modeling-app/docs/kcl/subtract.md

title, excerpt, layout

title	excerpt	layout
subtract	Subtract removes tool solids from base solids, leaving the remaining material.	manual

WARNING: This function is deprecated.

Subtract removes tool solids from base solids, leaving the remaining material.

Performs a boolean subtraction operation, removing the volume of one or more tool solids from one or more base solids. The result is a new solid representing the material that remains after all tool solids have been cut away. This function is essential for machining simulations, cavity creation, and complex multi-body part modeling.

subtract(
  solids: [Solid],
  tools: [Solid],
): [Solid]

Arguments

Name	Type	Description	Required
solids	[Solid]	The solids to use as the base to subtract from.	Yes
tools	[Solid]	The solids to subtract.	Yes

Returns

[Solid]

Examples

// Subtract a cylinder from a cube using the stdlib functions.


fn cube(center) {
  return startSketchOn(XY)
    |> startProfileAt([center[0] - 10, center[1] - 10], %)
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + 10, center[1] - 10])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + 10, center[1] + 10])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] - 10, center[1] + 10])
    |> close()
    |> extrude(length = 10)
}

part001 = cube([0, 0])
part002 = startSketchOn(XY)
  |> circle(center = [0, 0], radius = 2)
  |> extrude(length = 10)

subtractedPart = subtract([part001], tools = [part002])

// Subtract a cylinder from a cube using operators.
// NOTE: This will not work when using codemods through the UI.
// Codemods will generate the stdlib function call instead.


fn cube(center) {
  return startSketchOn(XY)
    |> startProfileAt([center[0] - 10, center[1] - 10], %)
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + 10, center[1] - 10])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + 10, center[1] + 10])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] - 10, center[1] + 10])
    |> close()
    |> extrude(length = 10)
}

part001 = cube([0, 0])
part002 = startSketchOn(XY)
  |> circle(center = [0, 0], radius = 2)
  |> extrude(length = 10)

// This is the equivalent of: subtract([part001], tools=[part002])
subtractedPart = part001 - part002