The Radial Sweep tool creates geometry by revolving the geometry selection around a central point. The geometry can be a MODO Curve profile, or a polygon silhouette shape. This is the common method for creating simple round objects like bottles, plates or goblets. Radial Sweep can also be very useful for creating objects such as springs by using the offset control to not only spin the selected geometry while sweeping it but also move the new elements along the tools axis. Users will not receive satisfactory results when sweeping closed shapes such as cubes and spheres.
Helix Generator--
Count: This value determines the number of new segments generated by the tool.
Axis: Determines along which axis to sweep the geometry.
Axis X/Y/Z: These three values determine the location of the tools Axis control handles. If the values are set to 1 meter on all axes the handles ends will have one end at -1 X, -1 Y, -1 Z and the other at 1 X, 1 Y, 1 Z creating a skewed off axis plane for the array.
By default the Start and End Angles go from 0 to 360 degrees. This creates an array that completes a circle. Changing these two values can create an array that revolves many times or one that leaves one side of the circle open. Setting the end value to greater than 360 degrees is very useful when combined with some non-zero offset value.
Start Angle: This degree setting determines the rotation placement for the first lathed geometry.
End Angle: This degree value determines the rotation placement for the last lathed geometry.
Offset: Moves each successive segment a user defined distance from the previous along the tools axis. This value is very useful when combined with an End Angle greater than 360 degrees so that the array creates a spiral for items such as a spring or telephone cord.
Sweep Effector--
Sweep UVs: Determines along which UV axis to span the newly created geometry.
Invert Polygons: This toggle will simply flip the polygons created by the tool. In some circumstances lathing geometry will turn inside out. In this case simply activate the Invert Polygons control and they will face the correct direction.
Cap Start/End: The Cap controls are only useful when the start and end angles do not result in a complete 360 rotation since in this case the start and end segments are joined together. 'Cap Start' creates a cap on the start of the lathe to avoid a hole in the mesh, 'Cap End' creates a cap on the end of the lathe.
Profile Attributes--
If the user wishes, one can easily sweep a preset profile as readily as selected geometry by LMB clicking any of the profiles in the tool properties Profiles viewport.
Size: The size of 1D or 2D profile to sweep. If the size is 0.0, it uses the real size.
Curve Subdivision Tolerance: This is the minimum angle when it subdivides the bezier curve to a string of two-point polygons for extrusion. This setting basically controls the detail tolerance of the conversion from the original curve to the resulting sweep.
Pivot: Specify the pivot position of the profile.
Offset X/Y: These are the offset amount on the profile space.
Reverse X/Y: Reverse the selected profile to horizontal or vertical.
