Communicating complex molecular structures often requires more than static images. Whether you’re preparing a conference presentation, teaching molecular biology, or sharing findings with collaborators, clear and compelling animations can make a big difference.
One common challenge molecular modelers face is how to visually separate structural components in a way that is both informative and aesthetically pleasing. A static cross-section or color-coded segmentation often doesn’t cut it. That’s where SAMSON’s Disassemble animation becomes useful.
This animation effect automatically moves selected molecular components or structural groups away from their current positions, generating a disassembly effect that helps viewers understand structure and organization more clearly. The best part? No need to manually compute new positions – SAMSON does that for you.
How Does It Work?
To use the Disassemble animation in SAMSON:
- Select a group of structural nodes or meshes in your scene.
- Double-click the Disassemble animation in the Animation panel of the Animator.
- The animation is automatically applied between two keyframes.
- You can adjust the keyframes to change timing, and use the Inspector to modify the amplitude of the disassembly.
This can be particularly useful when you want to emphasize complex assemblies step-by-step or break apart biomolecular complexes like protein-ligand structures, multi-subunit proteins, or DNA-protein assemblies.
Why Use the Disassemble Animation?
Here are some situations where this animation might be just what you need:
- Create educational content showing how structures come apart or how subunits relate to each other.
- Help non-experts understand the organization of a large assembly by visually pulling apart its components.
- Generate smooth transitions in a research video or slide deck to illustrate how different sections of a molecular system interrelate.
Fine-Tuning the Effect
While the default animation computes movements automatically, you can refine them using the Inspector. For example, increasing the disassembly amplitude creates a more dramatic spread of components, while adjusting the Easing curve lets you manipulate the interpolation between keyframes – linear, ease-in, or custom curves.
A Visual Example
Here is a quick preview of the Disassemble animation in action:
This simple yet powerful tool enables you to produce dynamic visuals with minimal effort within SAMSON’s animation platform.
Want to see more examples and try it yourself? Learn more in the official documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON here.