To build a brep you need to rotate a polyline around an axis. The rotation axis will be the Y axis. To see the axis press the F12 key or use Command|Axis. The polyline can be open or close. ( Use the special menu for open or close a polyline ). If the polyline is open you need that the first and the last point of the curve are on the Y axis, like in the picture.The first and the last point can not be exactly on the axis but near; the program will move them for you. The curve can be closed:
All the points must be all positive or all negative. To make a rotation of a polyline you must choose "rotation" from the special menu of the polyline. The program will ask for the name of the new object, the number of subdivisions and the angle of rotation.
You may build a sweep brep only from a closed polyline. Choose "sweep" from the special menu of the polyline. The program will ask for the name and the height of the new object. It is possible to build more complex sweep object, with hole, following a path or with deformations. Before you have to create a shape to sweep. This must be a group of polylines. Follow this procedure: 1) Create a new layer with the name of the shape ( es. test_shape ). 2) Select the new layer 3) Select the top view 4) Draw the external and the internal polyline ( you must draw one external polyline and one or more internal polyline or no internal polyline ).5) Use command Layer|Group to create group "test_shape". 6) Now in the default layer, draw a polyline that will be the sweep path ( in the front or side view ) with name "path1". 7) Select the group "test_shape" and call the special menu of the object. 8) Choose "Sweep". 9) In the dialog box give a name to the brep object, and choose "path1" in the path listbox. At the end you will have a sweep brep. You can also deform the shape when it follow the path. You need a deformation graph ("deformgraph").
1) the option ConvertText must be on, in Option|General
2) Create a layer ( es. `new_text' ) and select it.
3) Choose `Insert|Text' command, then select the font and the character dimension ( greater than 100 for better resolution ).
4) insert you text string
At this time you should see the text on the top view ( if not, try to press `o' key sometimes on top view ). Each letter of the string is composed by one or more polyline. Now you can create a brep object using sweep.
5) Use layer|group command
6) Execute `Edit|Object|Special' then choose sweep.