1
$\begingroup$

Trying to setup some mechanics in Blender, I ran into a "challenge". I've used a hinge to setup at gear, so that it only rotates around it's z-axis - simple. But one of my gears should only be able to rotate clockwise. I can't find out how to lock a hinge rotation direction - Is it possible?

Trying to find another solution a tried to add a bar, hinged in one end, acting like a stop block. Now I would have loved this hinge to "auto close" (return to zero like loaded with a spring) But I can't find any info about this being possible either.

I've also tried to connect the bar and gear with a generic spring. This almost did the trick, but not 100% because the bar is to jumpy though bounciness is 0 on both elements. Besides hinge locking on the gear itself, seems like a far easier way then moddeling a one-way gear.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have no experience with bone rigging, so I don't know if this would be a better way? Nor python, if this is the way to lock z-axis direction on a hinge..?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Have you tried a Limit Rotation constraint? $\endgroup$
    – David
    Commented Nov 27, 2017 at 20:52
  • $\begingroup$ David do you mean "Limits:" under the Hinge constraint? Because this I have tried. Thought Lower = 0, Upper = 360 or Lower = -360, Upper = 0 could have worked that way. But no luck.. Or is "Limit Rotation constraint" a whole other constraint that can be bound to a Hinge constraint? $\endgroup$
    – René O
    Commented Nov 28, 2017 at 16:20

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1
$\begingroup$

I believe you'd run a script at each frame that updates the Z-axis limit.
That way it can only go forward, 'cuz the limit will keep inching along with it's current rotation.

rachet

Something along the lines of this, but I'm not a pro at event handlers.
I got that bit of info from: How to make python script check some value every frame

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
0
$\begingroup$

Also, I'd like to point out, it might be easier to accomplish in the Blender Game Engine. You can set the Z-axis to increment every time an object collides with the gear.

This might not achieve the level of realism you're going for. I don't know what the required render output is.

If you're just going for a simple animation, this should be fine.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your comment - I'll keep that in mind. I'm just playing around with som mechanical gears and though it would be easier for me to model it in blender then in real life ;-) $\endgroup$
    – René O
    Commented Nov 28, 2017 at 16:24

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .