FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MetalFox
MetalFox is the first online sheet metal flattening software for PC, tablet and smartphone.
Whatever your technical level, MetalFox will generate in less than 5 minutes and in a reliable way, the precise flattening of your most complex parts.
The files generated by MetalFox are read by all industrial design software and modern cutting machines: laser, waterjet, plasma, oxy-fuel cutting, …
Register on MetalFox and benefit all the features of the software:
– Access to all shapes, including 10 free and unlimited.
– Exclusive technical options to gain quality and manufacturing time.
– Calculation of the weight, length of welds, percentage of scraps, …
– History of your jobs and the modification of weld designs without additional cost.
– Memorization of your personal parameters: language, working units, sheet position, etc…
From its beginning, MetalFox has been designed to be accessible both technically and economically.
Today MetalFox is used by large companies as well as smaller structures.
MetalFox’s token system makes the tool accessible, even for a single job.
Once registered on MetalFox, you will access 10 free shapes.
To work on other shapes, you have two possibilities:
A – Subscriptions:
The commitment period is the same as the subscription period, it is automatically renewed when it expires.
At any time you can change, suspend or cancel your subscription from your personal space.
B – Permanent tokens:
Each token allows you to make a job, whatever the complexity of the shape.
These tokens have no expiration date and can be combined with subscriptions.
To find out more about these different offers, go to our home page, section “our offer“.
The MetalFox Education module has been specially developed to meet needs of training centres.
Education offer is composed of :
A) A master school account for teachers, with an administration interface to:
– Fully use MetalFox software.
– Create in 3 clicks students accounts, and group them by classes.
– Generate at a distance (or not), exercises for students. They can work on them in class, at home or even in their companies.
B) Secondary accounts per student, usable simultaneously and without prior installation, from any PC, tablet or Smartphone.
Everyone can thus study together, without having to “share” licenses.
Yes, register is completely free.
All you have to do is enter your valid e-mail address and set your password.
To receive our newsletter, you have to register on MetalFox.
When creating it, click on the checkbox “Subscribe to the newsletter”.
You can also register at any time from your Customer Area in “My Account” tab.
You can contact us via our contact form or at contact@metalfox.net.
MetalFox Software
MetalFox is optimized for the following browsers:
– Google chrome
– Opera
– Firefox
MetalFox is also compatible with internet explorer (V11 or higher) and Edge.
However, we do not recommend the use of these browsers.
MetalFox is not compatible with Safari because it does not support the display of 3D shapes.
MetalFox is currently available in :
– English
– French
It is planned to add the following languages in the near future:
– Spanish
– Portuguese
For another language, please contact us.
After registered, choose your shape and enter the dimensions of your part.
After validation, MetalFox will generate the file and allow you to download it or send it directly to your e-mail address or these of your supplier.
To see the steps in detail, go to our “Getting Started” page, where a detailed explanatory video will show you how to proceed.
To learn more about the advanced features of MetalFox, please see our Tutorials.
MetalFox is available in both metric and imperial systems:
– Units of the metric system: millimetres and decimal degrees (e.g. 45.5°)
– Imperial units: inches and decimal degrees
You can change your units directly from the “Settings” section by clicking on the icon at the top left of the menu.
Yes, control systems exist for each shape.
Their role is to check whether the shape is mathematically correct.
If not, an alert message will appear, the dimensions to be modified will be framed in red and won’t allow the generation of the flattening file until they have been corrected.
Yes, to do this go to job history tab and search for your old parts.
Click on it to open it and modify the dimensions you need.
Modify weld design and number, bend lines, bend radius and number of elements on segmented bends is free of charge.
To view your jobs history, click on the “history” icon in the top left menu.
Use it to search old jobs, by date, type and/or keywords, download their flattening layout files and send them by e-mail.
You can also make a new job from an old one by modifying only the dimensions that differentiate them, such as the thickness or weld design.
For more information, please consult our tutorials.
Yes, you can change all the parameters of the welds from the jobs history.
You will be able to modify weld gap, number and position of welds, bend radius, number of elements on segmented bends, etc.
As long as the external layout form remain same, no token will be counted because MetalFox will understand that it is the same part.
Likewise, you can change the number of press lines at your convenience.
Except for dimensions specified by the user as indoor, outdoor or K-factor, all other dimensions are set to neutral fiber by default.
For thicker parts, the user should be aware that this may result in some deviations.
For example, the “neutral fiber” height of a straight truncated cone is smaller than the final height of the cone once formed.
This is because the cone rests at its base on the inner fibre and at the top on the outer fibre.
The “real” height will therefore be increased by the height of the 2 small triangles formed by the angle of the cone and half of its thickness.
Although in the majority of cases these deviations are very small and the sheet joints are mostly prepared for welding, for metal sheets of significant thicknesses (20, 30 mm), these deviations can be quite important.
If you have questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
A – Keyboard shortcuts :
– The space bar as well as the “enter” keys on the keyboard update the shape.
– The “tab” key navigate between input fields.
B – Mouse commands :
– Left button held + move: Rotate the shape
– Central button (thumbwheel) held + vertical sliding : Zoom and unzoom of the shape
– Click the central button (wheel): Extended zoom of the shape
– Right Click : Changing the rendering (full / wired)
These commands must be executed with the mouse pointer in the area of the 3D shape.
Customer Area
Once logged, go to the customer Area.
In the “My account” tab, enter your new address.
Don’t forget to click on the button ” Modify my e-mail ” to validate it.
Once logged, go to the customer Area.
In the “My account” tab, enter your new password.
Don’t forget to click on the button ” Modify my password ” to validate it.
Then click on “Forgot password?” and enter the email address of your MetalFox account.
A link to set your new password will be sent to you by e-mail.
To delete your account, please contact us at the following e-mail address: contact@metalfox.net.
All your account data will no longer be recoverable after deletion.
payment and billing
From your account, click on the “shopping cart” icon in the top right corner of your screen.
If you are on a smartphone, click on the “Tokens / Subscriptions” button on the smartphone menu.
Permanent tokens do not have a validity date.
You can use them at your convenience according to your activity.
Subscription tokens are renewed at each expiry date, whether or not there are any remaining tokens.
– Credit Cards: Credit Card, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, E-Carte Bleue, Visa Electron
– Paypal
– National and international bank transfers.
Our third party banks are accredited and recognized institutions worldwide.
In case of doubt, do not hesitate to consult their terms of use available on their websites:
Natixis’ 3DSecure secure payment solution is used for credit cards.
When paying by credit card, you are likely to receive a code by SMS that you will have to enter during payment.
Payment in euros for credit cards.
If you want to use other currencies, your bank will have to convert them into euros before making the payment.
However, we accept the main world currencies for purchases made by bank transfer.
Please contact us for more information.
Your credit card number is only known to our trusted third party bank.
It is in no way saved in our services.
If you wish it to be kept (by our trusted third party) for your next purchases, simply tick the box to this effect when you make your first payment.
After payment, your invoice in .pdf format is directly sent to your e-mail address.
It can be downloaded at any time from your customer area, in the “my orders” tab.
Your invoices are in your customer area, in the “my orders” tab.
No, MetalFox is regularly updated and provides its users with the latest software developments free of charge.
Moreover, if you have any ideas for improvement, do not hesitate to contact-us, we will be happy to implement it.
Security
It is stored on highly secure servers whose security protocols are regularly updated.
At no time will your data would be given to commercial third parties without your written assesment.
Our third party banks are accredited and recognized institutions worldwide.
In case of doubt, do not hesitate to consult their terms of use available on their websites:
Natixis’ 3DSecure secure payment solution is used for credit cards.
When paying by credit card, you are likely to receive a code by SMS that you will have to enter during payment.
Yes, no matter what device you use, the data transmited between your device and our servers is secure and encrypted end-to-end.