.. _cut_mesh_by_plane_page: ********************************* Cut a tetrahedron mesh by a plane ********************************* MeshCut works only with MED files and produces MED files, and is a standalone program. It can be used either directly from a command shell outside SALOME, or with a GUI interface in SMESH, provided in a python plugin that needs to be installed in your SALOME application. MeshCut allows to cut a mesh constituted of linear tetrahedrons by a plane. The tetrahedrons intersected by the plane are cut and replaced by elements of various types, (tetrahedron, pyramid, pentahedron). .. _meshcut_standalone: Using MeshCut as a standalone program, outside SALOME ##################################################### MeshCut is a standalone program, reading and producing med files. Syntax:: MeshCut input.med output.med resuMeshName aboveGroup belowGroup nx ny nz px py pz T where: * **input.med** = name of the original mesh file in med format * **output.med** = name of the result mesh file in med format * **resuMeshName** = name of the result mesh * **aboveGroup** = name of the group of volumes above the cut plane * **belowGroups** = name of the group of volumes below the cut plane * **nx ny nz** = vector normal to the cut plane * **px py pz** = a point of the cut plane * **T** = 0 < T < 1 : vertices of a tetrahedron are considered as belonging to the cut plane if their distance from the plane is inferior to L*T, where L is the mean edge size of the tetrahedron .. _meshcut_plugin: Using MeshCut inside SALOME ########################### When the MeshCut plugin is installed, it can be found in the Mesh menu, sub-menu SMESH_plugins. If the plugin is not installed, the file meshcut_plugin.py is in SMESH installation in subdirectory *bin/salome/meshcut_plugin.py*. If there are already plugins defined in a smesh_plugins.py file, this file should be added at the end. If not, copied as *${HOME}/Plugins/smesh_plugins.py* or *${APPLI}/Plugins/smesh_plugins.py* or in *${PLUGINPATH}* directory. From the Mesh menu, sub-menu SMESH_plugins, choose **"MeshCut"** item The following dialog box will appear: .. image:: ../images/meshcut_plugin.png :align: center .. centered:: MeshCut Plugin dialog box See above for the meaning of the parameters.