Hello,
I want to cut some surfaces to the common plane so that there would be nothing under the z=0 plane. If there were solids I would be able to cut them with another correctly positioned solid form, but I have failed to do it with surfaces. However, I am only the beginner so there can be special tool for that which I simply do not know, but I have not found any information how to do it. So I would be grateful if somebody could tell me if there is any alternative to reach my goal.
Hi Diana,
You can do this, but you'll need to use solid geometry instead of a plane. I can't tell from the image, but you'll likely need the geometry you're trying to cut to be a solid as well.
- Draw a rectangle on the ground that is wide enough to encompass the geometry you want to cut
- Extrude the rectangular surface downwards below the ground to create a solid block that is deep enough to contain the geometry you want to cut (note you can turn off the Ground Plane with shortcut DG if it's in the way)
- Use the Cut Geometry tool to cut the stuff you want away using the new block you created
- The tool will guide you, but essentially you 1) select the geometry you want to cut into, then 2) select the geometry to remove (the new block)
- This should cut the stuff you don't want below the ground plane. You'll have to delete the block to see the results.
Hope this helps!
Hi Diana,
FormIt is a solid modeler, and the "Cut Geometry" tool you need to use for this requires solids to function.
You can try my previous instructions with your geometry as-is and see if it works. I included simple steps to create a solid shape to cut with, but the geometry you want to cut/modify needs to be solid, too. If it's not solid, you won't be able to select it in the 1st step of the tool ("Select the solid to be cut into").
If that's the case, take a look at the "Ensure Geometry is Solid" section on this page for tips on this. Essentially, you'll want to use FormIt's "Display Watertight Issues" (shortcut DW) and "Display Backfaces" (shortcut DB) diagnostics to highlight issues with your geometry that you'll need to address before it's considered solid. You should see no red lines or faces when you're all done, with the diagnostic view modes enabled.
I'm also happy to take a look at your file and demonstrate how to convert your geometry to solids so you can accomplish the Solid Cut workflow.
Modeling with solids is a best practice for many reasons: solids best represent real-world materials and assemblies, solid geometry is required for downstream applications like 3D printer apps and Revit, and solids generally work better and offer more advanced functionality in FormIt.
Regards,
Hello Josh,
I tried to use the methods you have told me and I managed to cut the solid. I have made it by extruding faces of my object so after cutting I just reversed this process (I mean that I have used the same command but I narrowed the solid instead of stretching the face) to make it similar to the surface. I am not sure that it is a rational or even correct solution, but I do not thought up any other. However, such result satisfied me.
Thank you for your patience.
Best regards,
Diana
