Patent ID: 8330775

Claim:
A method of cutting geometry-only format CAD objects stored within a computer aided design modeling system operating on a computer system comprising memory, a processor, an input device, and a monitor, and without related history information, using a single geometry modification tool and interface for splitting geometry-only format CAD objects, comprising: (a) displaying on the monitor a plurality of CAD objects and a plurality of geometry modification tools, including the single geometry modification tool, within a graphical user interface of the computer aided design modeling system; (b) receiving an activation through a graphical user interface displayed on the monitor, from a user of the computer aided design modeling system, of a single geometry modification tool; (c) receiving a selection, from the user through the input device, of at least one face of a solid CAD object, while the single geometry modification tool is active; (d) automatically merging, the at least one face of a solid object, into a cutting object, based on the received selection from the user; (e) extending the edges of the cutting object to create a cutting plane; (f) inferring the solid CAD object based on the received selection of the face of the solid CAD object; (g) automatically cutting the solid CAD object into at least two distinct CAD objects using the extended cutting plane; and (h) displaying on the monitor the automatically generated CAD objects from the cut operation within the graphical user interface of the computer aided design modeling system.