Creating loft sections

Loft sections represent the shape that the loft feature will have at a particular point along the loft path. At least two sections are required to create a loft feature. You create loft sections by picking from existing edges from the part in the current viewport.

Related Topics
What is lofting?
Creating a loft path
Adding a solid loft feature
Adding a shell loft feature
Creating a loft cut

  1. From the Edit Loft dialog box, select Insert Before or Insert After to create the first loft section.

  2. Select the edges that define the loft section. ShiftClick additional edges to add them to your selection, and CtrlClick a selected edge to unselect it. Selected edges are highlighted in red and will remain highlighted until the loft feature is completed.

    A loft section can be comprised of any edges from the current part and must meet the following conditions:

    • For a solid loft or cut loft the section must be closed, and the first and last sections must be planar.

    • For a shell loft if one section is open, all must be open; and, if one section is closed, all must be closed.

    • The section must be one continuous loop with no branches.

    • Edges used in one loft section cannot be used in another section of the same loft.

    All shell loft sections, and intermediate sections for solid lofts and cut lofts, can be nonplanar. To create nonplanar sections, you can select edges that were created using a spline wire or select edges of an existing nonplanar face.

  3. In the prompt area, click Done to indicate that you have finished selecting edges to define the loft section.

    Abaqus/CAE returns to the Edit Loft dialog box, and the section appears in the Sections list.

  4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to define all the loft sections. Use the Insert Before and Insert After buttons to indicate where in the list you want the next loft section to appear in relation to the loft section that is currently highlighted. The section that is highlighted in the list is also highlighted in magenta in the viewport to distinguish it from the other loft sections. Loft sections are numbered in the order that you create them, but Abaqus/CAE creates the loft feature in the order shown in the Sections list. You can change the order of the list only by adding or deleting loft sections.

    You cannot edit completed loft sections.