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362 Chapter 5: Creating Geometry
Normal and Adaptive B eveling
The Bevel Deformation dialog provides three
types of beveling: Normal, Adapt ive Linear, and
AdaptiveCubic.Theseareavailablefromaflyout
at the right end of the dialog toolbar.
With normal beveling, the beveled shape
remains par a llel to the original, regard less of the
crotch angle of the shape. Steep crotch angles
combined with excessive bevel amounts result in
overshooting at the crotch.
Adaptive beveling alters the length of the bevel
shapebasedonthecrotchangle.AdaptiveLinear
alters the length-to-angle in a linear fashion.
Adaptive Cubic alters it more on steep angles than
on shallow angles, producing a subtly different
effect. Both forms of adaptive beveling result in
nonp ara llel beveled edges, and b oth are less likely
to produce invalid bevels due to overshoots at the
crotch.
To see t he differences in the three types of beveling,
loft a star shape along a straight path and apply
a bevel. When you switch among the three types
of beveling, you’ll see the difference in the bevel
outline. Alter one radius of the star to examine
thebevelingwithshallowandwithsharpcrotch
angles.
Procedure
To use B evel defor mati on:
1.
Select a loft object.
2. Click Loft in the modifier stack display.
3. Click Bevel on the Deformations rollout.
4. Adjust the deformation curve.
Deform Fit
Select a Loft object. > Modify panel > Deformations
rollout > Fit
Fit curves define a lofted shape.
Fit deformation lets you use two Fit curves to
definethetopandsideprofilesofyourobject.Use
Fitdeformationwhenyouwanttogenerateloft
objects by drawing their profiles.
Fit shapes are really scale boundaries. As your
cross-section shape t ravels along the path, its X
axis is scaled to fit the boundaries of the X-axis f it
shape and its Y axis is scale d to fit the boundaries
of the Y-axis fit shape.
Note: Fitisnotavailablewhenloftoutputissetto
Patch.
Procedure
To use Fit deformation:
1.
Select a loft object.
2. Click Loft in the modifier stack display.
3. Click Fit on the Deformations rollout.
4. Select shapes in the v iewport to use as fit curves.