Separate intersection with FEM solver

[bobbybob]

I am trying to separate geo that intersect. I am trying to do this with simulation. I am able to do this via the wire solver (File example) but I need to be able to separate more custom geo then just "tubes".

What I want, is to first separate the geometry (custom geo), then take that geometry and use it with the FEM solver.

I am not able to make the FEM or Grain solver push geo away from each other, when it intersects like I can with the wire solver. Is there any trick or something that I have overseen?

I am able to push away points from each other via vex, but it is pretty slow, because it has to iterate over a lot of points, and run more then ones because some geo that is pushed, will intersect with other geometry, and it is not that easy to setup if I don't start with lines, but real geometry, (like geo from zbrush)

wire_separation.hipnc

[StepbyStepVFX]

Maybe you can try with Bullet, scaling each packed object very small so that it does not intersect with anything, and gently increase scale up to 1. Objects should move one another and give you the initial state for your next sim (the FEM one).

That being said, depending on your custom geo and the way you intricate them, you may still have difficulties : I think Bullet have problems with very small geo, so if you have to scale really low, it may not work properly. Plus, if your objects are intended to be deformables later, and being really closely intricated all togethers, your initial state may not be very "realistic", and therefore giving you a bad start for your next sim.

Here is a video from Entagma where they explain how to play with scale of packed object with Bullet (by the way, maybe you can imagine a similar setup directly with FEM ?) :

 

[Iskander]