Loft PropertyManager
Set the PropertyManager options based on the type of loft feature. See
Loft Overview
for more information about lofts.
Profiles
For each profile, select the point from which you want the
path of the loft to travel.
If the loft preview shows an undesirable loft, re-select
or reorder the sketches to connect different points on the profiles.
Start/End Constraints
Start
constraint and End constraint.
Applies a constraint to control tangency to the start and end profiles.
The options are:
Default (Available with three
profiles minimum). Approximates a parabola scribed between the
first and last profiles. The tangency from this parabola drives the loft
surface, which results in a more predictable and natural loft surface
when matching conditions are not specified.
None. No tangency constraint (zero curvature)
is applied.
Direction Vector. Applies a tangency
constraint based on a selected entity used as a direction vector. Select
a Direction Vector , then set the Draft angle
and Start or End
Tangent Length.
Normal to Profile. Applies a tangency
constraint normal to the start or end profile. Set the Draft
angle and Start or End Tangent Length.
Tangency to Face (Available when attaching
a loft to existing geometry). Makes the adjacent faces tangent at the
selected start or end profile.
Curvature
to Face (Available when attaching a loft to existing geometry).
Applies a smooth, visually appealing curvature continuous loft
at the selected start or end profile.
Next
Face (Available with Tangency
to Face or Curvature to Face
selected for Start or End
constraint). Toggles the loft between available faces.
Direction
Vector (Available with Direction
Vector selected for Start
or End constraint). Applies a
tangency constraint based on a selected entity used as a direction vector.
The loft is tangent to the selected linear edge or axis, or to the normal
of a selected face or plane. You can also select a pair of vertices to
set the direction vector.
Draft
angle (Available with Direction
Vector or Normal to Profile
selected for Start or End
constraint). Applies a draft angle to the start or end profile.
If necessary, click Reverse Direction
. You also apply a draft angle along guide curves.
Start
and End Tangent Length (Not available
with None selected for Start
or End constraint). Controls the
amount of influence on the loft. The effect of tangent length is limited
up to the next section. If necessary, click
Reverse Tangent Direction .
Apply
to all. Displays one handle that controls all the constraints for
the entire profile. Clear this option to display multiple handles that
permit individual segment control. Drag the handles to modify the tangent
length.
Guide Curves
Move
Up and Move Down
. Adjusts the order of the guide curves. Select a Guide Curve and adjust
the profile order.
Guide
tangency type. Controls the tangency where the loft meets the guide
curves. The options are:
None.
No tangency constraint is applied.
Normal to Profile. Applies a tangency
constraint normal to the plane of the guide curve. Set the Draft
angle.
Direction Vector. Applies a tangency
constraint based on a selected entity used as a direction vector. Select
a Direction Vector , then set the Draft angle.
Tangency to Face (Available when a guide
curve lies on the
edge of existing geometry). Adds side tangency between adjacent faces
that lie along the path of a guide curve, creating a smoother transition
between adjacent faces.
For best results, the profiles should also be tangent to
the tangency faces at the point where each profile meets the guide curve.
The ideal tolerance is 2 degrees or less. You can use profiles with connection
points up to 30 degrees off tangency before the loft fails.
Direction
Vector (Available with Direction
Vector selected for Guide tangency
type). Applies a tangency constraint based on a selected entity
used as a direction vector. The loft is tangent to the selected linear
edge or axis, or to the normal of a selected face or plane.
Draft
angle (Available with Direction
Vector or Normal to Profile
selected for Start or End
constraint). Applies a draft angle to the loft along the guide
curve, whenever geometrically possible. If necessary, click Reverse
Direction .
Centerline Parameters
Centerlines can co-exist with guide curves.
Number
of Sections. Adds sections between the profile and around the centerline.
Move the slider to adjust the number of sections.
Show
Sections . Displays the loft sections. Click the
arrows to display the sections. You can also enter a section number and
click Show Sections to jump to that section.
Sketch Tools
Use the SelectionManager
to help select sketch entities.
Drag Sketch.
Enables drag mode. When editing the loft feature, you can drag any 3D
sketch segments, points, or planes from the 3D sketch from which contours
have been defined for the loft. The 3D sketch updates as you drag. You
can also edit the 3D sketch to dimension the contours using dimensioning
tools. The loft preview updates when the drag ends or when you edit the
3D sketch dimensions. To exit drag mode, click Drag Sketch
again or another selection list in the PropertyManager.
Undo sketch drag
. Undoes the previous sketch drag and returns the preview
to its previous state. You can undo multiple drags and dimension edits.
Thin Feature
Select to create a thin feature
loft.
Options
Merge
tangent faces.
Causes the surfaces in the resulting loft to be merged if the corresponding
segments are tangent.
.
Creates a closed body along the loft direction. This connects the last
sketch and the first sketch automatically.
Show
preview. Displays shaded previews of the loft. Clear this option
to view the path and the guide curves only.
Merge
result. Merges all the loft elements. Clear this option to not
merge all the loft elements.
Feature
Scope
Specifies which bodies you want the feature to affect. See Feature Scope in Multibody Parts.