Sweep2

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Surface Creation Surface Sidebar	Surface Sweep 2 Rails

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Surface

Sweep 2 Rails

History enabled. Click for more information. History enabled

Results affected by crease splitting setting Crease splitting enabled

The Sweep2 command fits a surface through a series of profile curves that define the surface shape and two curves that define the surface edges.

Steps

Select two curves as the rails.
Select cross-section curves in the order in which the surface will pass through them.
Select open curves near the same ends. For closed curves, adjust the curve seams.

Tips

Make the degree and structure of the rail curves match each other.
Place cross-section curves so the endpoints are on the ends of the rails or on edit points of the rails.
Turn on edit points and use Point object snap to place the section curves between matching edit points on the rails.
If only one section curve is used, the entire length of the rails are used for the surface, regardless of the settings.
Section curves can have differing structures. The surface takes the complexity of the most complex one.
To use same shape curve in the whole sweep, with control over where the sweep ends, use the Orient commands to create a scaled copy of the shape curve and place its ends at the places on the rail curves where you want the sweep to stop.

Command-line options
ChainEdges (rails only)	Select connected edges based on the curve continuity of the connection between segments. How to chain select edges.
Point (cross‑sections only)	Creates a surface that begins or ends at a point. Use this option only at the start or end of the curve series.

Command-line options

ChainEdges
(rails only)

Select connected edges based on the curve continuity of the connection between segments.

How to chain select edges.

Point
(cross‑sections only)

Creates a surface that begins or ends at a point. Use this option only at the start or end of the curve series.

Adjust seam options (Closed curves only)

Flip

Reverses the curve direction.

Automatic

Attempts to align the seam points and directions without intervention.

Natural

Moves the seam points to the way they were at the beginning of the command.

SnapToKnots

Yes

The seam points are always at the knots. You can only move them among the knots.

No

The seam points may leave the knots. You can move them without restriction.

To adjust seams

Select each seam point and move it along the curve to line up all curve seams.
Use the Flip option to make all seam arrows point to the same side.
Press Enter to continue.

Sweep 2 Rail Options dialog box

Curve options

Do not change cross sections

Creates the sweep without altering the cross-section curves.

Rebuild cross sections with ___ control points

Rebuilds the cross-section curve's control points before creating the sweep.

Refit cross sections within ___

Refits the cross-section curves before creating the sweep.

Preserve first cross section

When you are matching edge tangency or curvature, your surface may pull away from your cross-section curves. This option forces the surface to match the first cross-section curve.

Preserve last cross section

When you are matching edge tangency or curvature, your surface may pull away from your cross-section curves. This option forces the surface to match the last cross-section curve.

Maintain height

Removes the association between the height scaling from the width scaling. By default, cross-section curves normally scale in both the height and width dimensions.

On

Off

Refit rails

Refits the rail curves before creating the sweep.

Edge continuity

Continuity is only enabled if the rails are surface edges and the shape curves are non-rational, that is, all control-point weights are 1. Exact arcs and ellipse segments are rational.

Only continuity options that the curve structure (point count and rational/non rational) supports will be available.

Position / Tangency / Curvature

Sets the continuity for the edge match.

Closed sweep

The Closed sweep option creates a closed surface, continuing the surface past the last curve around to the first curve.

This option is only available after you select two cross-section curves.

Add Slash

Adds additional cross-section alignments to control how the surface is created between sections.