From the course: AutoCAD: Advanced 3D Modeling

Loft cross sections to create a complex form - AutoCAD Tutorial

From the course: AutoCAD: Advanced 3D Modeling

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Loft cross sections to create a complex form

- [Instructor] Now let's focus on this element right here which is called the fork crown and it's going to start here underneath the head tube and it's going to separate into two different parts so that it can join together the forks on either side of the front wheel. So, I'm going to hold down the shift key and orbit and then isolate this layer, I'll type LAYISO, enter, select that layer and isolate it. Now, I want to reset the UCS using the object option and click on this line right here. I'll also repeat that command by pressing enter and then I'll type X, enter, enter, so now we have the UCS in this orientation. I'll draw a circle right here from the midpoint over there. Now I should actually put this on a different layer because this is still on the 2D layer, forks. Let's create another corresponding layer. Dash Forks. I'll set that current and I'll make it a different color, maybe red and then I'll change this object's layer assignment to the 3D version of the layer and then I'll go ahead and draw another circle down here and then I'm going to copy this circle over in this direction 10 millimeters or one centimeter and I'll do the same thing here, I'll copy this down 10 millimeters, so we have a pair of matching circles on either end. Now, remember, the forks are going to be on either side of the front wheel, so I'm going to move these two circles up some distance. Let's move it up 50. Now I'll go to the Surface tab and use the Loft tool and I'm going to loft from one circle to the next and I just need to pick them in order and then I'll press enter and then enter again. Erase defining objects? No. Then I can click on this surface and there's a special menu up here that lets you control the shape of the loft and you can try the different methods. Ruled is straight lines between those different places. You can try each one of these different options out and you'll see that the results are very subtle in how they different from one another. I like normal to start and end sections the best, so I'll leave it like that, press escape. Now I want to cut this surface off where it passes through the sketch plane, so I will reset the UCS by pressing enter, enter and then I'll just draw a rectangle here that encompasses this whole thing and then use the planer tool with the object option and select the rectangle, enter, to turn it into a surface. In this case, I will erase the rectangle and then I'll use trim with surface associativity off, select this object first, the loft, enter and then click on the plane, enter and then orbit underneath and click on the surface underneath to trim it away, enter to complete the command and then erase the surface. It's no longer needed. Now we need to mirror this around to the other side. Mirror works in the XY plane, so I need to rotate the UCS around the Y axis. Then I will mirror this object around to the other side and I need to patch the holes, so I'll use the patch command up here, then I'll click on these two semicircles, enter, enter and then orbit over here and I'll patch this, enter, enter and again, down below. Finally I have a result which includes several different surfaces, so I'll use the sculpt tool on this watertight volume, I'll just select all those surfaces and press enter. And then I'll erase the defining objects, yes, and that leaves with me with a 3D solid on the 3D forks layer.

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