Creating and Editing Joints

By Matt Stevenson

Joints union two objects together and can restrict and allow certain movements.

 

      1.)  First create the two objects you want to join together, for this example we will use rectangles.

                             

 

2.)  Now select one of the objects, and then click and hold down the joint button , you will see a list of the different joints(as seen left).  Choose 1D Hinge Joint.  The glue bottle will appear, click on the 2nd rectangle.  A joint will appear.  You will notice now that the objects are glued together, and can move as though they were on a hinge.  Try it.  Click and hold down the square on the right and then move it up and down.

                                                           

                                                                  

 

3.)  You will notice a small green triangle near the joint.  This triangle changes what part of the object will swing on the joint.  The triangle is currently over the rectangle to the left.  This makes the rectangle to the right move while the one on the left stays fixed.  To have the rectangle on the left move and the one on the right stay fixed, click and hold on the green triangle and move it above the rectangle on the right.  This arrow helps you move certain objects when dealing with multiple joints.

  

                                                                                Now the object on the left swings while the                   

                                                                                Other stays fixed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


4.) Editing joints is fairly simple.  To begin click on the edit joints directly button .  The joint will now look like the picture to the left and you will now be able to do a number of different things to it. 

 

5.) You can click on the joint itself and move it without moving the objects. 

 

 

6.) You will notice the yellow lines with red dots at the end.  Using these will rotate the joint.

a.)    To rotate the joint on the x axis, right click and hold on one of the red squares and then move the mouse.  This will rotate the joint on the x axis as seen left.

 

 

b.)    To rotate the joint on a Y axis.  Click and hold down on the red square again.  This time move the mouse left and right.  This will move the joint on a Y axis as seen left.

 

 

 
 

 

                    a.   

 

                    b.     

7.)    To increase or decrease the range of motion of the joint you must edit the blue circle.  To do this click on the edit joints directly button again.  The blue circle looks somewhat like a pizza with a piece taken out of it. 

a.)    To edit the circle, click and hold down on the edge where there is a  piece missing from the circle as seen left.  Now move the mouse and you will see that you can make the missing part of the circle larger or smaller.  In the picture to the left it has been made smaller.