Dividing Bodies

You can use the Divide command to separate bodies by dividing them into two halves using a surface or a plane as the cutting tool. Each half constitutes a new solid functional set.

1. Click Divide .

   The Divide dialog box appears. The in-work body is detected: Body.1 is to be divided.
   
   

2. Select xy plane as the dividing element.

   Dividing elements can be:

   
   

   • surfaces,

   • planes,
   • sketches. When the sketch is selected, a Generative Shape Design surface is automatically built internally.

3. For the purpose of our scenario, keep Keep both sides on and select Reverse Direction.

   
   
   

4. Click OK to confirm the operation.

   
   
   

   The new functional bodies Solid Functional Set.2 and Solid Functional Set.3 are added to the specification tree. Each functional set contains the following:

   
   
   • Shell Properties: Links to the original solid functional set's shell thickness parameter and face lists. It also contains its own face lists, which means that you can add open faces to a divided body.
   • Divide feature: Contains the result from the divide.

   The In work object is changed to Divide Body.2.

   Important: The Divide feature splits all the volumes of an undivided body between its divided bodies. The undivided volumes provide you with two options: Protected: Do not split the protected volumes but rather to duplicate them within each of the divided bodies. Core: Do not limit the core of either of the divided volumes at the divide surface and allow the internal volumes to be trimmed at the original core extent.

5. Click Internal Feature .

   The Internal Feature dialog is displayed.
   
   

6. Select Sketch.2 for Profile/Surface.

7. Enter 50mm and select Mirrored extent option.

8. Click OK.

   
   
   

9. Select Divide Body.3 in the specification tree and select Hide/Show with RMB.

   
   
   

10. Double click Divide.1 in the specification tree to edit Divide.1.

11. Select Core in Undivided volumes option in the Divide dialog box.

    
    
    

12. Click OK.

    
    
    

You can edit a divide feature by changing the dividing element or reversing the direction.

Note that the Keep both sides option is not available.

Both created divide features are siblings, meaning that whenever you edit one of them, the other one reflects the change too.

Important: The divide feature only divides the functional solid. If you have an assembling body inserted by the Boolean operation under PartBody in the model, the assembling body will not be divided. Here is a simple example model to show the limitation.

1. You have a Solid Functional Set and Assemble.1 in the product like below. When you divide PartBody with xy Plane, the assembling body (Assemble.1) disappears.

   
   
   

2. Select PartBody for in the Body to divide box and select the xy Plane in the Dividing Element box.

3. After the Divide, Assemble.1 is still in the Specification tree, but it disappears graphically.