Trying to do a complex loft - is it possible

[Anonymous]

Good day everyone.

I am trying to do a rather complex and not having any luck.  Perhaps someone out there can show me the proper way to do this.  Hopefully I can explain correctly.

There are only two profiles.   A circle (Profile 1) and a 6-sided polygon (Profile 2).

The caveat is that each side of the polygon should come to a single point on the circle - creating flat edges from Profile 2 to profile 1, and round edges from profile 1 to profile 2's "Points".   

Here's a photo that I edited that hopefully explains better.

The base photo is the loft I did in Fusion 360 - but it was not correct.  The red lines indicate what I am after.

Each edge of the polygon should come to a point on the circle.  The resulting triangles that share an edge with the polygon would be flat and the rest would be curved.  In the end, the result is similar to an R4 droid from Star Wars (see additional photo below)

Any suggestions on how to accomplish this?

[HughesTooling]

I think you should first create a flat topped cone using the bottom circle and a top circle the same diameter as the across corners of the hexagon. Then create a sketch and extrude to create one of the 6 flats and pattern the extrude feature to create the other 5, finish by adding fillets.

Mark

[Anonymous]

This is actually how I tried to do it originally, but I ended up getting conical flat sides rather than "triangular" flat sides. With a loft, the flat sides are flat (which is what I want), but I can't seem to loft from a single point on the upper plane to multiple points on the lower plane. Not sure what to do.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Not sure if this is what you are after, Loft with rails,

From the top I have the result, but using curved rails may not be the answer.

File attached...

Might help.....

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dave.  Rails was the answer.

I just played around with the rails after your suggestion.  I use the profile of the triangular flats, so the rails were straight.  The end result was exactly what I wanted.

Thanks again!