Export the Flat Pattern
Flattening a ply is creating a 2D shape that you can cut out of a flat fabric and use it to obtain the desired 3D shape. Before you export the flat pattern of plies, make sure that the draping simulation of the plies is successful and the Draping Simulation feature exists. You can export the flat pattern data of draped plies to DXF or DWG format for nesting and cutting plies.
Export the flat pattern of draped plies as follows:
1. To export all plies, click in the empty space and then click > 
Export Flat Pattern. To export some plies, select the plies in the Laminate Tree and then click > Export Flat Pattern.
Export Flat Pattern. To export some plies, select the plies in the Laminate Tree and then click > Export Flat Pattern.The Export Setup dialog box opens. To set the defaults in the dialog box, open the Creo Parametric Options dialog box, select Data Exchange, and then specify the settings under Plies Export From Composite Feature. Alternatively, see Configuration Options: Flat Pattern Export.
2. Select the export format. To change the settings for the selected format, use Settings. The export preview is updated.
3. Under Plies Per File, select how multiple plies are distributed among the exported files. The preview is automatically updated based on selected options. The export preview is updated.
4. Under Exported Items, select the associated information to export with the ply. The export preview is updated.
5. In the File name box, specify the naming format of the exported files. To change the default naming format, do one of the following:
◦ Type a custom name.
◦ Use the Name Generator to generate a syntax based on callouts of ply properties. For this, expand the Name Generator, select the ply properties, and click Generate. A syntax appears in the File Name box in the order the ply properties are selected in the Name Generator. For example, if you select Ply Name, Ply Sequence, and Ply Orientation in the Name Generator, the syntax will be &ply_name_&ply_sequence_&ply_orientation. Using this syntax, the files can be generated with their names similar to ply_1_sequence_1_45_00_deg.
To learn how to name the files when you export plies, see Example: Naming the Files of Exported Plies below.
 | To set the default naming format, enter a custom name or a syntax based on callouts of ply properties in the exported_ply_file_name configuration option. |
You can use the following callouts:
Callout | Value |
|---|---|
&ply_name | Ply name |
&ply_sequence | Ply sequence |
&ply_material | Ply material |
&ply_orientation | Ply orientation |
| | You can use a prefix or a suffix with the callouts. For example, you can generate file names using syntax flat_pattern_&ply_name. The sample output will be flat_pattern_ply_1. |
6. Click Export. The Save a Copy dialog box opens.
7. Open a directory to save the exported files and click OK.
Example: Naming the Files of Exported Plies
Following table shows sample values for sequence and orientation of few plies.
Ply Name | Sequence | Orientation |
|---|---|---|
PLY_1 | Sequence.1 | 45.00 |
PLY_2 | Sequence.1 | 60.00 |
CORE_1 | Sequence.1 | 90.00 |
You can export plies to the same file when one of the following conditions is satisfied:
• The text string specified for the file name does not contain a callout.
• The syntax specified for the file name contains callouts, and the ply property referenced by a callout has the same value for the laminate objects.
When you export all plies in the example to the same file, the input string for the file name and the output file names are as follows:
Input string | Output file name |
|---|---|
flat_ply_drw | The file is created with the name flat_ply_drw because the text string specified for the file name does not contain a callout. |
&ply_name | The file is not created because the names of plies are different. |
&ply_sequence | The file is created with the name sequence_1 because the sequences of plies are the same. |
&ply_orientation | The file is not created because orientations of plies are different. |
&ply_name_&ply_sequence_&ply_orientation | The file is not created because the names and the orientations of plies are different. |
When you export each ply in the example to a separate file, the input string for the file name and the output file names are as follows:
Input string | Output file names |
|---|---|
flat_ply_drw | Ply name is added as a suffix to create unique file names. • flat_ply_drw_ply_1 • flat_ply_drw_ply_2 • flat_ply_drw_core_1 |
&ply_name | Unique file names are created based on the ply names. • ply_1 • ply_2 • core_1 |
&ply_sequence | The sequence of plies are the same. Hence, ply name is added as a suffix to create unique file names. • sequence_1_ply_1 • sequence_1_ply_2 • sequence_1_core_1 |
&ply_orientation | Unique file names are created based on the ply orientation and ply name. • 45.00_deg_ply_1 • 60.00_deg_ply_2 • 90.00_deg_core_1 |
&ply_name_&ply_sequence_&ply_orientation | Unique file names are created based on specified syntax. • ply_1_sequence_1_45.00_deg • ply_2_sequence_1_60.00_deg • core_1_sequence_1_90.00_deg |