mesh.Mesh.sweep#

Mesh.sweep(path, eltype=None, csys=None, fuse=True, chained=True, fix=True)#

Sweep a Mesh along a path, creating an extrusion.

Parameters#

path: Curve object | Mesh object

The path over which to sweep the Mesh. A Mesh can be provided, if this Mesh can be converted to a Curve using the to_curve() method.

eltype: str or ElementType, optional

The element type of the constructed hypermesh. Normally, this is set automatically from the base element type and the connection degree. If a different element type is specified, a final conversion to the requested element type is attempted (using convert()).

csys: CoordSys

The coordinate system that will be positioned along the frenet axes. If not provided, the global axes are used.

fusebool, default=True

If True, the resulting Mesh will be fused when sweeping along a closed path or closed branch. Nodes of different branches, if present, are not fused.

chainedbool, default=True

If True and path is provided as a Mesh, it is first processed with chained() to reorder line elements into connected chains before being converted to a Curve.

  • If multiple chains are found, the cross-section is swept along each chain individually, and the results are concatenated into a single Mesh (without fusing branches).

  • If False, the path Mesh is converted to a Curve as-is.

fix: bool

If True (default), elements with negative volumes are automatically corrected after connecting the meshes. This is done by calling fix_volumes(), which reverses the orientation of elements that have negative volume to ensure positive volume.

Returns#

Mesh

A Mesh obtained by sweeping the given cross-section Mesh (self) along the path.

  • If the path or branch is closed, fuse determines whether nodes are fused at the closure.

  • If multiple chains are present, the sweeps are concatenated into a single Mesh without fusing branches.

Notes#

This operation is similar to the extrude() method, but the path can be any 3D curve.

Important

If you do not provide a coordinate system, the sweep will align the X-axis with the path. In this case, the input Mesh should usually be drawn in the YZ plane (perpendicular to X), so that sweeping produces the intended shape.

See Also#

  • extrude(): extrusion along a straight path

  • revolve(): extrusion along a circular path

  • connect(): general connection of Meshes into a hypermesh

Examples#

>>> path1 = Mesh(eltype='line2')
>>> path1 = path1.subdivide(4).scale(3)
>>> quad = Mesh(eltype='quad4').rotate_y(90.0)
>>> hex = quad.sweep(path1)
>>> print(hex)
Mesh: n_nodes: 20, n_elems: 4, plexitude: 8, level: 3, eltype: hex8
  BBox: [ 0.  0. -1.], [3. 1. 0.]
  Size: [3. 1. 1.]
  Area: 14.0  Volume: 3.0
>>> path2 = path1.rotate_z(90.).translate([-1.0,0.0,0.0])
>>> path = path1+path2
>>> hex = quad.sweep(path)
>>> print(len(hex.split_by_connection()))
2
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