PartDesign AdditiveLoft
PartDesign AdditiveLoft |
Menu location |
---|
Part Design → Create an additive feature → Additive loft |
Workbenches |
PartDesign |
Default shortcut |
None |
Introduced in version |
0.17 |
See also |
PartDesign AdditivePipe, PartDesign SubtractiveLoft |
Description
Additive Loft creates a solid in the active Body by making a transition between two or more sketches (also referred to as cross-sections). If the Body already contains features, the additive loft will be merged to them.
On the left: cross-sections (A), (B) and (C); created Additive loft on the right.
Usage
Dialog-based workflow
- Press the Additive loft button.
- In the Select feature dialog, select either a sketch or the face of a 3D object (introduced in version 0.20) to be used as base profile object and click OK.
- Alternatively, either a single sketch or the face can be selected prior to pressing the Additive loft button.
- In the Loft parameters, press the Add Section button.
- Select the next sketch in the 3D view. Repeat to select more sketches in the order you want them to be lofted through. (You can change the section order any time later in the loft dialog by dragging sections in the list to the desired position.introduced in version 0.19)
- Set options if needed and click OK.
Selection-based workflow
- Select several sketches. It is hereby important in what order you select them:
- The sketch selected at first will become the base profile object in the next step
- The sketches selected after the first one will become the loft sections. Also here the selection order is important: The sketch selected as second will become the first loft section, the one selected as third becomes the second section and so on. (You can change the section order any time later in the loft dialog by dragging sections in the list to the desired position.introduced in version 0.19)
- Press the Additive loft button.
- Set options if needed and click OK.
Options
- Ruled surface: makes straight transitions between cross-sections. Does not apply to a loft with two cross-sections. If not checked, transitions will be smooth.
- Closed: makes a transition from the last cross-section to the first, creating a loop.
Properties
- DataLabel: name given to the operation, this name can be changed at convenience.
- DataSections: lists the sections used.
- DataRuled: see Options.
- DataClosed: see Options.
- DataRefine: true or false. If set to true, cleans the solid from residual edges left by features. See Part RefineShape for more details.
- DataProfile: the see base profile object of the loft.
- DataMidplane: non applicable.
- DataReversed: non applicable.
- DataUp To Face: non applicable.
- DataAllow Multi Face: non applicable.
Limitations
- Only up to version 0.19 and below: It is not possible to loft to a Vertex. Since introduced in version 0.20 you can loft from or towards single vertices of sketches or bodies.
- A cross-section cannot lie on the same plane as the one immediately preceding it.
- To better control the shape of the loft, it is recommended that all the cross-sections have the same number of segments. For example, for a loft between a rectangle and a circle, the circle may be broken down into 4 connected arcs.
- If the sketch has inner geometry, i.e. the loft is supposed to have holes, then the order in which the sketch geometry is created, should be the same for all sections: Either start all sections with the inner geometry or start them all with the outer. Otherwise an invalid loft can be created where inner and outer walls cross.
- It is not possible to loft disjoint or crossing loops.
Known Issues
- Some failure modes will turn the part black
Links
- Part Loft Technical Details explains how a Part Loft is created, much of its content is relevant to the PartDesign Additive loft.
PartDesign
- Structure tools: Part, Group
- Helper tools: Create body, Create sketch, Attach sketch, Edit sketch, Validate sketch, Check geometry, Create a sub-object(s) shape binder, Create a clone, Create a datum plane, Create a datum line, Create a datum point, Create a local coordinate system
- Modeling tools:
- Additive tools: Pad, Revolution, Additive loft, Additive pipe, Additive helix, Additive box, Additive cylinder, Additive sphere, Additive cone, Additive ellipsoid, Additive torus, Additive prism, Additive wedge
- Subtractive tools: Pocket, Hole, Groove, Subtractive loft, Subtractive pipe, Subtractive helix, Subtractive box, Subtractive cylinder, Subtractive sphere, Subtractive cone, Subtractive ellipsoid, Subtractive torus, Subtractive prism, Subtractive wedge
- Boolean: Boolean operation
- Dress-up tools: Fillet, Chamfer, Draft, Thickness
- Transformation tools: Mirrored, Linear Pattern, Polar Pattern, Create MultiTransform, Scaled
- Extras: Migrate, Sprocket, Involute gear, Shaft design wizard
- Context menu: Set tip, Move object to other body, Move object after other object, Appearance, Color per face
- Preferences: Preferences, Fine tuning
User documentation
- Getting started
- Installation: Download, Windows, Linux, Mac, Additional components, Docker, AppImage, Ubuntu Snap
- Basics: About FreeCAD, Interface, Mouse navigation, Selection methods, Object name, Preferences, Workbenches, Document structure, Properties, Help FreeCAD, Donate
- Help: Tutorials, Video tutorials
- Workbenches: Std Base, Assembly, BIM, CAM, Draft, FEM, Inspection, Mesh, OpenSCAD, Part, PartDesign, Points, Reverse Engineering, Robot, Sketcher, Spreadsheet, Surface, TechDraw, Test Framework
- Hubs: User hub, Power users hub, Developer hub