Rotating telescopic extender

[trekkie_]

basically an idea for a simple, small package consolidation of animated parts like damned robotics.

here's a part that fits into a very small area, but extends out very far, can be even much further than pictured. preferably, I'd like it to have full control over how far it extends. on top of that, I want it to rotate as well. since I'm not an animator, this really isn't going anywhere unless someone that can easily animate would like to take up that work. It can have some more detail, like areas for each ring to slide into the other and look physically connected and functional. this is just a simple preliminary concept.

compact default state:

extended state:

[sirkut]

Couple of questions. Do you plan on attaching things to this? If so animating it will you nowhere _fast_.

The only way, if you use Infernal Robotics, is to create individual parts (2 rings per part) like the Telescoping Pistons that ZodiusInfuser came up with. I could create this with no problem. I can make it extend and rotate at the same time. If you send me that model I can knock it out sometime this weekend.

[trekkie_]

Couple of questions. Do you plan on attaching things to this? If so animating it will you nowhere _fast_.

The only way, if you use Infernal Robotics, is to create individual parts (2 rings per part) like the Telescoping Pistons that ZodiusInfuser came up with. I could create this with no problem. I can make it extend and rotate at the same time. If you send me that model I can knock it out sometime this weekend.

yeah it should ideally attach to other things. I don't think that is impossible since the piston in damned robotics essentially operates on the same principle and it allows for attachment points on both ends. In damned robotics, the extending arm and rotation part are basically the only 2 I used, but the extending arm is a bit cumbersome since it always has some length to it and doesn't extend very much. I haven't seen any of the updates, so I don't know if there are any new parts that serve the same purpose in the same way. looking at the thread, I do see that the telescopic parts must be stacked to create length, although I don't know what they look like.

basically the smallest center ring is what does the actual extending from the main outer ring that serves as the base (that way you don't have parts extending beyond the attachment point before the animation actually moves the attachment area up), then the rest of the rings should animate to follow it, from the inside to the outside, each animation for each ring stopping at the height it becomes flush with the top of the next ring in line, then the whole stack moves up together, and so on. is that not possible? or can it only be just 2 rings? the only 2 parts that need to mesh collide are the outer and inner most rings.

you could probably do the animation in reverse as well, if it's simpler. for example, the first animation would raise the whole inner stack, then the continued animation would raise the whole stack again, minus 2nd the outer most ring, then the 3rd outer most ring, and so on.

i still have to work the model, since it's not 100% precise, just a quick copy and paste and resize job. I forgot where the command in my modeler is which allows me to create multiple copies with each one being smaller than the next so they fit inside each other and precisely line up, but I was playing with it a month ago so I'm sure I'll figure out where it is again soon enough to have it modeled properly. but I have no problem sending the model to you when I'm done....heck if you wanted, you could release the finished part yourself.

Edited November 29, 2013 by trekkie_

[sirkut]

The reason animating parts will not work is because nothing that you attach to it will move with the model. It just doesn't work that way hence chiming in. Just PM me any time and I can help you out.

[wasmic]

You'll have to use the Infernal Robotics plugin to make this work. Go talk to Sirkut.

[nothke]

I asked Sirkut some time ago about telescopic cylinders. The problem with current IR is that you can only move one model (so you can have one static model and one dynamic) and one attachment point. The only way to get multiple cylinders to work is stack a few of them on top of eachother, but that wouldn't save as much space as much you and I want. He said he will probably work on it later, there are more important things to focus on right now with IR.

I need this functionality too, because I was trying to make something similar to the "strela" crane aboard ISS:

Edited November 29, 2013 by nothke

[ZodiusInfuser]

The only way, if you use Infernal Robotics, is to create individual parts (2 rings per part) like the Telescoping Pistons that ZodiusInfuser came up with. I could create this with no problem. I can make it extend and rotate at the same time. If you send me that model I can knock it out sometime this weekend.

Yea, IR has 9 different piston parts that are scaled so that they fit perfectly inside each other, like so

I guess the same principle could be applied to this but it may require some model rework.

[sirkut]

The only downside is they won't be able to extend as far but it can be done.