Algodoo

Very realistic! Nicely done.

Thanks.

When I wrap one end of the wire clockwise around the posts, and then wrap the other end in the same direction, it causes the first end to unravel in the opposite direction. I don't see real world wire doing that (yes, I actually tested it with copper and then with nichrome wires).


Additional information: After playing around with it, I now see what's happening. The wire is so flexible that even a small amount of longitudinal movement of the wire caused by my pulling on the end, is what causes the unraveling. Maybe if you make the wire stiffer it would reduce that tendency to unravel.

I suspect that you are being too heavy handed. You are most likely pulling the wire longitudinally as you are bending it. Copy one of the bending posts, unglue it from the background, and use it for bending the wire (using hand tool, move tool, or make your own tool out of a non-colliding circle, motorized hinge, and post). Also, temporarily staking one end of the wire to the work bench will help in forming the wire.

P.S. By showing axle forces, I can see that longitudinal forces are generated from counter-rotating bends. So, I suspect the unraveling is not all your fault. Making the wire 10X stiffer did not seem to change the unravelling.

I like those rotating posts that you added. They eliminate my heavy handed pulling of the wire.

Here is more work.... um.... I mean a suggestion for you: Show a few (5 or 10?) convoluted shapes that can be made out of lengths of flexible wire. Provide the same number of straight pieces of wire that the user can try to duplicate with the bend tools. This would add a challenge to the scene rather than just mindlessly bending a wire.

Nice job on the scene so far.

s_genius

Thanks.