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How to create a network diagram?

This tutorial shows how to create a dynamic network diagram. For 'computer' architecture this can be a way of searching for new programmatic relations and contraints between different aspects of the design process. For instance when the design consists of a complex relational network between several programmatic functions. The individual functions can be translated to nodes with different relational qualities. Each programmatic aspect has its own relational quality between the other aspects of the program. This can create a complex network that is difficult to understand.

Since the computer is good at doing complicated things we can use it as a medium for calculating and generate these diagrams. The resulting diagram can be a new source of inspriations for the design.In this tutorial we will try to create a diagram that consists out of several nodes that interact with each other using springs. A spring can be seen as the relation between programmatic functions. For example their functional relationship (service desk vs. back office) or climate relationships.

This tutorial shows how to create a network diagram with spring-constraints and active rigid bodies that are constraint to certain planes (xy, yx, zx). It covers the basics of constraints, arctive and passive bodies.

1.Create the rigid bodies

Create a sphere and lower the Yscale to 0.5, this makes it look like a disc. Make it an active rigid body (Dynamic Menuset >> Soft/Rigid Bodies >> Create Active Rigid Body Option Box).

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Rigid bodies are object in Maya that have the abillity to interact with Mayas dynamic engine. There are two types of rigid bodies: passive and active. Passive rigid bodies are elements that are not influenced by field or any other form of dynamic manipulation. Passive Rigid bodies can be usefull for ground and other fixed elements in space. Active Rigid bodies on the contrary are object that have the ability to be controlled by the dynamic engine and can for example be controlled by gravity or springs. They have a mass settings that makes it possible to simulate different materials.

RigidBody Settings

● active checkmark, this makes it an active rigid body, if not checked the object will be a passive body.● particle collision, makes it possible for the active rigid body to collide with particles.● allow disconnection, makes it possible to make the rigid body only an active rigid body in certain directions.

Make sure active allow disconnection is checked since we want to lock the translate-Y of the objects. If not checked the object might bounce of in different directions. This can be usefull for 3d diagram but since we are limiting the diagram to 2D we only want the Y coordinate locked.

● mass, the influence of other bodies or forces on the active object.

You can set the mass later to the preferred amount for that specific object, but for this tutorial we leave it to 1.

To lock the Y coordinates of each object we need to disconnect the translate-Y coordinate from the active body, this way the object is only going to be an active rigid body in the X and Z translation and stays on the correct Y-

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coordinate. To do this break the translate-Y connection. (select the translate-Y channelbox, rightclick and then select "break connections"). Do the same to the Rotate XYZ, this makes the body passive in all rotation directions.

2. Copy the items

Duplicate the body 2 times and place them in a triangle. If everything went wel you should now have 3 active rigid bodies with only active rigid body connections on the X and Z translation. You might have to lock the Y coordinate of the copied objects as the settings above.

3. Set up the springs

The idea is to connect the bodies so they will collide and then generate a new form/diagram. You can do this by using constraints. There are 5 type of constraints, all with their own properties

● nail: Constrains a rigid body to a point in world space.● pin: Constrains two rigid bodies together. By default the constraint is created at the midpoint between the

two rigid bodies.● hinge: The hinge constrains the rigid body to an arbitrary axis restricting it to two degrees of freedom.This

constraint can act on one or two rigid bodies. If one rigid body is selected the body is hinged to a point in world space. If two rigid bodies are selected the two rigid bodies are hinged. By default the constraint is created at the midpoint between the two rigid bodies.

● spring: The spring constraint creates a spring which can act on one or two rigid bodies. If one rigid body is selected a spring is create which will constrain the rigid body to a point in world space. If two rigid bodies are selected a spring will be created between the two rigid bodies.

● barrier: The barrier constraint limits the position of a rigid body to one side of an arbitrary plane. The constraint point is the center of mass of the rigid body.

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For this tutorial we will use the Spring.

To create a spring between two rigid bodies you need to create a spring that is connects the two bodies (Dynamic Menuset >> Soft/Rigid Bodies >> Create Constraint >> select Spring in the Constraint Type >> select create)

When you press the play animation button, you probably will not see an animation, this is because the rest-length of the spring is set exactly to the length between the two objects. To create the effect we need, we have to make the spring rest length smaller or larger than its initial value, so for instance if the rest-length is 4 set it to 2 in the channelbox. After this is done you will see the two discs bounce of on each other. (note: if you make the rest-length smaller than the sum of the radial of both spheres, maya may sometimes miscalculate the collision between the two rigid bodies and they will not collide)

The next step is to create al the other connections.

When you press play you will see the two disc triangles bounce of each other an reconfiguring themselves in a certain logic.

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4.Expand the diagram

If everything went well you can put extra discs to your scene and connect these to expand it.You can play with the settings

● make some bodies passive instead of active● change the weight of some bodies depending on their function in the diagram● change the spring rest-length● materialize the object, render the movie

note.

when you set the rest lengt of on spring larger than the sum of the two other, or the end positions of two objects are overlapping, Maya may end up with some errors.

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