Design Spark Mechanical, does anyone use it?

[ajlelectronics]

I was getting on quite well, but have one or two stumbling blocks. My project box is in two parts and the first part is fine. I then designed a cap for it and offered it up to the main part on the design and it has become part of it. If I try to detach it, the design goes to wireframe and I can't get it back.

I tried cutting the design in two, but can't get that to work and the instructions are meaningless. They call it "Splitting".

Splitting bodies and surfaces​

Use the Combine tool to split bodies and surfaces.

To split bodies and surfaces​

1. Click the Combine tool
   
   from the Intersect ribbon group or press I.
2. Select the body or surface you want to cut.
   
   The Select Cutter tool guide is activated.
3. (Optional) Control the behavior of the cut by selecting options.
4. Click the surface you want to use to cut the body.
   
   Depending on the option you chose, the cutting surface will be kept or deleted. Review the information in the Structure panel to see the bodies or surfaces created by the cut.
   
   Mouse over the target body to see the regions created by the cut.
5. Click each region you want to delete.
   
   When you are finished selecting the areas to be deleted, click the Select Target tool guide to combine some more, or select another tool.

If you want to split a body by a face of the body, select the Split Body tool. If you want to create an edge on a face, select the Split tool.

To split the target object with the cutter object and the cutter object with the target object​

1. Select the Combine tool from the Intersect ribbon group.
2. Select the Make all regions option.
3. Click the objects you want to cut.
   
   Target and cutter must be the same type of object, either both bodies or both surfaces.
4. Mouse over the surface to see the regions created by the cut.
   
   Because this option can create a large number of regions, we recommend using this option along with the Merge When Done option to quickly merge all remaining regions when you click another tool or press Esc to finish using Combine.
5. Click the region you want to delete.
   

 

[ajlelectronics]

Why on earth would I want to cut one surface with another? All I want to do is to bisect the whole thing.​

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Split a solid with a solid​

1. Select the Combine tool
   
   from the Intersect ribbon group.
2. Click the solid you want to cut.
3. Click the solid you want to cut with.
4. Mouse over the solid to see the regions created by the cut.
5. Click the region you want to delete.
   
   The regions you can delete are highlighted in red.

Split a solid with a surface or a plane​

1. Select the Combine tool
   
   from the Intersect ribbon group.
2. Click the solid you want to cut.
3. Click the surface you want to cut the solid with.
   
   You can Ctrl+click multiple surfaces that together completely intersect a solid.
   
   If available, you can select a pattern of planes from the structure tree to cut the solid.
4. Mouse over the solid to see the regions created by the cut.
5. Click the region you want to delete.
   
   The regions you can delete are highlighted in red.

 

[ajlelectronics]

 

[bricol]

Never heard of it.

But I'm guessing you modeled the top in the same part as the body?

I'd suggest you need to model a part for the body, then a separate part for the top, then start a new assembly, add the body part, fix it/lock it down, then add the top body and constrain it to it.

To work out what you've done, save the part, then save a copy or two. Work on one - delete all the operations you used to create the top bit, leaving the body bit. Then work on one of the copies - delete all the operations that got you the body - leaving the top bit. However, if you used the body to create the top, then it becomes a little difficult.

 

[MattH]

Parts get merged together if you use the pull tool when those parts adjoin.
To avoid this either use the move tool instead or deselect the adjoining part before pulling the surface.
I’ve never taken the time to try to split the components again, I just undo and then use the steps above.
If you need to slice your part in two then try extruding a slim solid through the part and then use the combine tool. Click the part to be cut and then the solid you are using to cut it and finally click the result to be removed.