Example - Hinge

HingeBreak_2020.7z (2.38 MB)

  1. The first thing to note is the five hinged blocks above the floor. The first one is Static and acts as the base for the other four plates, which each have two hinges to attach them to the next plate. Note also that the last plate in the chain is considerably heavier than the others.

  2. All of the constraints for the plates are Hinges apart from one Point to Point. It is the connection between the final two plates that are different from the others. The Hinge constraint is Breakable and the Breaking Force required is 10000 here. As noted in the General Constraint Rules, start with a breaking force based on the Mass*Gravity and adjust up and down.


  3. The other connection for this last plate is a Point to Point, so that when the Hinge breaks the last plate swings around. This constraint is also breakable and this time an envelope was used to dictate exactly when the constraint would break.


  4. The scene also shows the destruction of the fractured cube sitting on the floor. Note that a solid cube is shown to hide the cracks in our cube to be broken. This cube is dissolved at the moment the last plate hits when the cracks are perfectly natural to be shown.