Mechanism

How a machine tool is assembled out of moving parts, and how HiAPI solves where each part ends up. A kinematic topology describes the motion relationships between components; from it come forward and inverse kinematics, component placement, and the geometry collision detection runs against.

Ordered from the structure outwards: the topology first and the shorthand that writes it down, then the matrices that move it, then drawing it.

• Kinematic Topology — Anchors, branches and assemblies, how each mechanism owns its own topology and names its roles in it, and the branches marked as error terms of the real machine
• Machine Chain Code — The bracket notation for writing a machine's connectivity by hand, and the keyword spelling of its axes and end anchors
• Assembly Anchors — What an anchor is, the roles the machine, fixture and workpiece name, and the mounts all four parts are assembled at
• Handle Transform Matrix by ITransformer — The transform-matrix interface behind every joint, the implementations covering the common cases, and where a transformer lives (on a branch)
• Render Topology — Drawing an assembly through its anchors, by anchoring matrix map or by anchored displayee

See Also

• Rendering — the engine that draws what the topology places
• API Foundations — the geometry types a topology carries, and how an assembly is persisted
• Hi.Mech.Topo — the generated reference for the namespace
• Asmb — assemblies
• Branch — branches, and the transformer each one carries