How to Create a Section View in FreeCAD TechDraw

Creating a cross-section view in FreeCAD's TechDraw Workbench allows you to reveal the internal details and hidden geometry of a 3D model on a technical 2D drawing sheet. This guide outlines the exact, step-by-step process for generating, positioning, and configuring a section view from an existing projection view within your TechDraw page.

Prerequisites

Before generating a section view, ensure you have:

  1. A completed 3D solid model (typically created in the PartDesign or Part workbench).
  2. An active TechDraw page containing at least one primary projection view (the base view from which the cut will be made).

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select the Base View

In the TechDraw drawing area or within the Tree View, click on the existing 2D view of your model that you want to slice. A green bounding box will highlight the selected view.

2. Launch the Section View Tool

Go to the TechDraw toolbar and click the Insert Section View tool icon (represented by a drawing cut through with a section line), or navigate via the top menu to:
TechDraw → Views → Insert Section View.

3. Define the Cut Direction and Position

Once the tool is activated, the Task Panel on the left will display the configuration settings for the section:

  • Symbol: Set the designation letter for the cutting line (e.g., "A" for section A-A).
  • Cut Direction: Choose the orientation of the cutting plane relative to the selected view. You can select standard orthogonal directions (+X, -X, +Y, -Y) or specify a custom vector.
  • Cut Location: Specify an offset along the cut vector to determine exactly where the slicing plane intersects the geometry relative to the object's origin.

4. Configure Display and Hatching Options

In the same Task Panel:

  • Hatch: Check this box if you want the cut surfaces to automatically display cross-hatch lines.
  • Hatch Pattern: Choose between standard geometric hatching or an SVG-based pattern to indicate specific materials.
  • Click OK to generate the section view.

5. Position and Align the View

  • The newly created section view will appear on your page alongside the section cut line (with arrows indicating the viewing direction) on the original base view.
  • Click and drag the label or border of the section view to position it in alignment with standard drafting conventions (usually directly adjacent to the direction indicated by the cut arrows).
  • To lock the alignment, you can adjust the X and Y coordinates in the Data tab of the Properties panel.

Modifying an Existing Section View

If the 3D model changes or you need to adjust the cut location:

  1. Select the Section View object in the Tree View.
  2. In the Property View (Data tab below the tree):
    • Modify Section Direction or Section Origin to alter the cutting plane position.
    • Adjust Fuse Before Cut to True if you are cutting through multiple intersecting bodies to prevent overlapping cut lines.
  3. Press Ctrl + R or click the Redraw Page icon in the TechDraw toolbar to refresh the drawing with the updated geometry.