SpaceClaim Online Help

Editing in cross-section

Use SectionDesign2D or 3D model that contains at least one top-level component. mode in which you edit solids by working with their edges and vertices in cross-section. ViewOrientation settings that you can apply to your design, including spin, pan, and zoom. You can adjust these settings individually or you can apply one of the following preconfigured views: Trimetric, Isometric, Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Right, Left. You can also select Snap View and click a face to view it head-on. is cut away to show interior detail. mode to edit solids by working with their edges and vertices in cross-section. You can modify faces, edges, planes, cylinders, rounds, and chamfers in section mode. You can edit solids and surface bodies.

In Section modeSee Section, lines represent faces and points (or vertices) represent edges.

For example, to rotate a face around an edge, select the line that represents the face, Alt+click the vertex that represents the edge, and pull. Moving a sketched line in Section mode does not move the solid it is sketched on. You must move a section line (a line that represents a face) to modify a solid in Section mode.

Hatching is used to show the intersection of the cross-section plane and a solid. ArcCurved line of constant radius; part of a circle. See Sweep arc, Three point arc, Tangent arc. centers are shown as small cross marks. Hatching appears bolder inside faces to indicate what is shown in a cross-section view. (See Examples, below).

You can use the following tools: Select, PullTool used to distort or deform geometry. Use the Pull tool to offset, extrude, revolve, sweep, draft, and blend faces; or to round, chamfer, or extrude edges. When converting a sketch to 3D, pulling a line creates a surface and pulling a surface creates a solid., MoveA tool used to translate or rotate geometry., CombineA tool used to cut or glue geometry together., SplitUsing the Combine tool to split solids or surfaces. You select a solid or surface to use as a Cutting tool to cut the target. See Cutter object. BodyA solid or surface., ShellSolidObject that encloses volume. A surface becomes a solid if it encloses volume. or part that is hollowed out from a selected face, leaving a shell of designated thickness., OffsetDistance an edge, segment, or curve is moved or copied., FillUse the Fill tool to simplify or clean up geometry by extending surrounding faces to eliminate a selection. The selected region is filled in or healed with the surrounding surface or solid., and all sketch tools. Use the Select tool to edit spline faces (represented by a spline in cross-section). You can also cut, copy, and paste. We recommend that you clip the scene above the grid to enhance the visibility of the cross-section.

To edit in cross-section

1. Select or de-select options based on whether you want to maintain and view relationships while you edit in cross-section.

2. Select the face you want to use to create the cross-section plane, or select any faces, edges, or vertices that define a plane.

   If you are in a drawing sheet with cross-section views, you do not have to choose a face, as the plane of the drawing sheet is automatically used as the section plane.

3. (Optional) Move or rotate the cross-section grid and click the Section tool when you are finished.

4. Click and drag the edges and vertices of the cross-section to edit them.

   You can also bend edges with the Bend tool, and pull section points (edges) and section lines (faces) with the Pull tool. If you set the Auto-extrude/revolve sketches in Section modeAdvanced SpaceClaim option, sketch made with the sketch tools are automatically extruded or revolved to form surfaces and solids when you begin the sketch on the edge of an existing surface or solid. To automatically revolve, the sketch must be attached to a revolved face. If you do not begin the sketch on an existing edge, you are switched to Sketch modeModeThree ways of designing: Sketch, Cross-section, or 3D. You can switch between modes at any time. for drawing in two dimensions using the sketching tools on the sketch grid. A sketch is a collection of lines and other 2D objects on a sketch grid. Sketching creates regions that can be pulled into 3D. When you pull your sketch into 3D with the Pull tool, regions formed by intersecting lines will become solids and lines will become edges..

   We recommend zooming into your design so that it is easier to select the correct entity. For example, if you are trying to select an edge, but your design appears very small in the Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace., it is possible to accidentally select a midpoint or end point of the edge instead. Moving the midpoint or end point of an edge will not be reflected by a mirrored entity.

Options

The following options are available in the Section tool:

Examples

Moving a spline point in section mode

Bold hatching indicates the hatching that would be shown on a drawing sheet cross-section view

Extruding while sketching in Section mode