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396 Chapter 5: Creating Geometry
Da mper D yn ami cs Obj ect
Create panel > Geometry > Dynamics Objects > Object
Type rollout > Damper button
Create menu > Dynamics > Damper
The Damper object provides a dynamic object
that can behave as either a shock-absorber or an
actuator. It consists of a base, a main housing,
and a piston, with an optional boot. The piston
slides within the m ain housing, prov iding different
heights. The overall height can b e affected by
binding objects, i n the same way as the Spring
dynamic object.
Note: Damper is similar to Spring in many respects.
See Spring object (page 1–400) for more detailed
descriptions of similar parameters and procedures.
Pr ocedur es
To create a damper:
1.
Drag and release to specify the diameter.
2. Move the mouse and click to specify the overall
height of the d amper.
To use a damper in a dy namics simulation:
Thefollowingmustbeinplacetousethedamper
forces in a dynamics simulation:
1. Bind two objects to the ends of the damper, a nd
chooseBoundtoObjectPivotsintheEndPoint
Method group box at the top of the command
panel.
2. In t he dynamics simulation, add the damper
to the Object List. (The damper itself is not
adjusted in the dynamics simulation, s o all of
the dynamics parameters will b e disabled for
the damper object.)
3. Includeatleastoneoftheboundobjectsor
aparentof one of the bound objects in the
simulation. For example, you can bind two
dummy objects to the ends of a damper , and
oneofthedummiescanbethechildofan
object that’s included in the simulation. In this
case, the dummy itself does not need to be in
the simulation.
Note: Damper is an "ideal" object with no mass.
While it can be used in dynamics simulations,
it cannot participate directly in collisions or
effects. As a result, when you assign a damper
object to a dynamics simulation, and then view
it in the Edit Object dialog, all of the parameter
settings are disabled.
Interfa ce
End Point Method group
Fr ee Damp er/Actu a t o r—Choose this when using
the damper as a simple object that’s not bound to
others or us ed in a dynamics simulation.