Machinery TwinObject types overview
Every object type, what it computes, and how to pick the right one.
Objects fall into two families: the simple object (a model with a pose you can bind), and kinematic objects that solve their own motion from one or two input variables.
| Type | Kinematics | Input(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Simple object | None, static or variable-driven pose | Per-axis bindings |
| Closed path | Position on a closed oval/circular loop | 1 movement variable |
| Line path | Position along piecewise linear + arc segments | 1 movement variable |
| Slider-crank | 3-link crank mechanism | 1 crank angle |
| Four-bar linkage | Classic 4-bar, Freudenstein solution | 1 input link angle |
| Five-bar linkage | 2-DOF planar 5-bar, with IK | 2 crank angles or an x/y target |
| Delta manipulator | 3-DOF parallel robot, analytic FK & IK | 3 motor angles or an x/y/z target |
| Serial manipulator | DH-parameter chain (e.g. 6R arm), FK & IK | N joint variables or a TCP pose |
Common structure
Every object shares the base fields: world pose, model + model pose, color and visibility, per-axis variable bindings, and a place in the hierarchy.
Mechanism types add links, each link holds its own model with its own model-space offset, so you dress each moving part of the mechanism with its own CAD.
Choosing a type
- Something travels along a track, conveyor or carousel → a path object (closed for loops, line for open routes).
- A classic planar mechanism with real link geometry → slider-crank, four-bar or five-bar.
- A robot with joints in series (articulated arm, SCARA, gantry-as-robot) → serial manipulator.
- A three-arm parallel pick-and-place robot → Delta manipulator.
- Everything else, frames, guards, products, sensors, → simple objects, possibly attached to the above.