Rhino 3D Tip: Revolve best practices for rotational parts

Revolve is the fastest route to precise, manufacturable rotational parts—think bottles, knobs, turned components, lenses, pulleys, and seals.

When to use Revolve:

• Create lathe-like geometry from a single 2D profile.
• Guarantee circular accuracy for mating features (bearings, threads’ root bodies, shafts).
• Produce clean, lightweight NURBS with predictable continuity.

Core workflow (reliable every time):

1. In a side view (Right/Front), draw a clean half-profile as a single curve. Keep control points minimal using Rebuild or FitCrv for fairness.
2. Align the profile to a known axis. Use Ortho and Osnap (End, Mid, Perp) to anchor the curve precisely.
3. Run Revolve:
   • Select the profile curve.
   • Pick the start and end of the revolve axis (use SmartTrack for perfect placement).
   • Set start angle = 0, revolve angle = 360 for a full body (or any partial angle as required).
4. If the result has planar openings, run Cap to form a closed solid.
5. Turn on History before revolving to allow live updates when you tweak the profile or move the axis.

Best-practice tips:

• Draw with arcs/lines where possible—analytical curves yield exact cylinders/cones and stronger downstream CAD interoperability.
• Keep the profile on the CPlane for clarity. If needed, define a CPlane aligned to your part and save it as a Named CPlane.
• Use one continuous profile curve. Join segments (Join) and simplify (SimplifyCrv) before revolving.
• Model at correct units and tolerances; small fillets and tiny features need tighter absolute tolerance.
• For partial revolves (e.g., cutouts, spokes), set the revolve angle accordingly and later Mirror/ArrayPolar for repetition.

Quality checks (avoid surprises in manufacturing):

• Inspect continuity with Zebra on blends meeting the revolved body.
• Check for naked edges with ShowEdges (Naked/NonManifold) before exporting.
• Section the model with ClippingPlane to verify wall thickness and clearances.
• Validate sizes using Distance, Radius, and Analyze > MassProperties for volume/weight estimates.

Pro moves:

• Add micro fillets with FilletEdge at the base of revolved transitions to mimic tool radii and improve stress flow.
• For organic updates, edit the profile’s control points (EditPtOn)—History will propagate the change instantly.
• If you need complex fluting or grip details, Revolve the base body first, then use FlowAlongSrf or ArrayPolar to apply patterns.

Common pitfalls (and fixes):

• Profile doesn’t touch the axis: expect an open surface—use Cap only if ends are planar.
• Overly wiggly profiles create ripples: Rebuild to a sensible point count and refine.
• Boolean issues on complex details: Split first (Split), then use BooleanUnion/Difference on cleaner pieces.

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