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PCCTools workflow guide

Create sections from a point cloud
inside AutoCAD

Cut precise slabs through a scan for floor plans, elevations, sloped surfaces and repeated route cross-sections, then save each section with its crop and UCS.

10 min readPCCTools v3Four section methodsUpdated June 12, 2026

Quick answer

PCCTools creates point-cloud sections by applying a thin crop slab to the attached cloud. Use PCHSECTION for plans, PCVSECTION for elevations, PCPLSECTION for arbitrary surfaces, or PCGSECTION for repeated cuts along a route.

Each saved section can retain an oriented crop box and a named UCS. This makes the section repeatable and gives you a useful drawing plane for tracing or checking geometry.

Video placeholder 03Section workflow overviewShow horizontal, vertical and plane sections switching within one project, 60-75 seconds.

Horizontal sections for plans and levels

  1. Run PCHSECTION. PCCTools switches to a front view so the elevation can be selected.
  2. Pick the required Z level and adjust the slab thickness when needed.
  3. PCCTools applies the crop, creates an editable box and switches to a top view.
  4. Set the saved section UCS current to draw directly at that level.
  5. Use PCHSNEXT and PCHSPREV to step through adjacent levels.
Image placeholder 03Horizontal slab through a building scanFront or isometric view showing slab thickness and resulting floor-plan points.

Vertical sections for elevations

Run PCVSECTION, draw the section line in plan and pick the facing side. A live slab and direction arrows clarify which points will remain.

  1. Pick the two endpoints of the section line.
  2. Set the thickness based on scan density and the detail required.
  3. Pick the facing side using the live direction preview.
  4. Activate the created UCS to look directly at the elevation.
Video placeholder 04Vertical section direction and thicknessCapture the two-point line, direction arrows, thickness change and final elevation, 35-45 seconds.

Sections on sloped or arbitrary surfaces

PCPLSECTION can define the cutting plane from three picked points, a 3D face, or a detected flat region in the cloud. Detection samples nearby points, rejects outliers and fits the plane around the selected surface.

When to use Detect: roofs, ramps, slabs, tanks or other flat surfaces that are not aligned with the world axes.

Image placeholder 04Detected plane section on a sloped roofShow the picked point, fitted plane orientation and the cropped slab.

Repeated cross-sections along a route

Use PCGSECTION to walk a perpendicular section along a line or polyline. Define the guide path, station step and slab thickness, then move the cut with PCGSNEXT and PCGSPREV.

This is useful for roads, tunnels, channels and linear infrastructure where sections are needed at consistent intervals.

Video placeholder 05Guided section moving along a road centrelineShow at least four station steps and the section remaining perpendicular to the path.

Recall sections with Section Manager

Open PCSECTIONMANAGER to list saved sections. Crop restores the slab; Set Active restores the editable box and section UCS. Use clear or delete when a section is no longer needed.

Image placeholder 05Section Manager with descriptive section namesUse realistic names such as Level 01, East elevation and Road station 25.
Crop a point cloud firstBox, sphere, polygon and corridor methodsExplore PCCToolsFull feature list and downloads