Lab: Lid Animation and Short Sequences

Course 3 · Module 3 Type: Hands-on (pivot · keyframes · named clips · collision check) Suggested time: ~2.5–3 hours

Read first: Lesson · Clip list · ← TOC · ← M02 · M04 →

Keep these tabs open

Document	Why
Editing Keyframes	`I` to insert keys
Timeline	playhead / Auto Key
Actions	name clips
Set Origin	hinge pivot
glTF Animations	naming for M04

Lab Goals

Set the lid’s Origin at the hinge
Build at least 1 open/close animation set
Check that parts do not severely intersect during playback
Name the Action/clip with a short English name, such as lid_open
Fill in animation-clip-list.md

Prerequisites

Have the M02 file with Enclosure_lid / Enclosure_base already split
Copy it to m03_enclosure_motion.blend before editing

If the lid–base is not split yet, go back and do Lab C in the M02 lab first.

Lab A — Hinge origin (required)

Select Enclosure_lid
Place the 3D Cursor at the hinge edge (Edit Mode → Shift+S → Cursor to Selected)
Object Mode → Origin to 3D Cursor
Ctrl+A → Rotation & Scale
Test-rotate with R on the correct axis — it must open like a hinge

Pass when: a teammate rotates the lid and understands where the hinge is without a long explanation

Lab B — Keyframe `lid_open` (required)

Set the team’s fps (24 recommended) and a frame range of about 1–3 seconds
Start frame: lid closed → I → Rotation
End frame: rotated open → I → Rotation
Play in the Timeline and check the motion
Name the Action lid_open (or an equivalent meaningful name)

Pass when: pressing Play clearly shows the lid opening from closed to open

Lab C — Close clip or return motion (required)

Choose one:

C1: A separately named Action, lid_close
C2: A frame range continuing from open, returning to the closed pose, in the same clip (note this clearly in the clip list)

Pass when: both an open and a closed state exist and can be played back repeatedly

Lab D — Interference check (required)

Play the animation slowly (scrub the playhead, or slow down playback)
Switch to Wireframe and check the hinge point and the tall components
Note in the clip list: pass / minor collision / shape needs fixing
If there is a severe collision: fix the Origin, the opening angle, or go back to M02

Pass when: there is no severe intersection, or the issue is recorded with a plan to fix it

Lab E — Evidence + clip list (required)

Fill in animation-clip-list.md for every clip
Record evidence: screenshots of the closed+open frames, or a short viewport playblast
Save the .blend

Lab F — Optional extras

A battery_reveal clip (moving the object standing in for the battery)
Use the Graph Editor to smooth the easing
Parent a small part to the lid (Parenting)

Deliverables checklist

m03_enclosure_motion.blend
Named open/close motion
Interference check recorded
animation-clip-list.md filled in completely
Image or short clip evidence

Troubleshooting

Symptom	What to try
The lid rotates and floats as a whole block	The Origin is not yet at the hinge — redo Lab A
It rotates on the wrong axis	Use `R` then `X` / `Y` / `Z` · or rotate one axis at a time in the Transform panel
Pressing `I` shows no key	Check the Timeline · turn off Only Show Selected if needed · confirm the right object is selected
Auto Key creates messy keys	Turn off the record button in the Timeline, then delete extra keys in the Dope Sheet
The Action’s name disappears after saving	Check the Action panel · don’t delete the Action by accident
Collision at the hinge	Nudge the Origin slightly · or add spacing between lid and base in the model

Lesson · Clip list · TOC · M04 →

Cite this lesson

If you teach from this lesson or reuse it in slides or documents, credit it with the text below. If you changed it, add (adapted) after the title.

"Lab: Lid Animation and Short Sequences" from TESA Open Knowledge by the Thai Embedded Systems Association (TESA), https://github.com/tesaiot/tesa-qualification-program, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Thai attribution: "แล็บ: แอนิเมชันฝาและลำดับการเคลื่อนไหวสั้น" จาก TESA Open Knowledge โดยสมาคมสมองกลฝังตัวไทย (Thai Embedded Systems Association: TESA) https://github.com/tesaiot/tesa-qualification-program สัญญาอนุญาต CC BY-NC 4.0

Lesson link: https://tesaiot.github.io/tesa-qualification-program/en/courses/product-design/m03-motion/l02-lab/

This lesson adapts the source below; keep its credit too.
https://github.com/drsanti/TESAIoT-Courses/blob/287c21814ba8c75f693136616dcd270349a15966/C3/M03/lab.md · Original content by Asst. Prof. Dr. Santi Nuratch (ผศ.ดร.สันติ นุราช), KMUTT. Course 3 (C3/) of drsanti/TESAIoT-Courses. TESA funded the work and holds the rights; published here under CC BY-NC 4.0. The upstream repository carries no licence file. Text kept faithful; structure, front matter, quizzes and notes added by TESA Open Knowledge.

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Content is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Reuse it non-commercially and credit the Thai Embedded Systems Association (TESA) every time. · How to cite TESA