Creating 3D Solids by Sweeping 2D Entities Along a Path

The Sweep command lets you creates unique solid primitives or surfaces by sweeping existing two-dimensional entities along a path.

You can sweep the following entities:

• Splines, Polylines, and Lines
• 2D Solids
• Arcs and Circles
• Ellipses and elliptical Arcs
• Regions
• Trace

Note: The entities to sweep can be in any arrangement, for example, adjacent or nested.

You can use as path the following entities:

• Splines, open Polylines, and Lines
• Helix
• Arcs and Circles
• Ellipses and elliptical Arcs
• Any closed curve

Note: Sweeping entities along closed curves as paths creates solid objects, while sweeping entities along lines or open boundaries creates surfaces.

To create a solid of surface by sweeping an object along a path:

1. Click Solids > Draw > Sweep (or type Sweep).
2. Select the entities to sweep and press Enter.

   Note: You can specify one or more entities in any arrangement (adjacent, nested entities).

3. Select the entities which determine the sweep path.
4. - or -
5. Use Alignment, Base point, Scale, and Twist to specify options for sweeping and then select the entities which determine the sweep path:
   • Alignment: Unless you determine otherwise, the entities to be swept are aligned perpendicular to the path.
   • Base Point: Specifies a base point for the entities to be swept. Scaling is applied from the startpoint to the endpoint of the path.
   • Scale: Specifies a scale factor for the entities to be swept.
   • Twist: Sets a twist angle for the for the entities to be swept along the total length of the path.

Access

Command: Sweep

Menu: Solids > Draw > Sweep