- [Instructor] Not all complex models can easily be
created with solid primitives.
Often it is easier to draw 2D sections of a model
and then turn them into 3D shapes.
This is done with a series of tools like extrude,
sweep, revolve, loft, and push pull.
Extrude is by far the simplest
and essentially just gives us a third dimension
to your drawing.
Here I have a profile that we need to turn into a model.
Note that the shape right now is a closed polyline.
This is critical for working from
all of your 2D to 3D tools.
Any shape that we want to convert from 2D to 3D
should be a closed polyline or a circle.
We'll find the extrude command here.
I'll select my profile and press return.
Now all I have to do is specify the height
that I want to extrude my model to.
I can either pick a point visually
or I can type in a specific value
like three and press return.
Revolve performs a similar function,
but instead of a straight line you choose an axis
and the revolve tool rotates the profile around that axis.
We'll find the tool here,
I'll select my profile, and press return.
Now following the command line I'll pick two points
to specify the axis.
In this case, one here and one here.
Now as I drag my cursor around
we get a very clear idea of exactly what the tool is doing.
I can either pick a point out here in space
or I can type in a specific value,
in this case 360, and press return.
Sweep is very similar to extrude,
but instead of a single direction
that is perpendicular to the profile,
we'll actually select the path to extrude our profile along.
Here I have a basic cross section and a 2D path.
I'll find the sweep command here.
I'll select my profile, press return,
and then select my path.
So we can see that it's taken the profile,
turned it so it's perpendicular to the
start of the line or the path,
and then extruded it along the path.
Loft is similar, but instead of a single cross section
that is being extruded along an entire path
you actually choose different cross sections
and let AutoCAD fill in gaps in order to create your model.
I'll select the tool here and now I'm going to choose
my cross sections in the order from the hexagon
to the circle to the square, and then press return.
I'll press return again and we can see
that I have created a very complex looking shape
with just three cross sections.
This is a great tool for creating things like
boat hulls, propellers, or anything else
with different cross sections throughout its composition.
The last tool that I want to show you
is called the push pull tool.
If you've ever used another 3D modeling program
this is probably a familiar tool.
It is also the only one that does not require
a closed polyline to work with.
It uses more of a closed area just like the hatch tool
or a paint bucket tool to create the model.
Then you give it a third dimension
and it will extrude it just like the extrude command.
I'll find the tool here and as soon as I place my cursor
in a closed area we can see that it highlights the edges
to let me know that I can select it.
I'll simply click and then drag my cursor
the height that I want it to be and return.
I'll repeat the process here with this closed area
and again click, and then return
to get me out of the command.
So these tools allow for simple work flows
to get from 2D drawings to 3D models.