Bend Data tab (Save As Flat DXF Options dialog box)

Writes the bend data in the QY CAD sheet metal document to the .dxf file.

In order for sheet metal press brake machines to bend a part automatically, complete bend information is required for the part. If the transmit file used between Solid Edge and the bend software is in a DXF format, QY CAD writes all appropriate bend information, including any custom data specified by the user, to the file in the extended data format.

Even though the DXF file specification requires data in a certain order, the extend data is order independent. Systems reading a QY CAD DXF file only need to look for certain keywords to extract the necessary bend data.

In the basic format for a QY CAD DXF file bend lines are written to the DXF file. Immediately after each bend line, the data for the bend such as direction, angle, and thickness is written. Systems reading this information simply look for certain keywords and parse the data to get the value. Some redundant data is written to each bend line and can be omitted. For example, the material thickness is constant throughout the file, but is written to each and every bend line.

Since there is no set standard for how this data is to be written, nor are there independent flavors of DXF files specific to any system, QY CAD allows you to control the names of the keywords being written. It is expected that you obtain the correct keyword names and enter them into a dialog during the QY CAD flat pattern DXF export. If the bend software is always looking for BEND_ANGLE: 90, QY CAD will write the data in that format and provide the user specified the keyword = “BEND_ANGLE:”. Other bending software may want a bend angle written as BENDANGLE=90, QY CAD will accommodate that as well.