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- Creating Surfaces
There are several ways to create surfaces in uMake, enabling you to create a multitude of interesting objects.
Planar (Flat) Surfaces
Planar surfaces are flat
Push/ Pull Surfaces
Lofted Surfaces
Think of a lofted surface like a piece of fabric stretched between wires. To create a lofted surface, select two or more curves. These curves do not need to be on the same plane and can be any shape. Once selected, as long as the curves are green, you can create a surface between these curves. You will see a small symbol indicating a surface can be created when the curves are green. Tap on this symbol to make a lofted surface. Unlike a planar surface, a lofted surface may change in all three axes and be 3 dimensional.
Revolved Surfaces
A revolve surface is a surface created using one curve that is ‘revolved’ around a specific axis. This is perfect for creating simple shapes like bottles or vases, or complex shapes such as the rim of a car or bike wheel. To create a revolved surface, sketch a curve. The curve can be simple or complex. This curve is known as a ‘profile’ curve and will dictate the shape of the revolved surface. Think about a profile curve as if you were to cut a round object in half– what would the shape of the cross-section look like? Once you have your profile curve, tap ‘revolve’ in the Editor side menu. Two handles will appear, and a dashed line will appear between these two handles. This will be the axis of revolution. Moving this axis will change the shape of the revolved surface. As mentioned in the ‘Revolve’ tool, you have some options when creating a revolved surface regarding how many degrees you want the surface to cover.
Extruded Surfaces
Extruded surfaces are surfaces that are extruded, or ‘pulled’ from a single curve. Create a curve you would like to extrude- as, with revolved surfaces, this curve is also a profile curve. Then double-tap and select the curve you wish to extrude. Tap the ‘extrude’ function in the Editor side menu, and then drag the yellow handle to create an extruded surface.
Extrude Along Path
Extrude along a path is a powerful tool that lets you create complex shapes along a path. It requires two curves to work. To start, select both curves — one curve will be the ‘path’- the curve that you will extrude along, and the other curve will be the ‘profile curve’ this will dictate the shape of the surface being extruded. Once both curves are selected, tap extrude from the editor side menu, and then tap ‘along path’. A yellow handle will appear on one of the curves. Be sure the yellow handle is at one of the ends of the ‘path curve’ so you get what you want. If it is not, you can tap ‘switch curves’ in the options in the editor side panel. Once the yellow handle is on the path curve, simply drag along the curve to create the extrusion. Tap ‘