How to Create a Plane in CATIA

Open CATIA V5

1. Make sure your computer is on the desktop.
2. Double-click the CATIA V5 icon to launch the application.

Start a new part in Part Design

1. In the top menu of CATIA V5, click Start.
2. Hover over Mechanical Design.
3. Select Part Design from the dropdown.

The Part Design workspace displays the default planes (xy plane, yz plane, and zx plane) and a PartBody. If you need basic geometry to reference, use the sketch tools to create it.

Create a plane in CATIA with an offset from a plane

1. In the Part Design workspace, select the Plane tool.
2. In the Plane Definition dialog, set Plane type to Offset from plane.
3. For Reference, select the base plane you want, for example xy plane.
4. Enter the offset value in the Offset field, for example 20mm or 100mm.
5. Click OK.

Create a plane parallel through a point

1. Open the Plane Definition dialog again.
2. Set Plane type to Parallel through point.
3. For Reference, select the plane you want, for example yz plane.
4. For Point, select a vertex or point on your model, for example Pad.1\Vertex.
5. Click OK.

CATIA creates a plane parallel to the reference plane that passes through the selected point.

Create a plane at an angle to a reference plane

1. In the Plane Definition dialog, set Plane type to Angle/Normal to plane.
2. For Rotation axis, select Z Axis from the dropdown menu.
3. For Reference, select zx plane.
4. In the Angle field, enter 45deg.
5. Click OK.

Create a plane through three points

1. Open the Plane Definition dialog.
2. Set Plane type to Through three points.
3. For Point 1, select Pad.1\Vertex.
4. For Point 2, select another Pad.1\Vertex.
5. For Point 3, select a third Pad.1\Vertex.
6. Click OK.

CATIA creates a plane that passes through the three selected points.

Create a plane through two lines

1. Open the Plane Definition dialog.
2. Set Plane type to Through two lines.
3. For Line 1, select Pad.1\Edge.
4. For Line 2, select another edge or line as required.
5. (Optional) Select Forbid non coplanar lines to restrict the selection to coplanar lines only.
6. Click OK.

Create a plane through a point and a line

1. Open the Plane Definition dialog.
2. Set Plane type to Through point and line.
3. For Point, select Pad.1\Vertex.
4. For Line, select Pad.1\Edge.
5. Click OK.

CATIA creates a plane that passes through the selected point and line.

Create a plane through a planar curve

You can also create a plane in CATIA from curves and surfaces, starting with a planar curve.

1. Open the Plane Definition dialog.
2. Set Plane type to Through planar curve.
3. For Curve, select the planar curve from your model.
4. Click OK.

Create a plane normal to a curve

1. In the Plane Definition dialog, set Plane type to Normal to curve.
2. For Curve, select the curve from your model.
3. For Point, select the point on the curve where the plane should be normal.
4. Click OK.

Create a plane tangent to a surface

1. In the Plane Definition dialog, set Plane type to Tangent to surface.
2. For Surface, select the surface from your model.
3. For Point, select or create the point on the surface where the plane should be tangent.

If a point does not exist yet, right-click in the Point field and choose to create a new point. Then complete the Point Definition dialog:

• Set Point type to On curve.
• For Curve, select the edge or curve on the surface, for example Pad.1\Edge.
• Set Distance to reference as needed, for example Length = 142.483mm.
• Choose Nearest extremity or Middle point as the reference.
• Click OK to create the point.

Finally, click OK in the Plane Definition dialog to create the tangent plane.

Review the planes you created

1. Review the workspace and confirm that the new planes (through planar curve, normal to curve, and tangent to surface) are visible and correctly positioned relative to your model.
2. Close any open dialogs you no longer need, such as Reference or Point Definition.