Many of our customers have learned about SolidWorks's Loft feature in training. A Loft combines two or more cross sections (profiles) to produce a free-form solid. Here is a lofting option you may not be aware of. It is possible for one of the profiles of the loft to be a single sketched point. This is useful in creating shapes that taper down to zero.
Try this example:
1. Open a new part.
2. Sketch a 2" diameter circle on the Front plane, centered on the origin. Exit the sketch.
3. Create an offset plane 2" from the Front plane [Insert - Reference Geometry - Plane].
4. Open a second sketch on the offset plane. Sketch a point coincident to the origin [Tools - Sketch Entity - Point]. Exit the second sketch.
6. Loft from the first sketch to the second [Insert - Boss - Loft]. You will get a cone shape.
7. Now try this option: Edit the Loft [right-click - Edit Feature]. In the region of the PropertyManager labelled "Start/End Constraints", choose "Normal to profile" for the point, and your cone will get a rounded end.
