How to Create and Split Lofted Bends in BricsCAD Mechanical

Quick answer: BricsCAD lets you create or recognize lofted sheet metal parts with curvilinear geometry, manufacturable through multiple bending, resolving the link referenced on this hub’s Creating Flanges page.

Creating a Lofted Bend

1. Launch SMLOFT via the Create Lofted Bend tool button on the Sheet Metal toolbar or ribbon bar, or Create Sheet Metal Loft in the Sheet Metal menu. You’re prompted to select two cross sections.
2. Select two profile entities; you’re prompted to set fillets Radius, Thickness, Single bend, or Flanges with bends (defaulting to Flanges with bends).
3. Press Enter to accept the default settings; a preview generates, and you’re prompted to set fillets Radius, Thickness, Single bend, Flanges with bends, thicken Inside, Both sides, or thicken Outside. If the HKA field is on in the Status Bar, the Hotkey Assistant widget displays; press Ctrl to choose where the part’s thickness sits relative to the source profiles, Thicken inside, Thicken to both sides, or Thicken outside.
4. Press Enter to create the sheet metal part. With FEATURECOLORS on, you can visually distinguish between the two flanges and the lofted bend, confirming exactly the same flange-vs-lofted-bend color distinction covered on this hub’s Sheet Metal Features page.

Lofted Bend Properties

Select the lofted bend feature to view or edit its properties in the Mechanical Browser, confirming exactly the same two properties covered in the Bends vs Lofted Bends comparison table on this hub’s Sheet Metal Features page:

• Number of subdivisions: the number of flat regions in the unfolded representation, more subdivisions add more bend lines to the unfolded view.
• Unfolding mode: most lofted bends unfold using an intelligent quad tessellation algorithm, but this can sometimes produce non-optimal results, set it to Triangulation for a more straightforward algorithm that creates triangle-like quads instead.

Splitting a Lofted Bend

Lofted bends can split along a line on the lofted surface at an arbitrary point.

1. Launch SMSPLIT via the Split tool on the Sheet Metal ribbon tab, the Mechanical > Sheet Metal > Split menu, or the command itself. You’re prompted to select lines or edges to split the flange, or choose SMart split, draw a New line, or selection options.
2. Choose draw a New line.
3. Specify the start and end points of the line on the selected flange; the lofted bend splits. If the connecting junction is also dissolved, the separated part can then move freely.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I switch a lofted bend’s Unfolding mode to Triangulation? When the default intelligent quad tessellation algorithm produces non-optimal unfolding results for that particular bend.

How does FEATURECOLORS help when working with a lofted bend? It visually distinguishes the two flanges from the lofted bend itself, using distinct colors.

Can I move the separated part after splitting a lofted bend? Yes, provided the connecting junction is also dissolved.

What determines how many bend lines appear in a lofted bend’s unfolded view? Its Number of subdivisions property, more subdivisions add more bend lines.