As a manufacturer, I am having the same issues with a new sheet metal part.  I want to build the product entirely on the screen, meaning I want to actually cut the model.  In an environment other than a single designer, workarounds like those above lead to human errors in the future and highly costly mistakes that may well make it to the customer before caught.

To be able to actually make a cut (a "slit") in the model would provide a lot of usefulness and would be a great marketing feature for the SolidWorks product.

1)  I propose a SolidWorks tool that:  draws a no-thickness line called a "tool path".  The cut thickness would be defined by the laser or CNC tooling used.  For example, a laser cuts a kerf based on many factors including material thickness.  A note to "cut away this side" or "kerf width this side" would be sufficient for laser cuts.  Might work for water jet too.  Or the slit path could be assumed to be centered on the line drawn.

2)  A "power" or "cut depth" note and/or embedded code could be an input of this new SolidWorks tool for marking or etching purposes.

3)  Another input would be slit width to define the CNC tooling used.

4)  If it is possible, a selectable and/or definable (by sketch) end treatment for either or both ends of the "slit" should also be part of the tool.  For example, a laser's initial "pierce diameter" and splatter of the material can be an issue.  I would like to start the laser cut a few thousandths on the "waste" side of the cut by using a short curved lead-in tail.

I am not familiar enough with laser capabilities to know whether or not start and end points can be encoded in the file sent to the vendor or if the kerf can be offset by the laser cutter.

If deemed worthy, would someone please submit this as an enhancement request?  I am using 2012 Premium, but am not on subscription.

Message was edited by: Phil Hertel