Segregate collisions with multiple solvers

User Guide > Dynamics and Effects > Dynamics > Soft and Rigid Bodies > Create rigid bodies >

You can create multiple solvers, one for each collection of colliding objects. By using the same solver only for objects that collide with each other, each rigid body solver avoids tracking the presence of unnecessary objects and therefore uses less processing time.

When you create the first rigid body in a scene, Maya creates a rigid body solver that controls that rigid body and all others you create thereafter unless you create a different solver. If you create a different solver, it controls rigid bodies you create thereafter. Each solver has its own independent attributes that affect the behavior of the rigid bodies it controls. Note that you can connect a field to any rigid bodies, regardless of the solver.

To create a new solver

Select Solvers > Create Rigid Body Solver.
The Solver receives a default name such as rigidSolver1. The name appears at the bottom of the list displayed when you select Solvers > Current Rigid Solver > rigidSolver#.

To assign a rigid body to a solver

Select the solver from the list in Solvers > Current Rigid Solver > rigidSolver#.
Create the rigid body.
The rigid body is controlled by the solver selected in the prior step. For example, if you select rigidSolver3 then make a sphere an active rigid body, the sphere is controlled by rigidSolver3.

To move rigid bodies to a different solver

Select the rigid bodies.
In the Command Line or Script Editor, enter this command:
```
rigidBody -edit -solver solverName
```
where solverName is the name of the solver to be used by the rigid bodies.