Using the Reach Envelope

ascenari.gif (1364 bytes) This procedure describes how to use the powerful reach envelope creation tool. This tool takes advantage of the manikin's inverse kinematics (IK) capability to evaluate the manikin's arm reachability in the 3D space. It is particularly useful in facilitating product design and review.
A reach envelope is a surface that represents all the possible positions the manikin can reach using only the arm and forearm. The motion starts at the shoulder.
  • You can create two reach envelopes: one each for the right and left hand.
  • The reach envelope is included in the clash detection algorithm.

  1. Create a new manikin or insert one from the samples directory.

  2. Select the Reach Envelope and select the manikin's left hand or any segment belonging to the hand. The reach envelope, a surface representing the maximum reach limit, is created around the shoulder joint.



     

    The reach envelope computation will take the IK offset of the selected segment into account. (For more information about offset functionality, see Redefining the Segment Offset for Inverse Kinematics.) This will enable you to create the Reachability of the tip of a tool, for example, if the offset of the hand had previously been relocated to that point on the tool.

    The reach will also be influenced by the arm's angular limitations and preferred angles. For example, it is possible to create a reach envelope representing the comfort zone for a given task.

  3. Change the graphical properties in  the reach envelope's Properties dialog box. Right-click on the reach envelope, and select Properties in the contextual menu.


     

  4. Using the Posture Editor, the IK Mode, or the Standard Pose command, manipulate the manikin's spine. The reach envelope will follow. Select the selection of the segment from the PPR tree.

  5. Delete the reach envelope. To do this, make sure that you are in the Human Builder workbench for that manikin (double click on the manikin's name in the PPR tree). Right-click on the reach envelope and select from the contextual menu as shown below. To return (if needed) to the Human Task Simulation workbench, double-click on the Process name.