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Overview: 3D geometry allows you to take geometry from the 3D solid and project or intersect it with a sketch
plane. You can use these curves as reference or standard elements. 3D geometry is only available within the Sketcher workbench.
Project 3D Elements
Extracts edges or faces from a model and projects them onto the active sketch plane. You can use these projected curves to construct
elements or to create more solids. Relimitation operations can be performed on the projection curves to give the required geometric shape.
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Intersect 3D Elements
Lets you intersect faces or edges with the active sketch plane to create intersection curves. Similar to projection curves, you can
perform Relimitation operations on the intersection curves. Not all intersection curves are parametric. Although the associativity of
intersect curves within CATIA is improving, there are numerous situations where multiple, distinct, unparametric curves are created when
attempting to create intersection curves. In these instances, use the Intersection command in the Generative Shape Design workbench and use
construction geometry to maintain design intent.
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Project 3D Silhouette Edges
Projects the silhouette curves from canonical faces and projects them onto the sketch plane. Like other 3D sketch geometry, you can
apply Relimitation operations to silhouette curves. Silhouette curves can only be projected from a canonical face whose axis is parallel to a
sketch. CATIA has difficulty generating silhouette curves on drafted cylindrical faces, which means that you may have to create shafts for
bosses and generate silhouette curves from the shaft.
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Isolate
Breaks the link between the 3D geometry and the parent solid. Once this link is broken, you cannot restore it.
3D Geometry Color Codes
The color of the 3D elements on the sketch plane is yellow; this means that elements are linked to the shape of the solid and you can
only modify them by using Relimitation operations. White curves indicate that the link between the model and the curves has been broken.
These curves are now like any other sketch geometry.
Use Edges
Stores all elements constructed using these 3D geometry techniques in the Specification Tree under a branch named Use-edges.
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Each parent element is defined as a Mark object to identify that it's linked to the parent body. When you isolate an object, it
becomes a constrainable piece of geometry so that it moves into the geometry branch of the Specification Tree.
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Tips
• To get a better idea of which geometry intersects with the active sketch plane, activate Cut by Sketch Plane on the Tools toolbar.
This visualization tool trims the body to the active sketch plane.
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• Click the icon again to restore the model's display.