Animated tailgate chain
Animated tailgate chain
(OP)
I've got a problem in which I'm attempting to animate links of a chain with something similar to a tailgate being lowered and later relatched into place. I'd like the chain's links to act as natural as possible, being driven by the motion of the tailgate and gravity.
Any ideas how to do this for a rendered animation? I've looked at some curve-driven motion files (and similar), but I don't see a link between those sorts of files and what I'm trying to do, since my chain path is being changed and driven by other components within an assembly.
Thanks,
Any ideas how to do this for a rendered animation? I've looked at some curve-driven motion files (and similar), but I don't see a link between those sorts of files and what I'm trying to do, since my chain path is being changed and driven by other components within an assembly.
Thanks,
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.






RE: Animated tailgate chain
Have you tried multiple configs and animating in steps?
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
RE: Animated tailgate chain
I checked into the new stuff for SW 2007, but that seems mostly to make things go 'round and 'round. What I'm doing is using links of chain (not drive chain like a bike), so I'm not sure how to drive this motion through other components in the assembly--especially with the appearance of active gravity involved. (Maybe a job for Cosmos, but that's going to be too expensive, methinks.)
I'm still in the bidding process for this gig, so I'd like to come up with a rational solution before placing a final bid. The animation will need to be a single "take" if possible, so steps in animation would be tricky to hide.
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Anyway, you can get it from inside SW:
Design Library > 3D ContentCentral > User Library > Miscellaneous > Various Components. Click on the #8 on top and you'll probably find it there. It is called "chain link-1" and it's contributed by "Webb Schoenfeld" (there a few chains, but this one updates). As long as you keep the spline the same length, this may work for you, and it sounds like quite a challenge to make it look natural (once you through the effects of gravity on the chain).
On a side note, if someone knows about some secret search function for browsing 3D ContentCentral within SW, let me know because it can be a bear flipping page to page trying to find something.
Flores
SW06 SP4.1
RE: Animated tailgate chain
A Enh Req??
Jeff, sorry no help on this one. Good luck. Will you post your animation when through on your site?
Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Thanks for the responses so far. Flores, I'll try to wade through the 3DCC jungle to find what you mean.
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Windows XP / Logitech "Premium" Optical mouse
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.1 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Yeah, maybe we'll work something up like a fade-in/fade-out sort of thing. Might need to do that to get something good.
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
RE: Animated tailgate chain
The cheat that I think would be easiest would be to create two line segments of fixed length connecting the attachment points and then define a spline that would go through the defined by the two segments and the attachment points.
Here's the equations, just in case you want to do it the hard way:
h
-b
RE: Animated tailgate chain
Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.