Conveyor Visualizations
Overview and Key Concepts
Conveyor visualizations are global settings that are referenced by model conveyors. They define how the conveyors should look.
Properties
Visual settings mostly define how conveyors look when drawing in render mode. Render mode can be enabled in Conveyor System Properties. The properties window has the following properties:
Surface
The surface pane allows you to define visual properties associated with the convey surface.
Draw Rollers
Check this box to enable the drawing of rollers on the conveyor surface.
Diameter
The diameter to draw rollers when in render mode. Only used in render mode.
Spacing
The distance from the center of one roller to the center of the next roller. Should be greater than Roller Diameter. Only used in render mode.
Roller Color
The color to apply when drawing the rollers. Can be set to use the object's color.
Draw Belt
Check this box to enable the drawing of a belt on the conveyor surface. Then you can define the texture to be drawn. There are several automatic options, or you can browse for the file.
X Repeat
The distance between each repeat of the conveyor belt texture, along the conveyor's forward axis.
Y Repeat
The repeat value for the conveyor belt texture, along the conveyor's left-right axis. You also define a mode for repeating, either Stretch or Tile. In Stretch mode, the repeat value represents the number of times the texture will repeat, independent of the conveyor width. For Tile, the repeat value represents a repeat distance, just like the X Repeat.
Belt Color
The color to apply when drawing the belt texture. Can be set to use the object's color.
Side Skirt
The side skirt pane allows you to define visual properties associated with drawing the conveyor's side skirts.
Height
The height of the conveyor's side skirt.
Width
The width of the side skirt. Only used in render mode.
Vertical Offset
Defines the position of the side skirt relative to the conveyor plane. This is defined as a ratio of the Side Skirt Height. Usually the value will be between -0.5 and 0.5. For a value of -0.5, the side skirt will extend down from the conveyor plane. For a value of 0.0, the side skirt's center will follow the conveyor plane. For a value of 0.5, the side skirt will extend up from the conveyor plane.
Draw Texture
Check this box to draw a texture for the side skirt, instead of drawing a pre-defined shape. Then you can define what texture to use. There are some pre-defined options, or you can browse for an image.
Repeat Distance
Check this box to define repeat distance associated with the side skirt. This applies both if you are using a side skirt texture, or if you want the conveyor to draw its pre-defined side skirt shape.
Side Skirt Color
Defines the color to apply when drawing the side skirt. When in non-render mode, this applies to both the side skirt and the conveyor surface. Can be set to use the object's color.
Legs
The legs pane allows you to define visual properties associated with drawing the conveyor's legs.
Repeat Distance
The distance between each leg of the conveyor. Only used in render mode.
Height Rule
Defines how the height of each leg will be determined. Only used in render mode.
- Leg Height Following Conveyor Height - Legs will be a set height no matter how the conveyor rises or falls. If the conveyor rises, leg bases will rise with it.
- Leg Height from Lowest Point on Conveyor - Leg height is determined from the lowest point on the conveyor. For example, if the conveyor plane goes from z = 1.00 to z = 5.00, and the Leg Height is defined as 1.00, the leg base will be at z = 0.00 all along the conveyor (lowest point (1.0) minus leg height (1.0)).
- Leg Base Relative to Model - Legs will extend to a fixed model z position, defined by the Leg Base, no matter how high the conveyor is.
Height
The conveyor leg height. Only used in render mode when Leg Height Rule equals Leg Height Following Conveyor Height or Leg Height From Lowest Point on Conveyor.
Base
The leg base z-point. Only used in render mode when Leg Height Rule equals Leg Base Relative to Model.