Tools menu: Revolve tool

What is the Revolve tool?

You can use the Revolve tool to create 3D bodies by rotating a sketch profile or face around an axis. Revolve is useful for:

• Creating round shapes – Model cylinders, cones, spheres, and other shapes with rotational symmetry.
• Creating partial revolutions – Set an angle smaller than 360° to produce only part of a revolved shape.
• Creating helical shapes – Add elevation while revolving to create coils, springs, and similar forms.

Depending on the selected geometry, the result can form a new body or combine with an existing body through a Boolean operation.

How to use the Revolve tool

Before you start

Make sure you have a sketch profile or face to revolve and an axis to rotate it around. These determine the shape of the resulting body and how it rotates. 

For supported geometry and selection options, refer to Revolve profiles and axes.

Create a basic revolve

1. Go to Tools > Revolve. 
   For other ways to open the tool, visit Accessing tools.
2. Select a sketch profile or face under Profile.
3. Under Axis, select the line, edge, or axis to revolve around.
4. Adjust Angle to set how far the profile revolves. The default is 360°. You can also use the gizmo to adjust the revolve.
5. If necessary, choose a different Result to create a new body or apply a Boolean operation to an existing body.
6. To finish, select Done.

Create a helical body

Use Elevation to move the profile along the axis as it revolves, creating a helical shape.

1. Go to Tools > Revolve.
2. Select a sketch profile or face under Profile, then select the axis under Axis.
3. Set Angle to control the number of turns. Each 360° is one complete revolution; for example, 1080° creates three turns. You can use calculator functionality to calculate the angle.
4. Set Elevation to define the total distance the profile travels along the axis during the revolve.
5. If necessary, adjust Result to control how the new geometry interacts with existing bodies.
6. To finish, select Done.

Revolve profiles and axes

The Revolve tool uses a profile and an axis to create a 3D body. The profile defines the shape being rotated, while the axis determines the center and direction of rotation.

Revolve profiles

A profile defines the cross-sectional shape of the resulting body. You can use:

• Closed sketch profiles – Revolve a closed sketch region to create a solid body.
• Planar faces – Revolve an existing flat face to create a new shape.

Revolve axes

The axis defines the line around which the profile rotates. You can use:

• Sketch lines – Use an existing straight sketch line as the axis.
• Construction axes – Create a reference axis to control the rotation.
• Linear edges – Use a straight edge from existing geometry.
• Grid axes – Use an existing grid axis as the reference.

Parameter Card and History Settings

Shapr3D records the tools you use as steps in History, allowing you to revisit and modify them later. Each History step stores its parameters, which you can access through the parameter card. You can adjust these parameters while using the tool or reopen the parameter card from History after completing the step.

Adjust Revolve parameters

The Revolve parameter card includes:

• Profile – Select the sketch profiles or faces to revolve.
• Axis – Select an edge, curve, or axis to revolve around.
• Angle – Set the amount of rotation. Use 360° for a complete revolution, a smaller angle for a partial revolution, or an angle greater than 360° with elevation to create multiple helical turns.
• Elevation – Set the distance the profile travels along the axis while revolving. Leave it at 0 for a standard revolve, or enter a value to create a helical shape such as a coil or spring.
• Result – Choose New Body to create a separate body, Union to add geometry to an existing body, Subtract to remove material, or Intersect to keep overlapping geometry. The result may be determined automatically from the geometry, but you can change it when needed.

Edit Revolve in History

To modify a completed revolve, find its step in History and review the available settings:

• Profile – Edit the sketch profile or face used for the revolve.
• Axis – Edit the reference axis around which the profile revolves.
• Angle – Change the rotation angle.
• Elevation – Change the distance the profile travels along the axis.

Automatic boolean results

When creating geometry, Shapr3D automatically selects a result based on how the new geometry interacts with existing bodies. You can change the result manually using the Boolean badge or the Result parameter.

Result	What it does	When it's selected automatically
New Body	Creates a separate solid body.	When the new geometry does not touch or overlap an existing body.
Union	Combines the new geometry with an existing body.	When geometry is created from an existing body or extended outward from a connected sketch profile.
Subtract	Removes overlapping material from an existing body.	When a sketch profile or face is pushed into an existing solid body.
Intersect	Keeps only the overlapping volume shared by the new geometry and an existing body.	Not selected automatically. Choose Intersect manually from the Boolean badge or Result parameter.

When to use the Revolve tool

Revolve works best when the shape can be defined by rotating a cross-section around an axis. Common situations include:

• Modeling rounded parts – Create knobs, bowls, shafts, and other rotationally symmetrical objects from a profile.
• Creating partial circular features – Use an angle smaller than 360° to model a section of a round shape.
• Creating coils and springs – Combine Angle and Elevation to form a helix.
• Choosing between Revolve and Extrude – Revolve rotates a profile around an axis, while Extrude extends a profile in a straight direction.

Best practices and troubleshooting

• Choose a profile that represents the cross-section of the shape you want to create.
• Check the position of the axis, since it determines the center of rotation and the resulting shape.
• For a helical shape, set both Angle and Elevation to control the number of turns and overall height.