The Loft Surface tool is in the 3D Modeling tool set.
The Loft Surface tool creates complex shapes from two or more NURBS curve cross sections with no rail, with a rail and one or more cross sections, or with two rails and one cross section. A rail is a guide NURBS curve which determines the resulting shape, in the One Rail mode. In Birail Sweep mode, the rails do not need to intersect the cross sections.
Three modes are available.
Mode |
Description |
|
No Rail |
Creates a loft surface using two or more NURBS curve cross sections |
|
One Rail |
Creates a loft surface using a NURBS curve rail and one or more NURBS curve cross sections |
|
Birail Sweep |
Creates a loft surface using two NURBS curve rails and one NURBS curve cross section |
Similar to the Multiple Extrude command, the Loft Surface tool normally creates a 3D object (a generic solid) from a series of other objects (in this case, NURBS curves). Unlike Multiple Extrude, the cross sections do not need to be equally spaced, and the resulting profile can be manipulated to avoid self-intersection and to control twist.
This tool can potentially create surfaces which cannot be further manipulated.
Click here for a video tip about this topic (internet access required).
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