Defining the Initial Path

This figure shows a typical belt path round a dummy as initially defined. It has three segments:

1. Retractor to upper right shoulder slipring.
2. Upper right shoulder to left pelvis slipring.
3. Left pelvis slipring to anchor point behind right pelvis.

Note that:

• Only 8 points have been defined. As a general rule the best paths are those with the fewest points, and point 4 in this definition could be omitted . However the user has designated it as a "known" point.
  
  
• PRIMER has marked the "End" and "Acute" points automatically, and has inserted breaks into the path at the two acute points where sliprings will be defined later.
  
  

The "as projected" belt path is always shown at the basic path creation stage. Path projection takes place for any path segment with 3 or more points, and is in the outward normal direction determined from nearby structure or intrinsic path curvature, whichever is more relevant at that point.

The projected belt path also shows the approximate mesh that will be created. In this example only a single line of elements has been selected, but this can be altered at any stage.