Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Create and Analyze Sheet from Solid Brep

Use Case:
You have a closed solid representing sheet metal

Component Flow:

1. Brep → Manifold To Sheet
2. Connect output to Display Sheet (to visualize)
3. Connect output to Sheet Info (to analyze statistics)

1. Connect your solid Brep to Manifold To Sheet
2. Use Display Sheet to verify topology detection (flanges, bends, etc.)
3. Use Sheet Info to extract statistics
4. If needed, adjust Root Face Index for better orientation

Workflow 2: Create Sheet from Surface Geometry

Use Case:
You designed a surface and want to add thickness

Component Flow:

1. Surface → Non-Manifold To Sheet
2. Set Thickness and Bend Radius parameters
3. Optionally: Create Bend Relief Options → Connect to Relief Options input
4. Connect output to Display Sheet

1. Use None-Manifold Flange or None-Manifold Hem (NMH) to create the basic BREP.
2. Create Bend Relief Options if needed
3. Set material thickness and bend radius
4. Connect to Non-Manifold To Sheet
5. Visualize with Display Sheet
6. Adjust Flip Offset/Flip Bend Direction if needed

Workflow 3: Unroll Sheet with Basic K-Factor

Use Case:
Quick flat pattern with simple compensation

Component Flow:

1. Sheet → Unroller
2. Set Compensation Strategy to 0.5 (or material-specific value)
3. Extract flat pattern from Unrolled output

1. Connect Sheet to Unroller
2. Set Compensation Strategy to 0.5 (or material-specific value)
3. Extract flat pattern from Unrolled output
4. Optional: Extract bend axes/regions for drawings

Workflow 4: Unroll with Advanced Compensation

Use Case:
High-precision unrolling with material-specific data

Component Flow:

1. Create number sliders for Angles and K-Factors
2. Connect to K Factor Table component
3. Connect K Factor Table output to Unroller's Compensation Strategy input
4. Connect Sheet to Unroller
5. Extract flat pattern

1. Gather angle/K-factor pairs from material testing
2. Build K Factor Table with your data
3. Connect to Unroller Compensation Strategy input
4. Unroll sheet
5. Use Unrolled Bend Info to extract manufacturing specs

Workflow 5: Generate Manufacturing Documentation

Use Case:
Create complete manufacturing package

Component Flow:

1. Sheet → Unroller
2. Unroller's Unroll Result output → Unrolled Bend Info
3. Extract all bend specifications from Unrolled Bend Info outputs

1. Unroll sheet with appropriate compensation
2. Connect Unroll Result to Unrolled Bend Info
3. Extract bend angles, directions, allowances
4. Use bend centers to position text annotations in Rhino
5. Export flat pattern + specifications