by Tiemen's addons·Modeling
Images © Tiemen's addons. Used for product review; image policy.
A modest, focused add-on in the Superhive library. It documents its workflow clearly and pairs with Blender's own DXF exporter for CAD handoff.
Cross Section Maker is a Blender add-on for making cross-sections from meshes. The workflow starts with a cut plane: in Object mode you use 'Cut plane New', and in Edit mode you can select a plane and press 'Cut plane Copy'. A cut plane created in Edit mode is located at the origin, is circular in shape, and its direction can be changed. You then choose the objects to cut, keeping the cut plane as the last selected object, and press 'Make Cross-Section'.
The cross-section is made at the location of the cut plane and projected a distance rectangular from it, which can be adjusted in the popup menu. Cut planes and cross-sections are placed in two dedicated collections, and both can be renamed. You can make as many cut planes and cross-sections as you wish.
Selecting a cross-section and pressing 'Drop to XY plane' (Object mode only) lays it flat to the XY plane, where it can be rotated around the Z axis. From version 0.2, the cross-section can be exported to DXF directly from the UI, provided Blender's shipped DXF exporter is activated. The scale can be changed so one Blender unit equals, for instance, one centimetre in CAD software.
Cross Section Maker is best for blender users who need to make cross-sections from meshes and export them as DXF files for CAD software such as QCAD.
Cross Section Maker is completely free to download and use.
Cross Section Maker lists support for Blender 2.93, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6. That range covers most 2.9-series and 3.x releases, so if you are working within those versions the add-on is designed to fit your setup. It is distributed under the GPL license. Check the developer's page to confirm the details for your specific Blender build before installing.
Cross Section Maker installs like a standard Blender add-on: download the file, then open the preferences menu and choose the install option. Navigate to the folder where you saved the file and pick it. Once installed, the add-on appears in the side panel under the edit menu, where a drop-down reveals its buttons. In Object mode you get 'Cut plane New', and in Edit mode 'Cut plane Copy', along with 'Make Cross-Section' and 'Drop to XY plane'.
Cross Section Maker added the ability to export to DXF directly from the UI in version 0.2. To use it, Blender's DXF exporter add-on, which ships with Blender, has to be activated. The cross-section must be in the XY plane to export, which is why the 'Drop to XY plane' option exists. You can also change the scale, for example setting it so one Blender unit equals one centimetre in your CAD software.
Cross Section Maker is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing details, and to confirm terms before you download, refer to the developer's page. The add-on is distributed under the GPL license. Documentation is provided to walk through the workflow, from creating a cut plane to making a cross-section and dropping it to the XY plane for DXF export.
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