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I am trying to create a curved object from two "caps" that have different geometries by extruding them along the curve and then bridging the edge loops to get a solid object.

Essentially I want to do what was done in this thread: Lofting: can I copy a Shape-Keyed mesh for each frame of its animation? but cannot do the first step where the poster had already made the animation with the shape keys following the curve.

cap objects and curve

I have tried using shape keys so I can get one cap to morph into the other. This works, but as soon as I try to use "follow path" together with the shape keys, the path isn't followed anymore (without the shape keys it works).

I also considered instead using an array and curve modifier which works well, except that I would want the array objects to gradually transform into the other shape, so I am not sure if this is possible.

array with bridged edge loops

Ultimately I want to be able to write a script to create a 3D object from the two objects (or same object with the 2 shape keys). I don't need to have an animation, just the solid object, although maybe the animation and the code in the thread above is the best way to use the shape keys.

Duarte Farrajota Ramos
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user100365
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  • Have you tried just bridging the edge loop with multiple cuts and THEN using a curve modifier? – TheLabCat May 02 '21 at 02:17
  • Thanks @ZargulTheWizard! that is a good idea. I tried it but unfortunately when I bridge with several cuts it already creates curvature (Although the wrong one). and when I then try to add the curve modifier it isn't following the curve – user100365 May 03 '21 at 07:36
  • Ahh. Change the blend in the bridge operator to linear instead of smooth. – TheLabCat May 03 '21 at 11:55
  • Thank you so much for the tip. That solves that issue, but then the edges are intersecting each other (unfortunately my two edge loops are not really facing each other so directly connecting them makes a really messy mesh – user100365 May 04 '21 at 14:28
  • Umm, remesh modifier maybe? – TheLabCat May 04 '21 at 14:30
  • Thanks! tried it but I really want the edge loops intact still. The issue with this geometry is also that the linear connection connects the upper edge loop in the "wrong" direction (e.g. in the image above, it connects it straight down since it is the shortest path, whereas I want the upper loop to be extruded sideways and then down. – user100365 May 04 '21 at 14:44

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