Loft reference (Surface)

The Loft tool creates a smooth surface body that transitions between two or more sketch profiles or planar faces in Fusion.

Design > Surface > Create > Loft

The Loft dialog displays options for the currently selected profile. Select the profile label in the graphics window to modify options for that profile.

Feature tab

Select geometry and define the loft settings.

Profiles

Select the sketch, edge, or face for the profile.

Reorder Click to change the order of the profiles in the Loft.

End condition Controls the transition away from the start and end profiles of the Loft. The end conditions available depends on the type of geometry selected for the profile.

• Connected No end condition applied.
• Direction Applies an angle measured off the sketch plane. Available when the Loft profile is a 2D sketch.
• Tangent Applies a G1 condition off the Loft profile. Available when the Loft profile is the edge or face of a body.
• Smooth Applies a G2 condition off the Loft profile. Available when the Loft profile is the edge or face of a body.
• Sharp Transitions to a sharp point. Available when the profile is a sketch point or construction point.
• Point Tangent Applies tangency at the point to create a dome shape transition. Available when the profile is a sketch point or construction point.

Continuity Controls the curvature transition between connected surfaces. Available when the selected profile is the edge or face of a body.

• Connected (G0): Position.
• Tangent (G1): Applies a G1 tangent condition to the transition between the existing surface and the loft surface.
• Curvature (G2): Applies a G2 curvature condition to the transition between the existing surface and the loft surface.

Tangent (G1) and Curvature (G2) edge alignment Controls alignment of the edges for the first and last profiles in an open surface loft.

• Free Edges No edge alignment applied.
• Align Edges For G1 continuity, follows the tangent of any edge at the end of the profile that is not tangent-continuous with the profile. For G2 continuity, follows the tangent and curvature vector of any edge at the end of the profile that is not tangent-continuous with the profile. When there is no such edge, it becomes free.
• Align to Surface Picks up the tangent direction of the parameter curve in the surface at the end of the profile, that has the greatest angle with the profile tangent at that point.

Add Adds a row to the profile table.

Remove Removes the selected profile row.

Guide Type

• Rail Rails are 2D curves or 3D curves that affect the Loft shape between sections. You can add any number of rails to refine the shape of a loft. Rails must intersect each section, and must terminate on or beyond the first and last sections. Rails must be tangent continuous.
• Centerline A centerline is a type of rail to which the Loft sections are held normal, which causes behavior like a sweep path. Centerline lofts maintain a more consistent transition between the cross-sectional areas of selected Loft sections. Center lines follow the same criteria as rails, except they need not intersect the sections, and only one can be selected.

Rails/Guide

Add Adds a row the table.

Remove Removes the selected row from the table.

Chain Selection

• Chain Selection ON: Adjacent edges are selected together and included as one profile.
• Chain Selection OFF: Adjacent edges are selected individually.

Closed

Check to connect the first and last profiles to each other and create a closed loop Loft.

Takeoff Weight

Available when the end condition is set to Direction. Specifies the amount of influence the takeoff angle has along the Loft path.

Takeoff Angle

Available when the end condition is set to Direction. Specifies the start angle of the transition from the profile.

Tangency Weight

Available when the end condition is Tangent, Smooth, or Point Tangent.

Tangent Edges

Specifies whether the Loft operation merges tangent edges or not.

• Merge: Merges tangent edges.
• Keep: Keeps the tangent edges unmerged.

Operation

Select an operation to control how the feature affects the design.

• New Body: Creates a new body in the active component.
• New Component: Creates a new body in a new component.

Analysis tab

Lets you analyze the quality of surface curvature on the previewed result in the canvas.

Analysis Type

Select an analysis type to visualize the quality of surface curvature on the selected body.

Bodies

Select bodies to analyze.