I make a lot of two-profile lofts to simulate bent wire routing in wire harnesses.
After picking the two profiles, I need to have the following settings as default:
- Start/End Constraints
-Start constraint:
-Normal To Profile
-End constraint:
-Normal To Profile
- Options
- Un-check Merge result
If I could have these default settings active every time I start Solidworks it would save me a ton of time!
Sweeps require a 3D sketch containing path splines. Setting the spline end tangents normal to the wire cross section is similarly very time consuming. Add to this the compute intensive nature of the 3D sketch and sweep generation. Lofting turns out to be much faster.
Have you ever considered saving a round profile sketch as a Library Feature Part (.sldlfp), and using the Structural Shape function for wire? That way the profile is automatically normal to the path sketch. I rarely model wire, but I use this method for cables and rebar with good results. Rebar sometimes requires a 3d sketch for the path, and the cables almost always do. You could even attach custom properties for the wire sizes in the profile sketch that would carry over to the Part as cut list properties, which could then be referenced in a Drawing if needed.
Make the sketches & loft how you need it, the save the part as a "New" Template, now you can choose that template and all you need to do is edit the sketches etc...
I doubt if there's any way to change the default settings, but I can't help but ask: Why are you using Lofts instead of Sweeps to create wire? Isn't it the same size and shape at each end?