Return to: U of M Home

Mechanical Engineering Home >Info: Useful Links > ProE > cross-sectional views

Cross-sectional views are useful for showing complex internal geometries in parts, and for showing details of assemblies. They can be used to illustrate internal features, or to show how several parts that are hidden by an outside surface fit together.

1. Cross-Sectional Views of Parts

   To create a cross-sectional view, follow these steps:

   1. From the Part menu, select the following menu items: X-Section:Create
   2. Make sure the default picks Single and Planar are selected,then pick Done
   3. Enter a name for the cross section, and press Enter.
   4. Pick an existing datum plane or create a new one. The cross-sectional view will be created on this plane as if the plane was cutting the part.
   5. To erase the cross-section from view, but still keep it defined, select Done/Return from the Cross Sec menu
   6. To redisplay a named cross section, select X-Section:Show and the name of the cross-section.
   7. Make sure you File/Save your part.
      
2. Cross-Sectional Views of Assemblies

   To create a cross-sectional view of an assembly, follow these steps:

   1. Either create or retrieve the assembly for which you would like to see the cross-sectional view.
   2. In spite of the fact that the X-Section menu item was easy to find in the part menu, it has now been hidden under the Set-Up menu item. Select Set-Up:X-Section:Create:Planar:Done
   3. Name the cross-sectional view.
   4. Create a datum plane for the view.
      
      Note: it will be necessary to create a datum plane, as the program needs something that 'applies' to the whole assembly, not just an individual part. The easiest way to do this is to pick the Make Datum:Through option, then pick an existing datum plane that is in the orientation you want.
      
   5. You should now see the cross-sectional markings in the assembly.
      
3. Cross-Sectional Views in Drawings

   Of course, cross-sectional views are useless unless you can use them in drawings to show extra information. To view an existing or create a new cross-sectional view on a drawing, follow these steps:

   1. First, create or retrieve a drawing with at least one view.
   2. Add a view with Projection:Section selected.
   3. Specify the options for the cross-sectional view, then click Done
   4. Click where you want the view to appear on the drawing.
   5. Either retrieve an existing cross section, or use the Create option to create a new one:
      
      1. Click Create:Planar:Done
      2. Enter a name for the Cross Section. This will appear on your drawing by the arrows denoting the cross-section's cut.
      3. Select Make Datum:Through
      4. Select a plane that represents the cross-section you want (query select can be really helpful here), then click Done
      5. Select the view on which the arrows denoting the section will appear.
      6. Your cross-sectional view should now appear.