  At least I can get a pdf from this to send to the waterjet shop.  That's all I needed anyway. 

[ehcanea]

I was faceing almost the same problem. I designed something using the sheet metal and i needed 2 of them. I found out that it can be copied using the mirror tool in the model environment.

[jasonhomrighaus]

Found an even easier solution for you.  When you accidentally forget to make a sheet metal body outside of a component, you can save the model.  then open a new model and then insert the saved one into it.  now the sheet metal body is saved in a component and you can work with it as normal without having to recreate all your work.

Note if you have other components in your model use a save as and then delete the other components so that just the body you want to save is present.

[bkkben]

Hi, thanks for your post, but I can't help seeing it as anything else than a closed door...

All the additions in this thread are workarounds at best and make copying sheet metal bodies many clicks longer than it is with any other types of bodies.

It seems Autodesk made a fine tool for working sheet metal but - for no reason I've seen, read or heard so far - made something as basic and essential as copying and pasting sheet metal bodies a time wasting operation.

Your post from 2 years ago says "...is currently blocked...". While "Currently" loudly speaks of something temporary, 2 years is an eternity in the computing world. So, why exactly hasn't this already been addressed yet?

I know this may sound a bit like ranting - and it partly is I admit - but if there is no resolution planned or if it is a technical issue that cannot be resolved, users need to know. Likewise, if it is planned, letting users know if it is going to take another two years or not would be the least.

[Anonymous]

Seeing this a year after you posted and it's still not a feature. All the data is captured in a body, I don't understand why that body can't be replicated like any other data group? Maybe it cant be used in physics simulations (which I'm sure many of us don't need). Oh well. Guess I'll redo the last 2 hours of working making a sheet metal body inside another file and link them.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

the only thing you have to do is create the sheet metal body within a component.

Then you can copy it using Copy/Paste or Copy/Paste New.

günther

[jasonhomrighaus]

Shea,

I think you misunderstood what I was saying. Just save your existing body as a new file. Then import that file back into your model. Select “break link” and now your body is inside a component and you can carry on and use however you like. Takes about 2 min. 

jason

[HughesTooling]

@Anonymous  You can use Boundary fill set to New Component to create copies, they will be ordinary bodies not sheet metal parts though.

You can even set boundary fill to remove tools so it works similar to create components from bodies for a workaround for post #10.

Mark

[HughesTooling]

Just in case anyone else creates several bodies in one sheet metal component and needs to convert to components here's a screencast. You could also use this to make identical copies if you require several identical sheet metal components in one design. As they are derived copies just roll the timeline back before the boundary fill and the copies will update.

Mark