Using the Cutting Plane

You can cut the 3D background of layout views along each view's definition plane. This can be useful to validate the geometry of a design view, as the view content and the 2D background will remain visible, even if their view plane is behind the cutting plane. Since it is the view plane that is used as the cutting plane, the result will depend on the position of the layout in 3D space.

Note: The cutting plane is applied globally to a layout, which means it is either active or inactive for all views at once.

Before you begin: Open a 3D shape representation containing a layout. Select Start > Mechanical > 2D Layout for 3D Design to open the layout in the 2D window. If necessary, activate the Display Backgrounds as Specified for Each View icon in the Visualization toolbar to display the layout view background.

  1. Click Cutting Plane in the Visualization toolbar to activate the cutting plane.

    Click Cutting Plane in the Visualization toolbar to activate or deactivate the cutting plane.



    Notice how the 3D background of the section view is cut along its definition plane.



  2. Now, click Cutting Plane to de-activate the cutting plane.

    Notice how the 3D background of the Section view is no longer cut along its definition plane.



Important:
  • In Tools > Options > Mechanical > 2D Layout for 3D Design > Display tab, Visualization area, the Display background and cutting plane when loading layout option is selected by default. This option keeps the Cutting Plane activated every time the representation containing the 2D Layout is opened.
    • If the cutting plane is deactivated and the 2D Layout window is closed keeping the 3D window open, then again on reopening the 2D Layout window, the cutting plane is still deactivated.
    • If you close both the 2D and 3D window, and launch the representation document in 2D Layout for 3D Design, then the cutting plane is activated.
  • If the Display background and cutting plane when loading layout option is cleared, then the user preference of the Cutting Plane is applied to all the 2D layout for 3D Design windows open in that session and is further kept when closing and restarting a session.
  • When the Display background and cutting plane when loading layout option is cleared, the last setting is applied. If these settings have never been modified (in the case of a new installation or when the settings have never been reset) then the default system values are used with the Display Backgrounds as Specified for Each View active and the Cutting Plane display deactivated.
  • When working in the Product Structure context, the 3D shape representation is kept open as long as any Product Structure referencing the representation is not closed.
  • The cutting plane is taken into account when printing in raster mode and when creating a drawing view. For more information, refer to the 2D Layout for 3D Design user's guide.
  • For more information on the other visualization-related options available in the Visualization toolbar, refer to the Layout Tools task in the 2D Layout for 3D Design user's guide.