Stack Separator bumps Heat Shield

[antipro]

hi, this is not properly a question, is more a demonstration about "stack separators" behavior in a particular situation,
i.e. when the stack separator is directly in contact with an Heat Shield.
even if maybe you already know it, I'd like to share it anyway.

I was going to Eve with a vessel and I didn't understand why, when separated the probes from the main ship,
I saw a behavior that I did not expect: the separators and the probes attached to them,
even set with "Force Percent = 0", were moving somehow losing their position and alignment.
Like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zuak3leqpfpbalk/probes separator trouble.mkv?dl=0

It took me a while to understand what was happening, I did several tests but in the end I got it:

The Heat Shield and the Separator bump into each other.
To avoid it, they must be joined with the Heat Shield shroud and not in direct contact.

Like this: https://www.dropbox.com/s/n07xpe3fv9cgfw5/vab shroud.mkv?dl=0

Demonstration: https://www.dropbox.com/s/txyn3i8jypp7vz4/stack separators demo.mkv?dl=0

Apart the space in height you need more, IMHO that shroud is so aesthetically ugly, its diameter is major than that of the tank and separators, creating a step.
I know I could disable it, but to see a part attached to another with nothing, literally an empty space, is even worse than the shroud.

I think there is not another solution than using the shroud, is there?
 

Edited November 19, 2020 by antipro

[AHHans]

8 minutes ago, antipro said:

I think there is not another solution than using the shroud, is there?

Have you tried moving the heatshield away from the separator in the VAB? Just enough so that their boundary boxed don't overlap.

[antipro]

43 minutes ago, AHHans said:

Have you tried moving the heatshield away from the separator in the VAB? Just enough so that their boundary boxed don't overlap.

No, I have not, I didn't think about it. Thanks!
Anyway I've just tried and it doesn't work, or at least it works but it looks like when I disable the shroud.


Shield moved 1 step: aesthetically still acceptable, the bump effect is reduced but is still there.





Shield moved 2 steps: the bump effect is totally gone but aesthetically not acceptable, it's almost like when I disable the shroud, empty space.


 

Edited November 19, 2020 by antipro

[AHHans]

18 minutes ago, antipro said:

Anyway I've just tried and it doesn't work, or at least it works but it looks like when I disable the shroud.

O.K. I guess that means there is no good solution. What you could try is to use the node that would generate the shroud, remove the shroud, and then move the heatshield closer to the separator. But I don't have high hopes for that.

[antipro]

21 minutes ago, AHHans said:

What you could try is to use the node that would generate the shroud, remove the shroud, and then move the heatshield closer to the separator.

I tried but it's similar if not the same as when I moved the shield up of one step: bump effect reduced but still present.
No problem, I've already modified the ship, I'll use the shrouds.
Is not a big problem, it is just me that I want to see "clean separations".
Isn't cool too see rings floating somewhere bumping parts.
it even annoys me to have a ghost truss structure where parts pass through.

Edited November 19, 2020 by antipro

[Corona688]

Part of the problem is orbital mechanics.  If you're not joined together, you're in very slightly different orbits and will drift with respect to each other (not always away - given long enough stuff can come back, so beware).

[Zhetaan]

3 hours ago, antipro said:

I think there is not another solution than using the shroud, is there?

This appears to me to be a collision mesh problem.  When you use the non-shrouded node, the parts clip ever-so-slightly into one another, and when you activate the separator, the now-two-vessels force themselves apart.

You ought to consider submitting a bug report for it.

P.S.:  Nice signature!