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Slice Plane (3D)

The slice plane lets you cut through 3D geometry to inspect internal structure. It works on parts, solver results, obstacles, and other mesh objects in the viewport. The slice plane is available only for 3D scenes.

Toggle the slice plane​

Click the Slice button in the header bar. The button shows a diamond icon and the label "Slice". When active, the button highlights in cyan and additional mode controls appear beside it.

Click the button again to disable the slice plane. Disabling hides the cutting plane but does not reset its position -- re-enabling will restore it where you left it.

Move and rotate​

When the slice plane is enabled, two mode buttons appear next to the Slice toggle:

ButtonModeWhat it does
MoveTranslateDrag the plane along its axes to slide the cut through the geometry.
RotateRotateDrag to tilt the plane and change the cut angle.

The active mode button highlights in cyan. A 3D transform gizmo appears on the plane, with handles for each axis (X, Y, and Z). Drag a handle to transform along that axis.

While dragging the gizmo, orbit controls are temporarily disabled so the camera does not move.

Reset​

Click the Reset button (to the right of Move and Rotate) to return the slice plane to its default position and orientation. The default position is at the center of the design domain, oriented as a horizontal cut looking down the Z axis. Reset also switches the mode back to Translate.

How clipping works​

The slice plane defines a clipping boundary in the viewport. Everything on one side of the plane (the side the normal vector points away from) is hidden. This applies to:

  • Imported meshes and box parts
  • Solver result density fields
  • Fixed-face overlays on preserved regions
  • Obstacle geometry

The clipping is purely visual -- it does not modify any geometry or solver data.

Tips​

  • Start in Move mode to slide the plane through the model and find the cross-section you want, then switch to Rotate if you need an angled cut.
  • Use the slice plane on solver results to check that internal topology makes sense and is printable.
  • The plane is large (200 units on each side) so it covers typical design domains without needing to be resized.