Sheet metal inheritance merges geometry and feature data from a reference (base) part to your existing (target) sheet metal part. Because inheritance is a one-way associate merge, the data moves from the base to the target without physically modifying the design model.

Inheritance features are useful in sheet metal because different factories manufacturing your product may have slight variations in tool shapes. Inheritance enables you to submit the same model design to multiple manufacturers, who in turn use inheritance features to adjust the design data for manufacture in their factory without modifying your design.

Finally, you merge the data and create the feature, however you can still make post-merge changes like dimension and feature status modifications.