Joint to move a component along an arbitrary path

[lure23]

How do I make the ring (green) be movable alongside the path?

As simple as it gets

I haven't found a way to do this, in Fusion 360.

Design: https://a360.co/32oknwk

Fusion 2.0.6032

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

We've been asking for this joint for many years. Hasn't happened yet 😉

[lure23]

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@TrippyLighting wrote:

We've been asking for this joint for many years. Hasn't happened yet 😉

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Do you know of an IdeaStation entry I could pass my vote to?

[lure23]

[ It's unfortunate that the forum doesn't allow deleting one's entry and even editing it is time limited to well within 1h, it seems. ]

I tried to edit the above to something like:

Seems this is already covered in:

- Curved Slider Joint (Mar 2016)

There was also other text in my reply but it's lost now.

[MichaelT_123]

Hi Mr Asko Kauppii,

Your demand is pretty special, and it seems that not only you would like to perform a function ‘a ring on a path’ with ease, as also Mr TippyLighting uproariously stated We've been asking for this joint for many years. Hasn't happened yet 😉

I also consider it as a very useful feature in our virtual pursuits to mimic real-life scenarios. RingOnPath one happens quite often, so it is the title of the F360 design file which proposes not too difficult way to accomplish the task. In the most part, it should be self-explanatory for the majority of F360 users, but for the sake of the technical correctness here is the short verbose description.

The design steps are as follows:

1. Create a sketch with the required path. In order to avoid unnecessary complications, it should be a single curve segment (2D or 3D)
2. Define a unitless userParameter related to the parametric position of a point (distance) on the path. It should be in a range corresponding to the type of a curve-creating the path.
3. Construct planeOnPath and base on it a sketch from which your ring (or another arbitrary shape) component will be derived.
4. This constitutes the basic method as changing a value of distance parameter will move the component/body along the path. In the attached file it corresponds to Ring_A.
5. In the second scenario create two joint origins, one at root (or a path’s related component) level and the second on ring (movable object) level (Ring_B in the example). Once done, construct a joint of the required type out of these two joint origins.
6. As in point 4. but remove the word body from the sentence.
7. Proceed, building up your design on the created foundation of moving along the path component.
8. Animate the design via API script,.. many examples are available already.RingOnPath

The example and its 4K videos animations can be found here:

• RingOnPath_example.f3d            -  https://a360.co/2jJ7dIT

  RingOnPath_mono.mp4               -  https://a360.co/32pMbjN

  RingOnPath_arcd.mp4                 -  https://a360.co/2lbTfzt

  (anaglyph red/cyan glasses required, best effect while watching natively outside a browser for example in MediaPlayer, VML or similar.)

Regards

MichaelT

[lure23]

Hi MichaelT, 

First, why all the colors and cursive? It's just confusing instead of helping me focus on your text.

Second, as I understand your solution it doesn't involve a joint but custom properties and animation. See the title. 🙂

Third, I don't see this as a "special" need. The ring sample was my simplification, for the sake of this forum. The real cases involve e.g. a pin/slot arrangement that should follow a curve (the Sketch slot types are not enough). Also others had asked for the same functionality, in earlier years.

Thanks for your input, nonetheless. There may be cases where I can use it.

[MichaelT_123]

Hi Mr Asko Kauppi,

The things you do not like, ... just ignore. They are not forced on you.

Regarding the title consider to place or enforce your request on the Idea Board,

 alternatively, find a better way on your own.

Regards

MichaelT

[davebYYPCU]

Having landed here from your recent link, I am not authorised to access the mp4 files.

A few more hours before I can try accessing the file, but the text explains it nicely.

Regardless, Thank you.

[MichaelT_123]

Hi Mr.DavebYYPCU,

... just checked the permissions. In fact I found them for some reason not switched ON.

Corrected, The current links are:

https://a360.co/30W2BA3

https://a360.co/30RIqmL

They are different from ones in the original post. 

Regards

MichaelT

[davebYYPCU]

All good, thanks, speed is impressive.

[Joo5ep]

Great insight! (Y)

BTW, can you share the API script with which you simulated the rotation and animation?

[MichaelT_123]

Hi Mr Joosep Heering,

I have presented in the verbose form in the thread the base how to assemble the model already

I want to stress that the method is adaptable for simple joints as rotation one and with the limited scope of controlling all 'freedoms' of an object moving along a path.

In the case of more complex joints like a ball joint (which in fact is a gimbal joint), the situation gets a significant load of complications. The code behind is painfully strenuous (at least was for me), and even more so, it is for the digestive tract of F360 to the stomach and consequently producing the outcome blob at a reasonable pace.

The method is a part of the F360 extension I call MT123, which is not planned for public release.

As the brief conclusion,... there is undoubtedly a deficiency in the way F360 handles complex 6DoF (9+DoF) scenarios.

Nevertheless, let's hope that TF360 will wholly reveal 4D+ space beauty to its waiting diaspora ... by chance in this epoch (Enoch).

Regards

MichaelT

[Ironsharpmachining]

Wow, I am impressed by the functionality, and cannot be the only one who would love to be able to use this technique--but feel that it is dauntingly out of reach..!!

Nevertheless, great work--and I suppose I will do without the functionality, due to its complexity..!

If nothing else, thank you for at least showing us mere mental mortals what is achievable, with the right skills..!  😉 

-Joey

[kaviator]

Dear MichaelT_123,

Would you be able to share the script in your step 8 for us mere mortals?

Thank you!

[kaviator]

Did you ever find out where one can access that API script or something similar?