Create a plane along path
Learn how to use the Plane Along Path tool to create a construction plane in Fusion. The plane stays perpendicular to an edge, sketch line, chain of connected edges, or construction axis you select as the Path.
On the toolbar, select Construct > Plane Along Path
.The Construction Geometry dialog displays, Type is set to Plane and Method is set to Along Path.
In the canvas, select an edge, sketch line, chain of connected edges, or construction axis to use as the Path.
If you selected an edge, sketch line, or chain of connected edges, select an Extent Type option:
| Extent Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Proportional | Specify the distance as a proportion of the path length. |
| Absolute | Specify the distance as a physical measurement along the path. |
| To Object | Place the plane along the path at the location that passes through a reference object you select. |
If Extent Type is set to To Object, select a Reference Object (vertex, construction point, or sketch point).
Optional: If Extent Type is set to To Object, enter an Offset value to shift the plane relative to the reference object.
Optional: When you selected a construction axis as the Path, select a Reference Object to anchor placement along the axis.
Drag the Distance manipulator handle in the canvas, or specify an exact value. You can move past the end of the path or chain to place the plane outside the selected geometry. Drag back to return the plane onto the path or chain.
When the Path is a construction axis, drag along the axis to pick a location for the plane. You can drag beyond the axis display extents.
Optional: Set Resize:
- Default: Size the plane to fit the selected geometry.
- Extended: Size the plane to fill the current view.
Click OK.
The new construction plane displays in the canvas, normal to the path at the location you chose along the path or past its end.
Tips
- Create construction planes when you want to create sketches that do not lie on one of the 3 default planes.
- Use construction planes as the input for other tools, like the cutting tool for the Split Body tool.
- Use a Plane Along Path when you want to create a sketch profile to sweep along the path.
- Use the Proportional distance type when you want the location of the construction plane to adjust when you change the size and shape of the path.
- Use the Absolute extent type when you want a fixed distance along the path. The plane stays at that distance when the path size or shape changes.
- Use To Object to place the plane at a vertex or construction point. You do not need to estimate a distance value.
- Select a construction axis as the Path when you want a plane perpendicular to an existing axis.
- Uncheck Tangent Chain if you don't want to automatically select tangentially connected geometry.
- For a chain selection, when you move past the end of the chain, placement continues in the normal direction of the last segment until you drag back onto the chain.