As noted in the tutorial each link is a block. Are you familiar with AutoCAD blocks? Each of the blocks have a line on the xy plane whose ends are referenced when applyng the coincident constraint. The 3D solid part of the link is a solid object on a different layer of the same block as the lines. Since the reference lines are part of the same block as the "object" they move together. Please let me know if you require further explanation with specifics about what is unclear.

I'm glad that you found the tutorial helpful. There are 8 vertical green slats. I've named them slat00 to slat07. They are all children of DummyBase. Slat00 moves with DummyBase and needs nothing else. Slat01's position 1/7 the distance to DummyControl so it has a Position Expression associated with it with the expression: DummyControl / 7. Slat02 has a position expression: 2 * DummyControl / 7. Slat03 has a position expression: 3 * DummyControl / 7. .etc. Please let me know if you have additional questions.

@@LeeMinardi I can’t thank you enough . you saved my life thankss 💚

Post your file and a detailed comment of what is not working at the Autodesk 3ds Max Rigging forum and I will try to respond. The forum is located here: forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-animation-and-rigging/bd-p/area-b27

It has worked, was using the units wrong. Thank you very much and keep up the good work!@@LeeMinardi

Forgot to mention, the piston attachment points are designed in a ball and socket fassion because the hexapod bases are hidden so the piston ends are not visible and I can get away with a ball and socket, but riggimg the contraption using bones or scripts is the part I'm struggling with. Thank you

@@thecursedhero I'm not sure of the kinematic validity of using ball and socket joints but doing so should make the rigging very easy. Set the pivot points for the inner and outer pistons at their base with a local axis in the direction of piston's centerline. Then, all you need to do to rig the system is to assign a Look-At constraint to each actuator (cylinder) that points to its mating cylinder's base. Note, the Autodesk 3ds Max Rigging forum: forums.autodesk.com/t5/3ds-max-animation-and-rigging/bd-p/area-b27 is an excellent place to get answers to your rigging questions. I review it on a regular basis. If you have more question and would like to post a file check out the forum.

Add a second UVW Map modifier to the object and assign the base color bitmap to it. Do not animate the UVW Map for the base color. If the "visibility" UVW Map uses channel 1 then use channel 2 for the base color UVW Map.

Mikhail, I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Do you have any suggestions for a Max tutorial that you would like to see? Lee

​@@LeeMinardiHi! Will be cool more tutorials about rigging different mechanisms. Like gears, springs of car (sorry for my English)) excavator etc

I'm not a Unity user. Please see if the technique I use in the following tutorial works in Unity. Thanks. kzbin.info/www/bejne/on61npl7mqmZmqc

Hi Barry, I'm glad you found the program useful. It's possible to create 4 bar linkages where the crank cannot rotate 360 degrees. Could that be the issue? What were the dimensions for the linkage that caused the program to crash? Please state: the distance between the pivots, the length of the crank located at one of the pivots, the length of the link connected to the other pivot and the length of the couple link.

In AutoCAD go to the Manage tab then click Visual LISP Editor, File, New File and type in the program. Save the file as AnimateRotation (.scr will be appended automatically). Click Tools, Load text in Editor or give the Script command in AutoCAD to load the program. After it is loaded you can run the AnimateRotation command like any other command.

I'm glad enjoy my channel. I'm considering creating a 3ds Max tutorial with more details of using vector math for 3D rigging and perhaps numerical methods for creating your own solvers. What would interest you? BTW, you're the first to link my voice to Gary Shandling (RIP).

I'm sorry but I am not familiar with the rigging features of Maya.

@@LeeMinardi All right ,thanks for your reply,I still have one question,In your Video ,the script Controller of the outer piston,there are sentence said Aw = pinAgreen * couplerAT - - pin A world coor,I just want to know the meaning of this sentence，What does this symbol“- -”and World coor means?Is this means the subtraction and the pin A world coordinate？last，Thank you for your willingness to answer my question

@@宬言孙 In Max Script two hyphens - - means the start of a comment. Whatever follows on that line will be ignored by the Max Script interpreter when running the code. In that line of code we are stating that the world coordinates of the green axis of A (Aw) can be determined by multiplying the local position of the green axis (pinAgreen) times the transformation matrix of coupler A (couplerAT).

@@LeeMinardi Thank you for your explanation

I've added a listing of the program to the description paragraph. Before using it be sure to make the noted change for the "less than" symbol.

@@LeeMinardi Thanks a lot!

Each link is an AutoCAD BLOCK with a solid object on one layer and a line on another layer. The line is referenced for applying the coincident constraint. I mention this at 0:16 in the video. Since the line and the solid are components of the same block they will move together. Does this answer your question?

@@LeeMinardi YES! Thank you. I didn't know what a BLOCK was hahaha I appreciate it ;)

@@LeeMinardi But, do you have a video to learn how to link a solid with a line. Even if they are circles with some kind or rounded solids, how can I know how? Please, help me!