Create a Spring constraint

A Spring constraint simulates an elastic cord. You can use a Spring constraint to create effects such as a man bungee-jumping off a building. You can create a spring constraint between:

• one active or passive rigid body and a position in the workspace.
• two active rigid bodies.
• an active and passive rigid body.

To create a Spring constraint

1. Select the one or two rigid bodies you want to constrain.
2. Select Soft/Rigid Bodies > Create Spring Constraint > to display the options window.
3. For the Constraint Type, select Spring.
4. If you are constraining two rigid bodies and want them to penetrate each other rather than collide upon contact, turn on Interpenetrate.

   If you turn on Interpenetrate, playback of rigid body animation is faster.

5. If you’re using a Spring constraint on a single rigid body, turn on Set Initial Position and enter X, Y, and Z values for the constraint’s position.

   If you don’t turn on Set Initial Position when you constrain a single rigid body to a position, the Spring is created at the rigid body’s center of mass.

   If you create a Spring constraint for two rigid bodies, the constraint will extend from one center of mass to the other. The Set Initial Position option is invalid for Spring constraints between two rigid bodies.

   Though a passive rigid body has a center of mass that Maya uses for default positioning of Spring constraints, Maya doesn’t use the center of mass in dynamic calculations of passive rigid bodies.

6. To set the attributes of the Spring, open the Spring Attributes section of the Constraint Options window.
7. Click Create in the Constraint Options window.

   To alter the constraint after creation, see Edit constraints.