Trouble with Intersect tool

[sbgunderson]

Hello, 

I am new to fusion 360 so I would really appreciate some help with the intersect tool. I have a car body model that i purchased and I want to intersect it with a plane to get cross sectional views.  After I select Create Project/intersect, then select intersect, I am unable to select the body which intersects the plane.  Any idea why I am not able to choose this?  Many thanks in advance.

Spencer 

[laughingcreek]

wild guess, is your "model" in the form of a mesh?

[TheCADWhisperer]

Is there a folder named Solids in the Browser along left side of screen?

[sbgunderson]

Thank you laughingcreek and thecadwhisperer.  I dont see any "solid" in the browser on the left side of the screen.  And the "body" does appear to be a mesh.  Do I need to convert the mesh body into a solid?  Thank you in advance.

Spencer

[laughingcreek · Accepted solution]

Fusion isn't a particularly good tool for working with meshes.  And converting a mesh object into a solid is only useful in a limited number of cases.

The model you have was probably not intended to use for construction or 3d printing, but rather as a game asset or other similar use.  i.e. just a graphical representation.  Most likely it will be a lot of work to get it into any kind of useful form if that is what you want.

you can cut it with a plane in the mesh environment fairly easily if that is really all youi need to do-

you can also use the section analysis tool if you need to just temporarily see inside-

[sbgunderson]

Thank you laughingcreek.  This is all helpful to me since I am a novice. Your method should work for my purposes. If you have ever seen a car “buck”, they are full scale car models made from cut out cross sections along the car. 

Many thanks,

Spencer