Set up sketch planes and the model browser

Choose a plane for a sketch

Enter Sketch mode and pick an origin plane, an existing saved plane or a flat body face. Origin planes are labelled X · YZ, Y · XZ and Z · XY. Their U/V coordinates define the drawing directions.

Use Look at plane for a straight view. Orbit sketch lets you inspect the drawing in 3D. Each plane keeps its sketch source and can hold a reference image. Use the browser to switch between them.

Create a parallel plane from another plane

1. Finish the current sketch and choose Plane in the Custom Solid 3D header.
2. Choose Reference plane from the dropdown, in the model or in the browser.
3. Enter a nonzero Plane offset (mm). Positive follows the preview arrow; negative goes the other way.
4. Choose Create plane after checking the location.

The reference can be an origin plane or any saved plane. Hidden planes are still available by name in the dropdown, and you can create a plane before any bodies exist. A new plane gets its own sketch; the reference and its drawing remain in place.

Use Pick a face instead to base a plane on a flat solid face. In an existing work-plane panel, Use offset plane creates a parallel drawing plane from the current reference. Cancel or Escape discards a pending plane preview.

Prepare profiles for Loft

Create a first closed profile, finish its sketch, then add offset planes for the remaining profiles. Name the planes or sketches so their order is obvious. Their actual positions define the loft.

Rails may need sketches on other planes that intersect those profile boundaries. Plan the reference layout before drawing the rails; see Loft.

Read and manage the browser

Reference planes, Sketches and Solid bodies are separate groups. Green eyes indicate visible items; red crossed-out eyes indicate hidden ones. Hover a name for details and use its row menu for rename or delete.

Origin planes cannot be deleted. Removing a custom plane with a sketch asks to remove both. Other saved planes keep their positions. Body edits and moves also leave existing sketch references at their saved positions; this is not a dependent feature tree.

Distinguish the plane tools

The Plane control inside Custom Solid creates these saved sketch planes. The general toolbar’s Plane Tool provides temporary construction and stopper references for other placement workflows. Section view is the control for visually cutting through a building.

These guides use English control names. The Norwegian workspace labels the same controls with their Norwegian equivalents.