Object to cut feature, how does it work?

[O.Tan]

Hi,

So from the January update, I saw that there's now this object to cut feature which should prevent other components to be affected by the cut feature, however till today, I can't seem to get it to work. I attached a screenshot to show how I usually do things, but can't seem to "activate" the cut to only affect the main component and not others.

 https://screencast.autodesk.com/main/details/0a858a50-b1bf-4fd7-a20e-938cd789a0e6

Thanks

[konkers]

Wondering the same myself.  The Objects to Cut option is always greyed out.

[innovatenate]

Hey guys, good questions! I had to look this up in the help. 🙂

Auto-Select re-computes the bodies to cut based on the current visibility state.
# Bodies cuts the same bodies that were included when the cut operation was created.

Does that help clarify things?

Thanks,

[O.Tan]

So it doesn't work for components?

and what do they mean by current visibility state? Cause if you see in the video I did, doesn't matter if I'm in the active component or not, the cut will affect the other component as well. TBH, I thought the objects to cut is suppose to prevent the cut from affecting other component then the active ones 😕

[innovatenate · Accepted solution]

Toggle the visibility of the component to off before you select ok on the hole command. The visibility status is denoted by the lightbulb icon next to the item in the browser.

Here's a quick demo:

Hope that helps!

Thanks,

[O.Tan]

aah, looks like it only works in History mode, in Direct mode a hole feature will be created in each component. Though I got to ask, why does it work in such an odd manner in history, after I cut and affect the other component, I gotta isolate the part to the one I want and then edit hole to make sure it only cuts 1 body? Why can't it do this in the first place? I don't understand why F360 just can't make it simple, cut a component without having to turn off intersecting components or isolate.

And even making the component active, using the cut/hole feature will still affect other component that should be "inactive". Whyyyy

I thought when they added this "object to cut" feature it means that if I create a hole, only the component that the hole is created on will be affected whereas other components will not and I was like "yippie! they finally fix this annoyance" but nope, didn't turn out that way.

[konkers]

OK, that makes much more sense and explains why the option is always greyed out when creating a feature.

Thanks!

[innovatenate]

This works in both Direct Modeling and in Parametric (Timeline) mode in the same fashion. With the auto-select option selected in the objects to cut drop down menu, the feature will only impact those components which are visible at the time you select OK on that feature. If you configure the visibility of the components prior to creating features, you should have no need to edit the feature after it has been created.

If you are looking to place a hole through one component only, it may help to use the isolate command on the component first. Isolate will toggle the visibility of all other components to off so that only that component remains visible in the workspace.

You may also use the Unisolate command to undo the isolate command after creating the feature.

Try this workflow:

1. In Direct Modeling or in Timeline mode, right click on the component you would like to put a hole through and select isolate (right click in the browser). This will toggle off the visibility of all other components.

2. Select the Create > Hole command.

3. Have Auto-Select selected in Objects to cut field

4. Select Okay

5. Right click on the same component in the browser and select unisolate.

Result: The hole will have only affected one component.

I hope that helps.

Thanks,