KAL-9000 Animation editor.

[pricelessppp]

How do I use the KAL-9000 animation editor for folding wings like on a fighter jet or for actuating brakes on a Star ship replica? And how do I make centrifuges or propellers or helicopters. Haven't found any good clear tutorials on this.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

17 hours ago, pricelessppp said:

How do I use the KAL-9000 animation editor for folding wings like on a fighter jet or for actuating brakes on a Star ship replica? And how do I make centrifuges or propellers or helicopters. Haven't found any good clear tutorials on this.

Look to my 'frustration blog' about how to get a helicopter to work. It's still on the Game/Tutorial front page. 

If/when you get making and flying a helicopter figured out, using the KAL and Action Groups is a whole lot easier.  I've been plunking KALs and robotic parts on all kinds of stuff. 

 

From there it should be easy to do what you want to 

[AHHans]

There are a few videos about the KAL-1000 youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=KAL-1000
Some of them are more others are less useful, but I believe that this is the best way to learn how to use them.

Some comments about propellers: at the start you'll want counter-rotating propellers that cancel out the torque on your craft (plane, helicopter). These can be on the same axis with one or two powered rotors or on two separate but parallel axes. For the start it is easiest to have them on one axis with an unpowered (remove the motor in the editor) rotor or serve acting as a bearing and a powered rotor with blades at both ends powering both propeller discs. When attaching the propeller-/helicopter-/fan-blades you need to turn the 90 degrees so that the front faces into the air. Then you need "deploy" them and set the deploy direction so that they give thrust in the direction you want.
Propellers are complicated! Also have a look at the design notes about propellers. I prefer to keep the rotor RPM constant and change thrust by changing the deploy direction the the blades.

Helicopters are even more complicated! In RL too.