s.1 s.4 s.7
s.2 s.5  
s.3 s.6  


The first tutorial in this series described how to create a camera design in Pro/DESKTOP using the simple technique of Extrude Profile. This first (of seven) sections shows how to loft through profiles.

    
 
 
  Step 1    
    Open the file: body loft plan view Change to a Plan view and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry.

Click on the + sign next to the base workplane in the browser. Right click (RC) on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to capture all the lines on the sketch.
   
 
  Step 2    
    From the pull down menu select: Edit and Copy This geometry represents the plan view of the Steam Iron.

The construction lines will help position the vertical offset workplanes that contain the different cross sections of the solid model
 
 
 
  Step 3    
    From the pull down menu select: File and New and open a Design file.

   
 
  Step 4    
    From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the new Design file. Select Autoscale to centralise the geometry.

From the pull down menu select: File and Save and save as Loft Process.
 
 
 
  Step 5    
    From the Browser select:

RC on the Frontal workplane and select New Sketch.

The following procedure will create a vertical workplane through the centre of the plan view.
   
 
  Step 6    
    In the New Sketch box change the title of the sketch to side view. Ensure the Add to workplane option is selected and the Frontal workplane is shown in the window. This action has used the default frontal workplane to create a sketch to accept the side view of the solid model.
 
 
 
  Step 7    
    Open the file: body loft front view Click on the + sign next to the frontal workplane in the browser. Activate the side view sketch and change the view to Onto Workplane and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry. RC on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to select all the lines
   
 
  Step 8    
    From the pull down menu select:

Edit and Copy This geometry represents the front view of the Steam Iron. The construction lines will help position the vertical offset workplanes that contain the different cross sections of the solid model
 
 
 
  Step 9    
    Open the file: loft process

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the loft process file. The side view that appears on the sketch will act as a guide to position the cross sections.
   
 
  Step 10    
    Click on the + sign next to the lateral workplane in the browser. Select the New Sketch option. This sequence will create a new workplane and sketch at 90° to the current workplane. Pro/DESKTOP uses the position of the green X,Y axis to rotate a new worklpane.
 
 
 
  Step 11    
    In the New Sketch box change the title of the sketch to base loft. Ensure the Add to workplane option is selected and the Lateral workplane is shown in the window. This action has used the default lateral workplane to create a sketch to accept the first profile of the loft process.
   
 
  Step 12    
    The snapshot shows the new workplane at 90° to the original workplane. The position of the green X,Y axis acts as a pivot point in this procedure.

The base loft sketch is the first sketch in a sequence of offset workplanes.
 
 
 
  Step 13    
    Open the file: Base loft Activate the sketch and change the view to Onto Workplane and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry. RC on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to select all the lines.

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Copy.
   
 
  Step 14    
    Open the file: loft process

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the loft process file. Notice how the first profile is contained within the width of the plan view and the height of the side view.
 
 
 
  Step 15    
    From the pull down menu select: Workplane and New Workplane. In the New Workplane box select the Offset option.

Set the Offset distance to -20mm. Pro/DESKTOP creates a new workplane 20mm from the original as shown in the snapshot.
   
 
  Step 16    
    The screen defaults to show all the current workplanes.

The next step in the sequence is to create a sketch to fit onto the new workplane.
 
 
 
  Step 17    
    RC and select New Sketch from the sub menu.

In the New sketch box change the title of the sketch to Offset 1.

Select OK to complete the command.
   
 
  Step 18    
    Pro/DESKTOP creates a new workplane 20mm offset from the original with a sketch called Offset 1 placed on it.

In the next sequence you will copy the next profile onto the new sketch.
 
 
 
  Step 19    
    Open the file: offset 1

Activate the sketch and change the view to Onto Workplane and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry. RC on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to select all the lines. From the pull down menu select: Edit and Copy.
   
 
  Step 20    
    Open the file: loft process

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the loft process file. Notice how the first profile is contained within the width of the plan view and the height of the side view.
 
 
 
  Step 21    
    From the pull down menu select: Workplane and New Workplane. In the New Workplane box select the Offset option.

Set the Offset distance to -20mm. Pro/DESKTOP creates a new workplane 20mm from Offset 1 as shown in the snapshot.
   
 
  Step 22    
    RC and select New Sketch from the sub menu.

In the New sketch box change the title of the sketch to Offset 2.

Select OK to complete the command.
 
 
 
  Step 23    
    From the design toolbar pick Select Lines. Select the vertical construction line, RC and select Project from the sub menu. The green X,Y axis is currently in the middle of the workplane. The next sequence will use the projected line to reposition the axis at the base of the line.
   
 
  Step 24    
    RC and select Toggle Construction to return the line to a construction line. RC again and select Reposition Axis from the sub menu. The cursor changes to a target, move the target to the base of the construction line (it will snap to the end or intersection point) and left click (LC) to reposition the axis.
 
 
 
  Step 25    
    Open the file: offset 2

Activate the sketch and change the view to Onto Workplane and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry. RC on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to select all the lines. From the pull down menu select: Edit and Copy.
   
 
  Step 26    
    Open the file: loft process

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the loft process file. Notice how the profile is contained within the width of the plan view and the height of the side view.
 
 
 
  Step 27    
    From the pull down menu select: Workplane and New Workplane.

In the New Workplane box select the Offset option. Set the Offset distance to -20mm.

Select OK to complete the command.
   
 
  Step 28    
    RC and select New Sketch from the sub menu.

In the New sketch box change the title of the sketch to Offset 3.

Select OK to complete the command.
 
 
 
  Step 29    
    From the design toolbar pick Select Lines. Select the vertical construction line, RC and select Project from the sub menu. The green X,Y axis is currently in the middle of the workplane. The next sequence will use the projected line to reposition the axis at the base of the line.
   
 
  Step 30    
    RC and select Toggle Construction to return the line to a construction line. RC again and select Reposition Axis from the sub menu. The cursor changes to a target, move the target to the base of the construction line (it will snap to the end or intersection point) and LC to reposition the axis.
 
 
 
  Step 31    
    Open the file: offset 3 Activate the sketch and change the view to Onto Workplane and select Autoscale to centralise the geometry. RC on the sketch name and pick Select Lines to select all the lines.

From the pull down menu select: Edit and Copy.
   
 
  Step 32    
    Open the file: loft process From the pull down menu select: Edit and Paste to transfer the geometry from the original file to the loft process file.

Notice how the profile is contained within the width of the plan view and the height of the side view.
 
 
 
  Step 33    
    Follow the same procedure for the remaining offset workplanes. The only variation is with offset 9,10 and 11. The offset distances are 10mm,5mm and 2.5mm respectively.

The next sequence describes how to use Loft Through Profiles to create a solid model.
   
 
  Step 34    
    From the pull down menu select: Feature and Loft Through Profiles. The process uses a loft path to generate a solid model. In symmetrical models the loft path must run along the centre of the design. The next sequence shows how to manipulate the loft path into the centre position.
 
 
 
  Step 35    
    Pick the Select Lines icon from the Design Toolbar at the right of the screen. Pick on the arc from the base loft sketch, the sketch name appears in the Profiles field. Pick on the geometry from offset 1 and offset 2 to include in the Profiles field. The loft path appears with a yellow drag handle on the active sketch.
   
 
  Step 36    
    Select the base loft sketch in the Profile field to activate the sketch. Move the cursor over the yellow drag handle.

LC and hold down the mouse button to move the drag handle to the centre of the horizontal line as shown in the snapshot.
 
 
 
  Step 37    
    Select the offset 1 sketch in the Profile field to activate the sketch. Move the cursor over the yellow drag handle.

LC and hold down the mouse button to move the drag handle to the centre of the horizontal line as shown in the snapshot.
   
 
  Step 38    
    Select the offset 2 sketch in the Profile field to activate the sketch. Move the cursor over the yellow drag handle.

LC and hold down the mouse button to move the drag handle to the centre of the horizontal line as shown in the snapshot.
 
 
 
  Step 39    
    Select the arc of each offset sketch in turn to include it in the Profile field.

Select each sketch in turn in the Profile field to allow you to manipulate the loft path to a centre position throughout the entire design.
   
 
  Step 40    
    When all of the 11 sketches are included in the Profiles field and a common centre position exists for the loft line click on OK to complete the command. Pro/DESKTOP interprets all of the offset profiles and creates a solid model that is true to the plan view, side view and cross section.
 
 
 
  solid model generated from the plan view
 
   
 
  solid model generated from the side view
 
 
 
 
  offset profiles
    The width of each horizontal line of the offset profile is confined to the plan view and the height of each arc of the offset profile is confined to the side view. Because of these constraints the resultant 3D solid remains accurate to the two views and cross sections. Save the file as Loft process.
   
 
  In the next tutorial we will use Extrude Profile to create the temperature controller of the Steam Iron design.