Complex Shapes
Loft
Loft is a tool that can be used to create some complex curvatures and shapes without reverting to surface modeling. Some example designs are heat shields, exhaust manifolds, vacuum and hair dryer attachments. We won’t have an extensive section on this feature (this chapter is long enough!) but will link to some quality tutorials created by SolidWorks now that you have become familiar with the software.
Some of the geometry terminology is still pretty advanced, so if you choose to learn this tool, be sure to go through the lesson with lots of pausing and looking up definitions. It is also recommended that you use the provided downloadable files in the lesson to follow along.
Wrap
Wrap is another tool that allows you to create some complex geometry. Wrap has you create a sketch and then it is wrapped around a feature/body that you’ve already created. Wrapped cuts are most common for making parts such as cylindrical cams but wrapped bosses can be created as well for ribs on curved surfaces. Just like Loft, if you are interested, you can access a SolidWorks Lesson on using the wrap feature.
