Split Surfaces

Use the Split tool to create fixed points to split/unsplit surface edges and split surfaces with points, lines, planes, or other surfaces.

Split Surface Edges

Use the Split with Points tool to split surface edges.

  1. From the Geometry ribbon, Edit tools, click the Split with Points tool.


    Figure 1.
  2. Select Lines from the Target drop-down menu on the guide bar
  3. Left-click on a surface edge.
  4. Specify a number of points in the microdialog and press Enter or click Split on the guide bar.
Tip:
  • Use snap points to create fixed points at predefined points on your model such as end, middle, and center points.
  • The untrim action is meant to be used on split lines or scratches fully contained inside a surface. It will also work on split lines that separate surfaces completely if the surface construction definition allows it, for example if the surfaces were previously split using this or other HyperWorks X tools.
  • When using box selection to remove multiple vertices, the global Geometry Feature Angle will be used. You can manually remove individual vertices between edges with an angle larger than the global Geometry Feature Angle.

Split Surfaces and Solids with Points

Use the Split with Points tool to split surfaces and solids with points, nodes paths, or node lists.

  1. From the Geometry ribbon, Edit tools, click the Split with Points tool.


    Figure 2.
  2. Select Surfaces or Solids from the Target drop-down menu on the guide bar.
  3. Select surfaces/solids.
  4. Select a splitting method from the guide bar drop down menu.
  5. Select points/nodes.
    Points Drag to split with a line. Click to split with a point.
    Node Path
    1. Left-click to create the path's starting point.
    2. Move your mouse to draw the node path.
    3. Left-click again to create the path.
    4. Click Split on the guide bar.
    Node List
    1. Left-click on individual nodes to create the desired path.
    2. Click Split on the guide bar.


Figure 3.

Split Surfaces and Solids with Lines

Use the Split with Lines tool to split surfaces or solids using lines, offset lines, and graphical lines.

  1. From the Geometry ribbon, Edit tools, click the Split with Lines tool.


    Figure 4.
  2. Select Surfaces or Solids from the Target drop-down menu on the guide bar.
  3. Select surfaces/solids.
  4. Select a splitting method from the guide bar drop down menu.
  5. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define split options.
  6. Define split lines.
    Lines
    1. Select lines.
    2. In the microdialog, select a projection method.

      Along vector allows you to define a direction using the Vector tool.

    3. Choose between trimming the entire surface or trimming only a user-specified distance. If you choose to use a specific distance, define a value.
    4. Click Split on the guide bar.
    Bounding Lines
    1. Select bounding lines.
    2. Click Split on the guide bar.
    Note: This option is only available when solids are the target.
    Offset Lines
    1. Select lines.
    2. Enter an offset distance in the microdialog.
    3. Click Split on the guide bar.
    Note: This option is only available when surfaces are the target.
    Graphical Lines
    1. Left-click and drag your mouse to draw a line.
    2. Left-click again to start a new line at the end-point of the previous line.
    3. Click Split on the guide bar.


Figure 5.
Tip:
  • Draw lines that are perpendicular or tangent to other lines by snapping to predefined points such as end, middle, center, and intersection points. You can also snap to points along the x, y, and z axis.
  • On the guide bar, click to open the Advanced Selection dialog, from which you can filter geometry further by selecting a subset of entities based on additional selection methods, such as By Component or By Assembly.

Split Surfaces, Solids, and Lines with Planes or Surfaces

Use the Split with Plane tool to split surfaces, solids, or lines with a plane or a surface.

  1. From the Geometry ribbon, Edit tools, click the Split with Plane tool.


    Figure 6.
  2. Select Lines, Surfaces, or Solids from the Target drop-down menu on the guide bar.
  3. Select lines/surfaces/solids.
  4. Select Plane or Surfaces as the splitting method from the guide bar drop-down menu.
    Note: Lines can only be split with planes.
  5. Define the plane/surfaces.
    Plane
    1. Left-click to place the plane on the model.
    2. Use the Vector tool to adjust the position of the split plane.
    3. Click Split on the guide bar.
    Surfaces
    1. Select the split surfaces.
    2. Click Split on the guide bar.


Figure 7.
Tip:
  • Select a splitting plane using reference entities or features that are disconnected from the geometry you want to split, including points in space.
  • You can modify your surface selection after selecting a splitting plane. Split preview lines will update appropriately.
  • Use snap points to snap the splitting plane to predefined points on lines and surfaces, such as middle and end points. Clicking a snap point automatically selects attached surfaces/solids.
  • On the guide bar, click to open the Advanced Selection dialog, from which you can filter geometry further by selecting a subset of entities based on additional selection methods, such as By Component or By Assembly.

Split Options

Split with Points

Extend trimmer
Extend the trim beyond the trimmer boundaries.

Split with Lines

Line types
Set the line selection filter.
Keep line endpoints
Retain the line end points as fixed points on the trimmed surface.
All attached surfaces
Create a new offset trim line on each surface that the selected lines belong to.
Select closed loops
Automatically selects closed loops of line segments when picking lines.
Smooth line
Create a curved line passing through the selected points
Close line
Create a closed loop between the first and last selected points.
Fill cut loops
Create a new surface if the edges being split form a closed loop.
Extend trimmer
Extend the trim beyond the trimmer boundaries.

Split with Plane

Fill cut loops
Create a new surface if the edges being split form a closed loop.
Trim both
Trim both the target and tool entities.
Extend trimmer
Extend the trim beyond the trimmer boundaries.
Self-intersecting surfaces
When this feature is active, every selected surface is trimmed at their intersections with each other. This is very similar to using the trim both option when trimming with surfaces, except that you simply select a single mass of surfaces and HyperWorks X sorts them all out and trims each one whenever it intersects any other selected surface.

This feature is useful when dealing with cases such as a grid of intersecting surfaces. Using the intersecting surfaces trim option allows you to separate all of the intersecting surfaces into multiple smaller surfaces with a single action, instead of having to trim them in pairs.

Note: This option is accessed by clicking on the guide bar.

Keyboard Shortcuts & Mouse Controls

To do this Press
Continue from the previous point Ctrl + Left Mouse Click
Toggle selection Tab
Switch the split orientation from normal to tangent before selecting the splitting plane Shift
Delete fixed points and split lines Shift + Left Mouse Click
Deselect surfaces, solids, lines, or nodes Shift + Left Mouse Click
Exit tool Esc