Section Planes

DRAW Reference Manual

Section Planes

Note:

There are extensive graphical facilities for creating and manipulating Section Planes in DRAW’s Graphical User Interface. Refer to Create 2D Section Planes, Create 3D Section Planes and Modify Section Plane using Grip Points for further information.

DRAW gives you the ability to construct sections through specified Design items, the results of which display at VIEW level. All Planes are database items and can therefore be used with more than one VIEW. There are three types of Plane element that can be used to define four types of section plane, namely:

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A Perpendicular Flat Plane passes through a specified point in the 3D design, being oriented so as to be perpendicular to the current VIEW direction. The VIEW contents that are discarded can be on either side of the plane. The plane is used as either a section or a backing plane.

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A Flat Plane is similar to a perpendicular flat plane, but can be oriented to allow views of the section from any angle.

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A Stepped Plane is a folded plane (for example, a series of non-intersecting straight line spans) that extends to infinity in both directions along a specified axis. The shape is defined by a series of points, the ends of the plane also extending to infinity. The simplest form of stepped plane is defined by two points and is equivalent to a Flat Plane. Any VIEW direction can be used and the VIEW contents on either side can be discarded. Note that the two end spans must not intersect each other or an inner span.

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An Enclosed Plane. A particular form of stepped plane in which the first and last points that define it coincide to form a ‘tube’ that is infinitely long along its axis. Any VIEW direction can be used and either the inside or outside of the ‘tube’ can be removed.

All Planes have a standard ‘retain’ and ‘discard’ side, depending on how the Plane is defined in the database. The Plane can be used in either ‘standard’ or ‘reverse’ mode, which effectively switches the Plane’s action without altering its definition. The Plane can be used in different VIEWs both as a section or backing plane. Planes can only be used with modelled VIEWs. Planes have no effect when used in a View that uses the Wireline view style.