About Splitting Areas
Use the Split Area tool to define a surface patch or an edge to split from a sheet metal part. You can then select these areas when performing other Sheetmetal Design operations. When you create a Split Area feature you do not remove any volume from the part and no side surfaces are created between the driving and offset surfaces.
You can use a Split Area feature to perform these tasks:
• Selecting deformation areas that can be controlled during unbend operations.
• Removing surface patches using the Surface Rip tool.
• Creating an edge that can be selected as a fixed geometry reference.