Splitting Objects
The word Split refers to a seam or a break. Seams and breaks can be placed
in plates and stiffeners at design time to indicate where they can be separated,
or split, during the manufacturing process. There are two SFD commands that can
be used to split objects: Split Plate
(used to create seams or breaks on plates),
and Split Stiffener (used to create seams or breaks on stiffeners).
We recommend using seams when you want to change Material & Orientation
attributes (material, grade, thickness (plates), section (stiffeners), or
orientation) of child objects.
For example, a deck may need to be thicker in the middle than in the sides.
Seams can always be edited or removed.
If you want to change Geometry (support, offset, or
limits) of child objects, then you must use breaks. A break is an operation,
not an object. Unlike seams, breaks can not be removed! You can only Undo the
operation.
When a break is performed, the result is more than one plate or more than one
stiffener (depending to the cutting elements) and there are not functional
connections between the resulting objects.