Lateral Development

 The development of lateral surfaces is simply the flat surface or 2D that you need to cut when you are about to make a 3D thing. If you want to make a cylinder, pyramid, or a cube for an instance a lateral development layout may firstly be required. 
                    (Click to enlarge)
Here is an example of a lateral development drawing of a rectangular right pyramid. The true lengths of the edges and base are measured in order to have an accurate piece. A top view and front view of the pyramid was drawn first to help in drafting the lateral development of it.


Actually lateral developments are very useful in my machine shop course. In my class, we are about to make a tool box as our first project for the semester and a layout of it should be draft first.

(Click to enlarge)

This is the draft of our group. The tool box layout is divided into five parts. The holder and the lowest piece under the lock will be attached to the cover and the upper pieces of the lock will be on the body. The connector will be used to attach the two main parts of the tool box, the cover and the body.