Engineering Graphics, Class 9

Sectional Views

Mohammad I. Kilani
Mechanical Engineering Department
University of Jordan

Sectional Views

By means of a limited number of carefully

selected views, the external features of
most designs can be fully described.
However, We are frequently encountered
with the necessity of showing interiors of
parts that can not be shown clearly by
means of hidden lines.

The interior of complex parts may be

shown by imagining that the part is sliced
by one or more cutting plane. A cutaway
view is then drawn. It is called a sectional
view, a cross section, or simply a section.

Sectional views

To obtain a sectional view, a cutting plane is assumed to be passed through

the part (a). This cuts the part into two halves
The cutting plane is then removed, and the two halves are drawn apart,
exposing the interior construction. In (b), the direction of sight is towards
the left half. The section view will be in the position of a right side view.

Full sections

The sectional view obtained

by passing the cutting plane
fully through the object is
called a full section.
Compared to the left-side
view, the sectional view gives
a clearer description of the
objects details, and the leftside view would naturally be
omitted.
In the front view, the cutting
plane appears as a line, called
the cutting-plane line. The
arrows at the end of the
cutting-plane line indicate the
direction of sight for the
sectional view.

Full sections

Note that in order to obtain a

sectional view, the right half is
only imagined to be removed,
and not actually shown removed
anywhere except in the sectional
view itself.
The section-lined areas in the
sectional view are those portions
that came in actual contact with
the cutting plane. Those areas
are cross-hatched with thin
parallel section lines. The visible
parts behind the cutting plane
are shown, but not hatched.
Frequently, the location of the
cutting plane is obvious from the
section itself, and therefore the
section line is omitted.

Lines in sectioning

All visible edges and contours behind the cutting plane should be shown.
Otherwise, the section would appear to be made of disconnected and
unrelated parts.
Sections are used primarily to replace hidden-line representation. Hence,
hidden lines are usually be omitted in sectional views.

Lines in sectioning

A section line is always completely bounded by a visible outline never by a

hidden line as in (e), since in every case the cut surface and its boundary lines
will be visible. Also, a visible line can never cross a section-lined area.
In a sectional view of a part, the section lines in all sectioned areas must be
parallel. The use of section lining in opposite direction is an indication of
different parts, as when two or more parts are adjacent in an assembly drawing.

Hidden lines in sectioning

Sometimes, hidden lines are necessary for clearness, and should be used in
such cases.
The use of hidden lines in a section may sometime allow omitting a view.

Cutting plane line

The cutting plane line is a

thick dark line which uses
one of the special patterns
shown.
The cutting plane line can
be left out when it is
obvious where it must lie
from the appearance of
the section itself

Section lining (hatch patterns)

In the past, different

section lining symbols
(hatch patterns) have
been used to indicate the
material of the object.
Now, there are so many
different material types
and each general type has
many subtypes.
Therefore, the practice
now is to use the cast
iron symbol for all
materials and then to
detail the specification of
the material in letters in
the form of a note or in
the title strip.

Section-lining rules

The correct method of drawing section lines is shown in part (a). Draw section
lines with a sharp medium-grade pencil (H or 2H).
Always draw lines at 45 with the horizontal unless there is an advantage of
using a different angles.
Space the section lines as uniformly spaced as possible by eye. Section lines
should be uniformly thin, and not varying in thickness.
Avoid running the section lines beyond the visible outline, or stopping the line
too short.

Section-lining rules

If section lines drawn at 45 with horizontal would be parallel or perpendicular

(or nearly so) to a prominent visible outline, the angle should be changed to
39 or some odd angle.

Cutting plane in sectional views

The cutting plane is indicated in a view adjacent to the sectional view. In this view,
the cutting plane appears edgewise as a line, called the cutting plane line.

Cutting plane in sectional views

The arrows at the ends of the cutting-plane lines point in the direction of sight for
the sectional view.

Cutting plane in sectional views

The figure to the right shows two cutting planes. Each resulting section is
completely independent of the other, and drawn as if the other were not present.

Correct and incorrect placements of

sectional views and sectioning line

Visualizing a Section

An object with a drilled and counterbored hole is to be sectioned. The cutting plane
is assumed along the horizontal centerline in the top view, and the front half of the
object is imagined to be removed.
The two cut surfaces produced by the cutting planes are 1-2-5-6-10-9 and 3-4-1211-7-8. The section at (c) us incomplete because certain visible lines are missing.

Visualizing a Section

If the section is viewed in the direction of sight as shown at (b), arcs A, B, C, and D
will be visible. As shown at (d) these arcs will appear as straight lines 2-3, 6-7, 5-8,
and 10-11.
The top and bottom surfaces of the object appear in the section as lines 1-4 and 912. The bottom surface of the counterbore appears as line 5-8.

Dimension values and hatching

Sectional views are used

to show interior features
clearly. If a dimension is
necessary, and the
dimension values or
extension lines cross
hatched areas, you should
break the hatching behind
the dimension.
The best practice is to
place dimensions outside
the object outline

Half Sections

If the cutting plane passes halfway

through the object, the result is a
half section.
A half section has the advantage of
exposing the interior of one half of
the object and retaining the
exterior of the other half. Its
usefulness is however largely
limited to axially symmetrical
objects.
Half sectioning is not used widely
in detail drawings because of the
difficulties in dimensioning internal
shapes that are shown in part only.

Broken out sections

It often happens that only a partial

section of a view is needed to
expose the interior shapes. Such a
section, limited by a break line is
called a broken-out section.
A small broken out section is
sometimes sufficient to explain the
construction. In the figure to the
bottom, a half section would have
caused the removal of half the
keyway. The keyway is preserved
by breaking out around it. Note
that in this case the section is
limited partly by

Revolved sections

The shape of the cross section of a bar, arm, spoke, or other elongated object may
be shown in the longitudinal view by means of a revolved section.
Revolved sections are made by assuming a plane perpendicular to the center line or
axis of the bar, then revolving the plane through 90 about the center axis.

Revolved sections examples

The
superimposition of
the revolved
section requires
the removal of all
original lines
covered by it (a),
(b), (c) and (d).
In the incorrect
method, the
original lines are
not removed.

Revolved sections examples

The visible
lines
adjacent to
a revolved
section may
be broken
out if
desired, as
shown in
(g).

Revolved sections examples

When
symmetric,
symmetry axes
are shown on
the section.
Partial
revolved
sections may
be used when
clarity is
improved

Revolved sections examples

The true shape

of the section
should be
retained after
the revolution
of the cutting
plane,
regardless of
the direction of
the lines in the
view.

Removed Sections

A removed
section is one
not in direct
projection
from the
view
containing
the cutting
plane. This
should be
made
without
turning the
section from
its normal
orientation.

Removed Sections

Removed
sections
should be
labeled with
letters that
correspond to
the letters at
the ends of
the cutting
plane line,
and should be
arranged in
alphabetical
order from
left to right on
the sheet.

Removed Sections

Whenever possible, removed

sections should be on the same
sheet with the regular views. If a
section must be placed on a
different sheet, cross reference
should be given on the related
sheet. A note should be given
below the section title such as:
SECTION B-B ON SHEET 4
A similar note should be placed
on the sheet on which the cutting
plane is shown, with a leader
pointing to the cutting plane and
referring to the sheet on which
the section will be found.
Sometimes it is convenient to
place removed sections on center
lines extended from the section
cuts.

Offset Sections

In sectioning through irregular objects, it is often desirable to show several

features that do not lie in a straight line, by offsetting or bending the
cutting plane. Such a section is called an offset section.

Multiple Offset Sections

Multiple offset sections may also be used to illustrate complex parts as shown
below. Notice the ends of the cutting plane labeled with letters and the
sections views neatly arranged and labeled to match.

Ribs in Sections

When the
cutting plane
passes through
a thin feature,
such as rib or a
web, hatching
would give a
false impression
of solidity.
If the cutting
plane passes
crosswise
through a rib or
the thin
member, the
member should
be section-lined
in the usual
manner.

Ribs in Sections

When the cutting

plane passes through
a thin feature, such
as rib or a web,
hatching would give a
false impression of
solidity.
If the cutting plane
passes crosswise
through a rib or the
thin member, the
member should be
section-lined in the
usual manner.

Revolution Convection in Sections

To include certain angled

elements in a section, the
cutting plane may be bent so
its passes through those
features that are to be
included.
The plane and the feature are
imagined to be revolved into
the original plane. In the
example shown, the cutting
plane was bent to pass
through angled arm, and then
revolved to a vertical position,
from where it was projected
across to the sectional view.

Revolution Convection in Sections

In the example
shown, the cutting
plane is bent so as
to include one of
the drilled holes
and counterbored
holes in the
sectional view.
The conventional
view at (b) gives a
clearer and more
complete
description than
does the one at
(c), which is the
true projection.

Revolved Symmetrical Features

In the view shown, the cutting plane is offset in circular-arc bends to include two
holes, two ribs, and the keyway. These features are then imagined to be
revolved until they line up vertically, and then projected from that position to
obtain the section at (b). Note that the ribs are not hatched.
If a regular full section were drawn, the resulting section would be incomplete
and confusing, in addition, would take more time to draw.

Conventional Breaks

In order to shorten a view of an elongated object, conventional breaks are

recommended.
The breaks used on cylindrical metal shafts or tubes are referred to as S-breaks
and are usually drawn entirely freehand or with the aid of a compass and an
irregular curve. Excellent S-breaks are also obtained with an S-break template.
Breaks for rectangular metals and wood sections are drawn freehand.