@Michael:
What about only position/align parts with face-face way with given offset value: https://youtu.be/xtZhw4egOGM?t=2512
It`s used in assemblies but I think it would be also nice way of positioning things when you hit two faces and both objects are aligned perpendicularly according both selected faces. It works nicely also on circular faces (f.e. bolts in holes).
I know there are many ways of doing that but having that feature with present offset value could be also useful IMO.
If you don`t have Rhino then maybe FreeCAD will be able to simulate MoI3d models as you want: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1jigCuD9jM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-wYmGekF2c
version 0.19 of FreeCAD was released few days ago and it`s quite nice to try (and free).
I`ve tried it lately because I wanted to use it together with MoI3d and Rhino.
I`ve imported some MoI3d parts into FreeCAD as step files and it worked quite well.
@Michael: one more thing :) I`ve thought also about adding something to show naked edges as built-in solution (button) not external script. I think it would be easier for newbies for tracing geometry errors.
re:
> What about only position/align parts with face-face way with given offset value:
Do you mean as a transform tool or as a constraint in a constraint solving system like in the vid you linked?
You can do it as a transform tool currently using the Transform > Orient command. To get your offset value, before you pick the base point type in r0,0,offset (like r0,0,5 for offset of 5) and that will alter the base point to be at +5 along the base face's surface normal.
Here's an example orienting 2 parts by face-face picks with offset value of 25:
re:
> @Michael: one more thing :) I`ve thought also about adding something to show naked edges as built-in solution (button)
> not external script. I think it would be easier for newbies for tracing geometry errors.
There is a built in function for it in v4 currently, under the detailed object properties dialog.
It gives a report in there on the number of joined and naked edges in an object and all of the labels in the report are clickable, if you click on any of them it will select the corresponding objects.
In v5 there will be another way to do it as well using the Scene Browser. There will be various sub types like you'll be able to go under Edges and use the entry for Naked edges to target them.
Mechanical animation and motion constraints in Blender (free but... :) :) )
Universal joint:made in Moi,export FBX to Blender
Mechanically correct,it works in realty ;)
I like it much but it looks very complicated to build from scratch, especially in French :)
I look for similar solution for making mechanical animations/simulations like that but I would like to see it more straightforward for "sunday" mechanical animator where buttons help you choose presets and leads you to the goal without braining too much ;). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWtekHNl894
I like the suggestion by mdesign above to use Folders as a grouping mechanism. Seems like it would fit in well with the existing UI.
For example, I'm currently modeling a car in MoI. Each wheel has 56 spokes, a rim, a hub, a cap and a tire. Sixty objects, currently assigned to 5 colors.
Would be great to group those into a Folder called Wheel. Ability to Lock/Unlock & Hide/Unhide as usual. If un-locked, any Alignment Tool applied to the Folder would automatically default to "Move as Group".
If we had sub-folders, each of the 4 wheel folders could be in a folder called Wheels.
And as mdesign suggested, folders would be great for consolidating and holding extrusion curves, cutting objects, trimming curves, etc.
In Rhino forum one guy posted script for mating: https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/how-to-align-two-objects/121132/32 You can see also how it works in video here.
It`s quite short and simple script. Your method is wonderful I`m only sharing it because it`s in same topic as we talked previously. Maybe it will help somebody to write similar script for MoI (if it will be needed of course).
UNIVERSAL JOINT.gif
