Most 3D parts you build in Fusion 360 can be created with Extrude and Revolve — but every now and then you encounter a shape that neither tool can handle. A part that transitions smoothly from a square cross section at one end to a circle at the other. An airfoil wing profile that tapers and twists from root to tip. A nozzle that gradually changes from a large rectangular inlet to a small circular outlet. These are exactly the kinds of shapes the Loft tool was designed for. Loft creates a smooth, blended solid body by connecting two or more sketch profiles, and it is one of the most powerful and versatile tools in Fusion 360 once you understand how to use it effectively. Loft takes two or more 2D sketch profiles — placed on different planes at different positions — and generates a smooth 3D solid that transitions between them. Unlike Extrude, which pushes a single profile in a straight line, Loft interpolates the geometry between profiles, creating organic flowing shapes that would be extremely difficult or impossible to model any other way. You can loft between two profiles for a simple transition, or add multiple intermediate profiles to control exactly how the shape evolves along its length. Loft is the right tool when your part changes cross-sectional shape along its length. Common use cases include transition ducts and nozzles that change from one profile shape to another, aerodynamic bodies like wings, fairings and streamlined enclosures, ergonomic shapes that need to flow naturally between different cross sections, organic product design forms, and any part where Extrude would produce a shape with abrupt geometric transitions that need to be smooth and continuous instead. Go to Solid in the top menu and click Loft. There is no default keyboard shortcut for Loft, but you can assign one in the keyboard shortcut settings if you use it frequently. The Loft dialog is more complex than Extrude or Revolve because it has more options — take a moment to familiarise yourself with the layout before diving in. Before opening Loft, you need at least two sketch profiles. For a basic loft that doesn't use rails, both profiles must be on different, separate planes — you cannot loft between two sketches on the same plane in that case. The profiles do not need to be the same shape — in fact, Loft is most useful precisely when they are different shapes. Create your first sketch on one plane, finish it, then create your second sketch on a different plane further along the axis. For a simple transition from a square to a circle, sketch a square on the XY plane at Z equals zero, then create a new sketch on a plane offset 50mm along the Z axis and draw a circle on it. Finish both sketches before opening Loft. Go to Solid → Loft to open the Loft dialog. Click on each profile in the order you want the loft to progress through them. Click the first profile, then click the second profile. If you have three or more profiles, click them in sequence from one end to the other. The order you select them matters — Fusion 360 will build the loft in the sequence you specify, so always select profiles from one end of the part to the other rather than jumping around. Rails are curves that guide the shape of the loft between profiles. Without rails, Fusion 360 uses its default interpolation algorithm to connect the profiles, which works well for simple shapes. For more complex shapes where you need precise control over how the loft transitions — ensuring a specific edge stays straight, or that the loft follows a specific curvature — you can add rail curves by clicking the Rails section in the Loft dialog and selecting sketch curves that run along the length of the loft. Rails must touch or pass through each profile at the corresponding control point. Rails also change the plane rule above: with rails guiding the shape, your profiles no longer have to sit on separate planes. This is how shapes like a half-donut are built — two profiles on the same plane, guided by rail curves, looping the loft around a curved path. Just like Extrude, Loft gives you the choice of New Body, Join, Cut or Intersect. New Body creates a fresh solid, Join adds the lofted shape to an existing body, Cut removes the lofted volume from an existing body and Intersect keeps only the overlap. For most first uses of Loft, New Body is what you want. For each profile in your loft, you can control the tangency condition — how the loft connects to that profile. The default is Connected, which simply passes through the profile. Free allows the loft to approach the profile from any direction. Smooth allows the loft to be tangent to an existing face at that profile location, producing a smooth continuous surface connection between the loft and adjacent geometry. For beginners, leaving these at the default Connected setting is fine until you need more precise surface control. Your lofted body is created. Inspect it from multiple angles to check that the transition between profi