9.0

Table Of Contents

188 RIGID BODIES

DYNAMICS

RIGID BODIES 189

Now suppose you pull the spring a second time, only this time you pull much harder.

So much harder, in fact, that the spring is permanently distorted. When you let go,

the spring will not return to its original length. The spring has undergone plastic

deformation, which occurs once the spring has been stretched beyond a point known

as the spring’s elastic limit.

Now you pull the spring once more, only this time with all your might. So you give

a Herculean tug and ... the spring snaps of course.

All of this behavior — snapping, plastic deformation and elastic deformation — can

be simulated using the springs in Dynamics. Note that springs are displayed yellow

in the viewport when not selected.

There are two ways to create springs and attach them to rigid bodies. Either the

springs can be created using the Rigid Springs dialog or the springs can be drawn in

the viewport using the RBS Draw Tool.

Using the Rigid Springs Dialog

Create, edit and attach springs

in the Rigid Springs dialog.

Using the Rigid Springs dialog, you can create, edit and attach springs as well as adjust

all of the properties of the springs including elastic and plastic behavior.

You can select and edit multiple springs. To add a spring to the selection, Ctrl-click

the spring’s name or number in the spring list. To remove a spring from the selection,

Ctrl-click once more.