Introduction
Once you have a 2D sketch, you turn it into 3D geometry. FluidCAD provides several operations for this, each suited to different modeling tasks.
Extrude
extrude() pulls a sketch upward (along the plane's normal) into a solid. It's the most common way to turn a 2D profile into 3D geometry.
Cut
cut() removes material from existing solids. It is a shortcut for a subtractive extrude (extrude().remove()). Sketch a profile on a face, then cut into the solid.
Revolve
revolve() rotates a sketch profile around an axis to create a solid of revolution — think of turning on a lathe.
Loft
loft() creates a smooth transition between two or more sketch profiles on different planes. It's useful for shapes that change cross-section along their length.
Sweep
sweep() moves a profile along a path to create a solid. It's used for pipes, rails, and any shape that follows a curve.
Fillet
fillet() rounds edges with a given radius, creating smooth transitions between faces.
Chamfer
chamfer() bevels edges with a flat cut, creating angled transitions between faces.
Shell
shell() hollows out a solid, leaving walls of a specified thickness. You pick which face(s) to remove — these become the opening.
Rib
rib() turns a sketch line (the spine) into a thickened wall that grows until it meets the surrounding solids. It's the standard tool for adding stiffening webs inside shelled parts.
Wrap
wrap() takes a flat sketch and bends it onto a curved face — like applying a label to a bottle. The sketch is developed onto the surface, preserving every length and angle, then raised from the surface by the given thickness. It's the tool for embossed logos, engraved text, and any feature that has to follow a cylindrical or conical wall.
Color
color() applies a color to faces or entire solids:
Parts
When you build models with multiple components, auto-fusion can work against you — you don't want a bolt to merge into a bracket. part() creates isolation boundaries so components stay separate.
Helix
helix() creates a helical wire — the curve that springs, threads, and coils are built from. On its own it renders as a wire; pair it with sweep() to turn it into a solid.