Basic - Loft (Loft Wizard)

Basic - Loft (Loft Wizard)
Emil Rindell

Emil Rindell

Jonas Bryntesson

Jonas Bryntesson

Henrik Andersson

Henrik Andersson

2023-01-01

Emil Rindell

Emil Rindell

Jonas Bryntesson

Jonas Bryntesson

Henrik Andersson

Henrik Andersson

2023-01-01

5 min read

The Loft Wizard in IRONCAD is a powerful tool that allows you to create complex 3D shapes by linking multiple 2D profiles. This is particularly useful when you need to create curved or organic shapes that cannot be easily achieved with traditional extrusions or wraps.

What is Loft Wizard?

Loft Wizard guides the user through the process of creating a 3D shape by defining several 2D profiles (sketches) and a path (guide curve) that these profiles follow. By adjusting these parameters, you can create anything from simple transitions between shapes to more complex and organic geometries.

How to use the Loft Wizard?

  1. Creating 2D profiles: Start by creating the 2D profiles to be used for the lofting. These can be circles, ellipses or other shapes, and they are placed in different planes of the 3D space.
  2. Define Guide Curve: Create a curve that connects the different profiles. This curve controls how the profiles are linked together and affects the appearance of the final shape.
  3. Activate the Loft Wizard: Select the Loft Wizard from the IRONCAD toolbar. The program will guide you through the process of selecting profiles and guide curve.
  4. Adjust parameters: During the lofting process, you can adjust various parameters, such as direction, type of loft (solid or surface) and whether to use an additional guide curve to further control the shape of the loft.
  5. Finalize and fine-tune: Once the lofting is complete, you can fine-tune the created shape by using other tools in IRONCAD, such as fillet, chamfer or boolean operations.

Benefits of using Loft Wizard

  • Create complex shapes: Enables the creation of organic and complex 3D shapes that cannot be easily achieved by other methods.
  • Flexibility: By adjusting profiles and guide curve, you can quickly change and experiment with different design options.
  • Efficiency: Automates part of the design process, saving time and reducing the risk of errors.

Additional resources

For a more detailed overview and practical examples, it is recommended to watch the following video:

Click here to access the exercise

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