Mechanical Linkage Contstraints

[dantheman21477]

I need a little help in properly applying constraints to a mechanical linkage. I have attached a jpg to show what I would like to animate. Basically what needs to happen is that a rod at the bottom of the image rises up and through a series of mechanical linkages it shuts a valve. The problem seems to be the pivots of the mechanical linkage. I can parent all of the parts and create a skeleton to make it work correctly, but it will not pivot correctly. Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Hopefully something simple

Thanks,
Dan Brownson

[fortner_mike]

It would be really hard to explain in words, so i made a rig just like that. You can download it and you should figure it out. Its all done using locators and constraints, and in two cases making a parent constrain and then breaking all but the Y translate connections. http://www.filefactory.com/file/8e04c2/

The host will delete the file after 7 days, so if you cant download it, post here and i will re-upload it.

[dantheman21477]

That was just what I was looking for!!! Your post really helped out with this. The only minor problem I had was a couple of my groups did not have their pivot point in the right place. Once I corrected that this worked great. Thanks again, I owe you a few beers for this one (or wine, soda, whiskey... ).

Thanks,
-db

[fortner_mike]

Cola will do

[chupa]

QUOTE(thirt33n @ 05/27/07, 09:24 AM) [snapback]266949[/snapback]
It would be really hard to explain in words, so i made a rig just like that. You can download it and you should figure it out. Its all done using locators and constraints, and in two cases making a parent constrain and then breaking all but the Y translate connections. http://www.filefactory.com/file/8e04c2/

The host will delete the file after 7 days, so if you cant download it, post here and i will re-upload it.

Really interesting. I'd love to see your solution as it would be very helpful for a problem I've been having. Skeletons just aren't cutting it. Would you mind reposting your file ... or email?

[joojaa]

QUOTE(Chupa @ 12/28/07, 07:04 PM) [snapback]278822[/snapback]
Skeletons just aren't cutting it.

Skeletons are nothing more than trasforms, with visualized links. Hene theres nothing that they solve! so no skeletons alone never do anything.