Hatching

Hatching functions, typically used to identify sections, are used to fill a closed area. A simple hatch consists of lines at a specified angle and separation distance. You can also select a predefined hatch pattern and density, or create your own pattern. Hatch boundaries can be defined by selecting individual segments, by automatic boundary detection, or by automatic detection of 3D section boundaries exported to 2D. Hatch boundaries must be closed, and any entities that are partially inside the boundary are not used. Hatch boundaries may contain islands.

Solid Fill

To use a solid fill, choose the horizontal line pattern and define a hatch distance smaller than the thickness of printed lines.

Hatching 2D Objects

Hatch, Select Boundaries - HAT

Boundaries of hatch area are selected by cursor. Optionally, you can use:

Detect individual area segments – select a segment and a direction the boundary segments will be detected at. Confirm each segment by mouse click. Detection is stopped after the boundary is completed or at the open end of a segment.

Detect continuous area boundary – select a segment and a direction the boundary segments will be detected at. Complete boundary is detected, or detection is stopped at the open end of a segment.

Temporary segment closing area – allows creating a line, lines, circle or arc temporarily. It may be used for closing an open area or creating islands around a text.

Temporary object – this is similar as the previous option except the temporary object is not pre-selected. It can be used conveniently if you need to create an island around a text and the text partially crosses the existing area boundary.

Temporary removes restraining object.

Automatic 3D section detection – turns detection of section boundaries on/off. This option allows hatching of 3D sections conveniently. Selection of 3D section boundaries should be combined with other options, because section boundaries itself may be partially obscured or may contain cross-lines.

Hatch, Detect Boundaries Automatically - AHB

Contrary to the previous command, this hatching method detects closed hatch boundaries automatically during cursor movement. Automatic detection can be turned on/off. All other options available are the same as for previous command.

Hatched area boundaries are mostly created by continuous lines. By default, other line styles are excluded from automatic boundaries detection. You can turn on detection of non-continuous lines, if you click a corresponding icon in selection tool-bar, among additional options.

Selecting Hatch Style

You can choose between single hatching and a hatch pattern. If the single hatching is selected, an angle and a hatch distance are defined. In both cases, you can move the slider in hatch style window to change the hatch density continuously. Click button “Recalculate angle/distance scale” to change the hatch density slider margins.

Single hatch selection

Hatch patterns selection

Editing Hatches

Change Hatch Style - CHHP

Changes style of existing hatches. Style definition is the same as for newly created hatches.

Change Hatch Area or Style - CHH

This command changes style of existing hatches similarly as the previous command. Moreover, it redefines the hatch area boundary. Initial state of the new boundary is defined by the location where you clicked hatches to select them. Boundary can be added or deleted the same way as for newly defined hatches. Command can be conveniently used if the shape of the hatched area was modified.

Creating a Hatch Pattern

Create Pattern - CHP

Create your own pattern or edit existing patterns. Each pattern is created as up to eight groups of lines. Each group is defined by an angle and a basic distance. You can define some lines in the group to be blanked. Each line can be assigned a line style, consisting of a number of line segments of specified length.