Help with Loft Command

yuggniiks

I'm pretty new to 3d modeling.  

I am getting close to figuring out the "Loft" tool.   So far I was able to connect a cyclinder to an elliptical extrusion by using Loft --> Add new Surface. 
I add the outter edge and inner edge using the surface loft command, however I suspect I need this to be a "solid" for my 3dprinting purposes.
Link to my object:  https://cad.onshape.com/documents/865eef5adbe44778ab6031d1/w/05e5cd330a8ff9a660dbed03/e/bed07d0ab45ec8e65262e1b9





Any help is much appreciated

romeograham

You're almost there!

The solid loft doesn't work with inside boundaries.

You could try doing the loft (just as you have) before the two shapes are "shelled". Then once the loft is complete, and you have a single solid body, you can use the Shell tool to hollow it out.

Good luck!
Romeo

romeograham

You can select each feature, and click "View" (if it's read-only). If you've made a copy of the public document, you can pick "Edit".

First thing is to select both parts of your sketch so that you get solids when you extrude:



Then, select the Solid option in your Loft.

Note the end conditions for the Start and End.

You need to select the face of the Solids for this step (you have to hide your sketches...if they are showing, the sketch will be selected. Remember, the Solid Loft doesn't like sketches with more than one boundary).

Next, use the Shell tool to make it hollow:


Select the top and bottom faces (you always select the faces you want to remove in the Shell tool), set your Thickness, and voila!

NOTE: this is a VERY small part for a mouthpiece (I think). The shell is only 2mm, which means the whole thing is very small. If that's your intention, great! If it's too small, go back and check your dimensions. The loft and shell features will rebuild just fine if you change dimensions.

romeograham

You're almost there!

The solid loft doesn't work with inside boundaries.

You could try doing the loft (just as you have) before the two shapes are "shelled". Then once the loft is complete, and you have a single solid body, you can use the Shell tool to hollow it out.

Good luck!
Romeo

romeograham

Here's an example: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2ee46c06b6e06468ce5b122d/w/cf9def323f11c59c44efea82/e/5419d871db611243890b12df

bruce_williams

Your surface method should have been ok with the last step an 'Enclose'; however that is failing for me... do not know why.

What @romeo_graham392 said should work.

Another approach is here using Boolean subtract.

yuggniiks

Thanks romeo_graham392.   
Could you try to elaborate on your process?   I see the example you gave, however I'm trying to work through the steps to get there

romeograham

You can select each feature, and click "View" (if it's read-only). If you've made a copy of the public document, you can pick "Edit".

First thing is to select both parts of your sketch so that you get solids when you extrude:



Then, select the Solid option in your Loft.

Note the end conditions for the Start and End.

You need to select the face of the Solids for this step (you have to hide your sketches...if they are showing, the sketch will be selected. Remember, the Solid Loft doesn't like sketches with more than one boundary).

Next, use the Shell tool to make it hollow:


Select the top and bottom faces (you always select the faces you want to remove in the Shell tool), set your Thickness, and voila!

NOTE: this is a VERY small part for a mouthpiece (I think). The shell is only 2mm, which means the whole thing is very small. If that's your intention, great! If it's too small, go back and check your dimensions. The loft and shell features will rebuild just fine if you change dimensions.

yuggniiks

I've followed your walk through all up until the "Shell" command step.
I've tried hiding all sketches/planes. 
Not sure why mine is not working like yours.  I'll keep at it.

Yes this is small for a mouthpiece, it's just a stab at a prototype and will keep iterating the design (really just trying to learn 3d modeling with bonus of helping my wife out with research apparatus she is asking me to print for her)

yuggniiks

SUCCESS!  Thank you so much!!! 
My shell thickness was too thick, I reduced it below 2mm and it worked!
Appreciate your time helping me out.

Here is the prototype (printed in TPU flexible filament):

romeograham

@alan_fendrich
That looks great!
I see the type of mouthpiece now...I was thinking of a musical one, which is why I thought it might be small.

Makes perfect sense.