Loft

Creates a surface by sweeping two or more profile curves along a path.

Section curves do not have to intersect the path, but they can actually be positioned anywhere in the scene. The resulting surface will reflect the curve section orientation.

This function is also known as spine-based-skin.

How to use

1. Click the Loft icon or choose the Tools > Surfaces > Loft command.

2. The program console prompts Pick profile curves.

3. Pick the curves you want to be swept in sequence. Once picked, the curves turn green. To end curves selection, press Spacebar. The cross-sectional curves must have the same direction.

4. The program console prompts Pick extrusion path curve.

5. Pick the curve you want to use as the extrusion path.

6. The surface is created. The Modeling Tool panel offers several options to control its shape.

Options

Remove

To remove profile curves from use in the lofting operation. Removed curves are not deleted from the scene.

Views / Modeling Tool panel. Select the Loft surface by picking it. Choose the curves you want to remove from the list. Press the Remove button.

Insert

To add new profile curves to be used in the lofting operation.

Views / Modeling Tool panel. Switch the Insert check button on and pick the curves you want to use in the scene.

Current profile key

To modify the position of each profile curve in reference to the extrusion path.

Modeling Tool panel. From the Profile curves section, select the profile curve whose position you want to modify. Move the slider or type the numeric value in the field: the surface will be interactively modified. 0 means the start of the path, 1 stands for the end.

Path curve

To replace the extrusion path.

Views / Modeling Tool panel. Switch the Replace check button on and pick another extrusion path in the scene. The loft surface will automatically be updated.

Quality

To set surface quality.

Modeling Tool panel. Switch the chosen radio button on. You have the following options: Low, High, and Extra. This parameter does not affect the parametric surface, but only the NURBS Surface that is created either when you use the NURBS Surface Editing command or when you collapse the Construction Tree.

Align to

To specify position of the lofting surface in reference to the extrusion path.

Modeling Tool panel. Move the slider or type the numeric value in the field: the surface will interactively be modified.

See also:

• Extrude to create a surface by extruding a cross sectional profile along a specified direction.

• Pipe to create a surface by sweeping a cross sectional profile curve along an extrusion path.

• Birail to create a surface by sweeping a profile curve along two path curves or rails.