Cutting plane lines and Break lines Technology

Cutting plane lines and Break lines Technology 

1. Cutting Plane Lines

• Purpose:
  Cutting plane lines are used in technical drawings to show where an object is imagined to be cut in order to reveal internal features in a sectional view.

• Appearance:

  • Usually drawn as thick, dark lines.

  • They may be a combination of long dashes and short dashes (phantom line style).

  • Arrows are placed at the ends of the line to indicate the direction of sight for the sectional view.

• Function in Technology:
  Cutting plane lines help engineers, manufacturers, and architects understand the hidden interior geometry of a component without ambiguity.
  For example: in machine parts, it shows holes, cavities, ribs, or reinforcements that are not visible in external views.

2. Break Lines

• Purpose:
  Break lines are used to shorten the view of a long object or to show that only part of an object is drawn.

• Types:

  • Short break lines: Drawn as thick, wavy freehand lines; used for small breaks.

  • Long break lines: Usually drawn as thin ruled lines with zigzag; used for large or uniform objects like rods, beams, or shafts.

• Function in Technology:
  Break lines save space on drawings and reduce unnecessary repetition when the full length of an object is not required.
  They are widely used in mechanical drawings, civil drawings (beams, pipes), and architectural sketches.

Summary:

• Cutting plane lines → show where an object is “cut” to display inside details in sectional views.

• Break lines → indicate that part of an object is omitted for convenience or clarity in the drawing.