CAD from blender and cutaways

I’ve just started with blender and like I usually do I’m running before I can walk.

Just a couple of “can I in theroy?” questions…

The first is that my only experience with such work is from my old CAD days at school, some years ago, so I’m wanting to model with fairly accurate details including hidden parts, ie: a beer can with thickness to the walls of the can and also the detail to include the lipping of the top to the sides.

If I detail to this level I suppose my first question is, is it possible to then output, not render, the can as detailed 2D drawing details?

From the first question I guess my second question is, is it also possible to cut away a section of the can, in a non destructive manner, so that when rendered I can see parts of the internal structure as well as the outer parts of the can, and also turn off the cut out so I can render the outside only?

Try thePrecision Modelling Guide It looks at using Blender from a CAD type perspective.

Remember that Blender is not CAD. But you can do similar things; Blue Print and Sections.