Create and View Section Cuts

Use the Section Cuts tool to cut planar or spherical sections through a model.

Create Section Cuts

  1. From the View Controls toolbar, click .
  2. In the Section Cuts dialog, click to create a new section cut.
  3. Click of the left side of the microdialog to select either a planar or spherical section cut.
  4. Change the display and position of the section cut using the other microdialog options.
    • Display only the section cut by clicking .
    • Reverse the part of the model that is hidden by clicking .
    • Trim elements along the plane/sphere to create a smooth section cut by clicking .
    • Translate or rotate the section cut using graphical manipulators by clicking . For spherical section cuts, the yellow manipulator can be used to adjust the radius of the sphere.
      Tip: You can also click and drag the frame directly. After exiting the section cut tool, these frames remain visible, allowing you to translate or rotate a section cut at any time. For planar section cuts, click and drag the center of the frame to translate. Click and drag a corner or an edge to rotate.
    • Align the section plane to the x, y, or z-axis by clicking .
      Note: Only available for planar section cuts.


    Figure 1. Planar Section Cut


    Figure 2. Spherical Section Cut
After creating a section cut, it is added to the Model Browser as a Cross Section entity. Its basic parameters can then be changed in the Entity Editor. To edit and adjust a section cut in the tool, right-click on it in the Section Cuts dialog and select Edit.


Figure 3.

The display of the section cut frame can be changed at any time using standard Show/Hide operations. Note that this does not make the section cut inactive.

View Section Cuts

  1. From the View Controls toolbar, click .
  2. In the Section Cuts dialog, enable the checkboxes of the section cuts you wish to view.


    Figure 4.