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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
Creatingsurfacesfromcurvesandjoiningthesurfacestogetherallowsyoumuchgreaterfreedom.Thistutorialintroducestheconceptofdrawingcurvesandonemethodofcreatingsurfacesfromthosecurves.
Youwilllearnhowto: Drawfree-formcurvesbasedonanexistingobject.
Editcontrolpoints. Revolvesurfacesaroundanaxis.
Revolvingcurvesisagoodmethodforcreatingtubularshapeslikevases,wineglasses,andchairlegs.Youaregoingtouseabasicflashlightasaguidefordrawingthecurvesyouwillneedforthenewmodel.Usingthebasicflashlightgivesyouaframeofreferencefordecidingaboutthesizeandshapeoftheobject.
To get started4 OpenthetutorialmodelfileFlashlight.3dm.
Set up the
modelYouaregoingtotracearoundtheoldflashlight.Tomakethiseasier,youwilllocktheobjects.Whenobjectsarelocked,youcanseethemandsnaptothem,butyoucannotselectthem.Thiskeepstheobjectsfrominterferingwhenyouwanttoselectthingscloseby.Youcanstilluseobjectsnapstosnaptolockedobjects.Youwillthencreatesomecurvesandrevolvethemtomakethenewflashlight.
Lock the flashlight objects1. Selectalltheobjects.
PresstheCtrl and Akeystoselectalltheobjectsinthemodel.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
2. OntheEditmenu,clickVisibility > Lock.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
Draw a
centerlineDrawaconstructioncenterlinethroughthecenteroftheoldflashlight.
Draw the construction centerline1. OntheCurvemenuclickLine >
Single Line.2. AttheStart of
lineprompt,usetheCenterobjectsnaptoplacethestartofthelineatthecenter
oftheflashlightbase.3. AttheEnd of
lineprompt,turnOrthoon,anddrawthelinethroughtheexactcenteroftheold
flashlight.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
Draw the body profile
curveYouaregoingtodrawaprofilecurvethatyouwillusetorevolvetocreatetheflashlightbody.Aprofilecurvedefinesacross-sectionofonehalfofthepart.
Draw the body curve1.
Onthestatusbar,clicktheLayerpaneandmakethelayerFree Form
Bodycurrent.2. OntheCurvemenu,clickFree-Form > Control Points.3.
AttheStart of
curveprompt,intheFrontviewport,startdrawingacurvearoundtheflashlight
bodyasillustrated.
UsetheEndobjectsnaptostartthecurveattheendoftheconstructioncenterline.UsetheNearobjectsnaptoendthecurveontheconstructioncenterline.Startingandendingthecurveexactlyonthelineisimportantsothatlaterwhenyourevolvethecurvetocreateasolid,therewillbenogapsoroverlappingparts.Whendrawingthecurve,useOrthotocontrolthefirsttwo(1and2)pointsandthelasttwopoints(3and4)onthecurve.Ifthefirsttwopointsandthelasttwopointsareplacedinastraightline,thecurvewillstartandendtangenttothatline.
4.
Whenyouhaveplacedthelastcontrolpoint,pressEntertofinishdrawingthecurve.Toplacethelasttwopointsinastraightlinewitheachother,useGrid
Snap,Ortho,orPerpobjectsnap.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
Draw the lens profile
curveMakeanotherprofilecurveforthelens.
Create the lens1. OntheCurvemenu,clickFree-Form > Control
Points.2. AttheStart of
curveprompt,intheFrontviewport,placethefirstcontrolpointofthelens
profile.UsetheNearobjectsnaptostartandendthecurveontheconstructioncenterline.Placecontrolpointsintheupperpartofthelenscurvesoitcrossesthebodyprofilecurve.
Get the old flashlight out of your way1.
OntheEditmenu,clickVisibility > Unlock.2.
Selectalltheobjectsexceptthetwoprofilecurvesyoujustdrewandtheswitchsphere.3.
OntheEditmenu,clickVisibility > Hide.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
Build the flashlight
bodyTomakethebody,youwillrevolvetheprofilecurve360degrees.Youwillusetheendpointofthecurveandorthotoestablishtherotationaxis.
Create the flashlight body1. OntheSurfacemenu,clickRevolve.2.
AttheSelect curve to revolveprompt,selectthebodyprofilecurve.3.
AttheStart of revolve
axisprompt,usetheEndsnaptosnaptooneendoftheprofilecurve.
4. AttheEnd of revolve
axisprompt,turnOrthoon,andspecifytherevolveaxislineasillustrated.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
5. IntheStart angle...prompt,clicktheFullCircleoption.
Create the
lensNowrevolvethelensprofilecurveinthesamewayasthebody.
Revolve the lens profile curve1.
OntheSurfacemenu,clickRevolve.2. AttheSelect curve to
revolveprompt,selectthelensprofilecurve.3. AttheStart of revolve
axisprompt,useEndobjectsnaptolocatetheendpointofoneofthecurve
profiles.
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Chapter 13: Flashlight - Revolve Curves
4. AttheEnd of revolve
axisprompt,turnOrthoon,anddrawtherevolveaxislineasillustrated.
5. IntheStart angle...prompt,clicktheFullCircleoption.
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