Collisions detection in 3D environments

[Porras]

Hi, all.

Has anyone worked with collisions detection in 3D environments?

I want to create an application in LabView for detecting collisions between 3D objects. I'm working with VRML models and the 3D Picture Control, but I'm open to other posibilities, if they are possible to be integrated into Labview.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Francisco

[sendia]

Hi Francisco,

I know people are using softmotion and LabVIEW with SolidWorks for collisions detection in 3D environment. I don't know if this match with the tool you are looking for but you can find more information about this topic in these links:

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6183

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6483#toc2

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/9566

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/tut/p/id/6025

Regards,

[Porras]

Hi, sendia.

Thanks for answering. I had seen some of LabView-Solidworks features, but I wanted to create a stand-alone application in LabView, independent from Solidworks.

So, I've been wondering whether is possible to create a 3D model using the 3D Picture Control Toolkit in LabView and then send it to an OpenGL application in C++ that would process the contacts between objects. Do you think that this is possible?

Regards,

Francisco

[BMac]

You may want to check out the new digital prototyping tools that just released. It is called the NI SoftMotion Module for SolidWorks and works with SolidWorks 2009 Service Pack 2.1 or higher and LabVIEW 2009 or higher. These tools connect accurate mechanical/physics simulation capabilities in SolidWorks with industrial-grade motion control software in LabVIEW. There are two ways you can perform collision detection using the tools:

1. After the your motion control application is finished running, switch the scan engine to configuration mode. (To do this, right-click on My Computer >Utilities>Scan Engine Mode.) Then, in the SolidWorks motion study Motion Manager Toolbar, right-click on the top item in the tree (which has the same name as your assembly) and select Check Interference. Then click on the parts you want to check for collisions on, and select Find Now. If collisions occured, SolidWorks will tell you the time of the collisions and the volume of overlap.

or 

2. You can use a distance sensor to detect collisions. In this case, LabVIEW can monitor the sensor while the motion simulation is running and take action (such as stopping the move and alerting you) if the sensor value changes.  This also enables to to detect a "near miss" where the parts came too close for comfort but didn't actually collide. To include proximity sensor feedback in your LabVIEW control applications, add a dimension to your SolidWorks assembly and connecting it to a Measurement sensor in SolidWorks with an Alert configured (for example, alert if the distance is less than 5 mm). Then in LabVIEW, right-click on the SolidWorks assembly item in the LabVIEW project and select Map Sensors. For an example, launch the LabVIEW Example Finder (Help>Find Examples) and try running the shipping example called "Basic SolidWorks Sensors.lvproj".

Here's some background information...

NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks enables mechanical, electrical and control engineers to collaborate by creating a digital prototype of the motion control system that integrates mechanical simulation, motion control software, and sensor feedback. As soon as you have a CAD drawing, you can begin prototyping the machine design long before you incur the expense of building a physical machine. The new tools enable you to do thinks like:

• visualize realistic machine operation
• validate and iterate on the mechanical, control and electrical aspects of your design
• estimate the cycle time performance
• check for collisions or other programming mistakes
• calculate force/torque loads for stress analysis 
• select and size motor and mechanical transmission components
• improve communication between the engineers on your team and with customers
• deploy the validated motion control application to NI CompactRIO for use on the physical machine

The following software versions are required:

• LabVIEW 2009 (32-bit) or later

• LabVIEW NI SoftMotion Module Standard or Premium

• SolidWorks 2009 Service Pack 2.1 or later and SolidWorks Motion Simulation with the Motion Simulation add-in enabled from the Tools menu in SolidWorks. This is included with SolidWorks Premium, Simulation Premium, or Simulation Professional. When you enable the Motion Simulation add-in from the Add-Ins dialog box in SolidWorks, place a checkmark in both the left and right checkboxes so you don’t have to reenable the add-in each time you use NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks.

For more information, visit this site:

http://www.ni.com/digitalprototyping/

Here's a few other resources to get you started. 

LabVIEW-SolidWorks Digital Prototyping Training (see the topic called "Motion Control Timing and Sequencing")

Getting Started Guide for NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks

Here are links to the evaluation versions of LabVIEW and the NI SoftMotion Module for SolidWorks:

LabVIEW 2009

NI SoftMotion Module (includes a 30 day evaluation license for NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks)

Contact your local SolidWorks reseller to purchase SolidWorks, upgrade your existing SolidWorks installation to SolidWorks Premium (which includes the required SolidWorks Motion Simulation capability), or to request an evaluation version of SolidWorks:

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/contact.htm

For information on deploying your motion control application to the NI CompactRIO programmable automation controller (PAC) platform, see this site:

http://www.ni.com/motion/