loft (multi-section body)

[alkemixt]

Hi,

how do you loft a tube and not a solid?

and after connecting 2 solids with differnt shape, how do you turn the solid into a tube with even thickness?

for some reason i used the shell function and it didn't shell the multi-sections solid.

thank you

 

[flangewiper]

In GSD, create your centre spine curve using a 3D curve or Sketcher. Then use 'Swept Surface' command and 'Circle' profile type with the 'Centre and Radius' option to create a tubular surface of constant radius along the spine. If you want a varying radius you can use the 'Law' option to define the radial variation.

Next, go into part design and use thick surface to create the solid Part.

To create a tube from two joined solids, use the 'Shell' command in Part Design, select two opposing faces at either end of the solid as faces to remove, (the open end of the tube), define the shell thickness and that should do the trick.

 

[solid7]

Shell can have its problems with multi-sections. Multiple sections, or vertices on any object, can present some unique challenges. It's better to always take a "1 piece" approach, whenever applicable, but you need to really know when to use what - multiple pieces is very common with anything where curvature and tangency degrees start to vary more than a certain percentage - anything not considered "class A".

For the case where 1 piece isn't suitable, try this:

Once you determine your spine, (which you can also do with the "spine" function) sweep the entire tube. Or, if you cannot sweep it, due to a bend condition, (too drastic of a bend, for instance) create multiple pieces ONE at a TIME, and each one as a uniqued domain - no joining. Use the "thick offet" function in the Part Design workbench to add thickness.

Shell should work most of the time for this - but in the even that it does not, you would just isolate the optimal position at which to break each section of your tube, as outlined above. (at the tangency point, if it's not curvature continuous)


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