(IK Chains, 3DS) Rigging and Posing Robotic Limbs

Weirdboy

I have a robot model I made in 3ds Max that I tried setting up some IK chains on but I ran into some problems. This first image shows how the arm currently looks after setting up a simple IKLimbSolver system. The second shows how I want to arm to look, in order to get everything into the right place I adjusted the pivot points and rotated all joints manually.

The third image shows how all the joints in this arm should function.

Can I set up some sort of IK system to get it to function the way I want or do I have to manually rotate all my pieces over and over again like in the second image?





Thanks.

monster

You can use Rotational Joints to limit the axis of rotation for an HI Ik Solver. It's the IK tab of the Hierarchy Panel.

http://docs.autodesk.com/3DSMAX/15/ENU/3ds-Max-Help/files/GUID-74BF337B-CABA-4693-87D4-41D3D9D85FBD.htm

Weirdboy

That was helpfull, sort of...

I think that I'm on the right track, but I still can't get it to work. Here's what the bones for my bot's arm look like. I can't get the lower bone on the upper arm to rotate in the IK chain so that the forearm can move left and right. Really frustrating...

Weirdboy

Anyone?

I was able to set up a new rig using 3 IK chains, one extending from the wrist to the lower bone on the upper arm, one extending from the wrist to the upper bone on the upper arm and a third one extending from the wrist to a third shoulder bone. Each one of these is set using the IK systems monster mentioned to only move on one of the three rotation axis. I set the three IK targets as close together as I possibly could.

It's an improvement, the only problem is now the movement of the arms doesn't match the movement of the IK goal as accurately as if I was using one IK chain.