Cut/Divide Mesh : Options and Results

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

Cut or divide mesh objects.

Required Step 1

Pick the mesh object(s) to be cut; one or more open or closed objects (including individual faces).

Press <exit><exit>(middle mouse button) when all objects are selected.

Note: When picking a mesh object, only a single mesh object (closed or open) can be picked.

The part before selection:

The objects to be cut are selected (in this case, open objects):

Required Step 2

Pick the cutting geometry; a plane, face(s), open / closed object(s), curve(s), edge(s), axis(axes) or points, and if necessary, indicate the side to be removed.

Notes:

  • If a closed mesh object was selected in Step 1, then following entities can be picked:

    • Datum plane

    • Closed mesh object

    • Closed solid object.

  • If an open mesh object was selected in Step 1, then following entities can be picked:

    • Datum plane

The following parameters are displayed:

Cut options:

Divide options:

Notes:

  • Use the Selection Filter to select curves, edges, axes or points as the cutting geometry.

  • When selecting a single curve, edge or axis (as the cutting geometry), any geometry which defines a plane can be used as input; a 2D line with an angle, two points and a direction angle, 3 points or 2D curve. See Cut Objects by Curve, Edge, Axis.

  • To reduce the file size when cutting a small object by a large object, instead of using the whole (large) cutting object, the system prompts you to perform the cut operation using only those faces of the cutting object that intersect with the objects to be cut. This prompt is displayed if the following conditions are met:

    1. If the cutting object (Step 2) is not in the same file as the objects to be cut (Step 1); for example, the cutting object may be in another file of an assembly.

    2. If the cutting object has more faces than the objects to be cut.

 

Divide

This is a toggle option, Cut / Divide, to select the required operation.
Examples:Examples:

Cut: As Boolean

Cut: As Trim

Divide: As Boolean

Divide: As Trim

 

As Boolean

This is a toggle option, As Boolean / As Trim, that enables you to select the method of performing the Cut operation.

This option is only displayed if the entity to be cut is an open object.
Examples:Examples:

Cut: As Boolean

Cut: As Trim

Divide: As Boolean

Divide: As Trim

 

Flip Mesh Normal

This parameter is available only for open objects and deals with issues of object direction.
See Invert Active Object.

Don't Separate Shells

This is a toggle option, Don't Separate Shells / Separate Shells, that enables you to decide whether shells remaining after a cut operation are to be regarded as a single shell or as separate shells.

Don't Separate Shells

The shells remaining after a cut operation are to be regarded as a single shell. When one of the shells is picked, both are selected.

Separate Shells

The shells remaining after a cut operation are to be regarded as separate shells. When one of the shells is picked, only the picked shell is selected. The entities are now separate shells.

Examples:Examples:

Result of a Cut operation:

Don't Separate Shells:
When one of the shells is picked, both are selected.

Separate Shells:
When one of the shells is picked, only the picked shell is selected.

 

Keep Cutting Object

This is a toggle option, Keep Cutting Object / Remove Cutting Object, that enables you to decide whether or not the cutting object is removed after a cut operation.

Keep Cutting Object

The cutting object remains after a cut operation.

Remove Cutting Object

The cutting object is removed after a cut operation.

Examples:Examples:

Keep Cutting Object Remove Cutting Object

Notes:

  • It is possible to use more than one cutting object. In this case, if the option Remove Cutting Object is selected, all the cutting objects will be removed.

  • This option is grayed out (and set to Keep Cutting Object) in the following cases:

    • If the cutting entity is external (an assembly external reference).

    • If the cutting entity is a datum plane.

    • If the cutting entity is a planar face.

Extend

This is a toggle option, Extend / Don't Extend, that enables the extension of a cutting planar or non-planar face, to cut the object selected in step 1. This option is only displayed if the cutting object is a face or multiple faces.

For planar faces:
ExampleExample
See the B-rep examples in Cut One Object by One Face.

The cutting planar face is extended to cut the object selected in step 1:

The cutting planar face is not extended and only cuts part of the object:

For non-planar faces only: If the Extend option is selected, an additional toggle option Natural / Tangent is displayed.
Default: Natural.

Natural

The edge of the extruded face is produced as a natural extension of the reference face.

Tangent

The edge of the extruded face is produced in the direction tangent to the reference face.

Example:Example:
See the B-rep examples in Cut One Object by One Face.

Don't Extend:

Extend > Natural: The edge of the cut face is produced as a natural extension of the reference face.

Extend > Tangent: The edge of the cut face is produced in the direction tangent to the reference face.

Front view showing the Extend > Natural and Tangent option results.

Single curve, edge or axis:
When selecting a single curve, edge or axis (as the cutting geometry), a cutting plane is displayed though the cutting geometry and the Extend option is automatically selected, but not displayed. In these cases, an Angle parameter is displayed allowing you to change the orientation of the cutting plane as required.
Example:Example:
See the B-rep examples in Cut Objects by Curve, Edge, Axis.

Transfer Attributes

This is a toggle option, Transfer Attributes / Don't Transfer Attributes, that enables you to decide whether or not to transfer attributes (colors, threads and hole attributes) with the cut operation.

Transfer Attributes

Attributes (colors, threads and hole attributes) from the cutting geometry are transferred to the object that is cut.
Examples:Examples:

Object to be cut:

Cutting geometry (in this case an object):

Result using "Transfer Attributes": The cutting geometry's attributes (colors, threads and hole attributes) are transferred to the cut object.

The following attributes are transferred:

  • Colors.

  • Hole attributes (H6/H7 etc).

  • Threads – ONLY if the cutting geometry has a "Cutting Object" and is external (not in the same part as the object to be cut).

Don't Transfer Attributes

Attributes from the cutting geometry are not transferred to the object that is cut.

Notes:

  • The toggle option is not available in the following cases:

    • If the cutting geometry is a plane.

    • If object to be cut is open and the first parameter is set to As Trim.

    • If the cutting geometry (step 2) is a mesh object.

  • One object can be used to cut multiple objects, or multiple objects can be used to cut one object.

  • Face(s) can only be used to cut one solid.

See Facet Selection for a description of the various facet selection options.

 

Press OK or Apply in the Feature Guide to complete the function.

When completed, the Cut/Divide feature appears in the Feature Tree as follows:

 

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.