This article describes how to quickly produce a render from a SolidWorks model - in this particular case a simple Assembly. The minimum steps are outlined - in fact its more difficult to describe than to actually follow the steps!

 

You will notice that a lighting scheme has not been defined - this example uses the current, or default, parameters which provides a Physical Sky environment located in Madrid at 12:00 on day 199 with sunlight enabled. (You can see a "white" dot in the final render which is actually the sun.)

 

Step 1 – Create a Camera View

Use the SolidWorks “Add Camera” command to create a camera view. 

In order to ensure an accurate match between a SolidWorks camera and a Maxwell camera, there are a couple of points to note:

  • You need to ensure that the value used for the “Distance to Target” field matches the distance in the “Distance to View Rectangle” field.
  • The Lens focal length should be the same as the one you specify for the Maxwell Camera.

Step 2 – Specify Maxwell Camera Parameters

Launch the Maxwell PM and switch to the Camera tab.

Here, you specify the required fStop and shutter speed – this is related to how much depth of field you want to see in your final rendered image, as with normal camera settings.

 

In addition you should select the required lens focal length (which matches the setting you specified for the SoliWorks camera.

 

Step 3 – Material Creation and Assignment

 

Switch to the Materials tab

In this case, I have created a metallic material which I’ve called “pin” and am using a preset material from the Maxwell material database called “ruby”. (See Material Creation for more details about creating materials)

 

I’m filtering components and have selected the handle of the object. Select the required material for the handle and use the “Add current material to the entities selected” button to assign the material. Similarly, assign the “pin” material to the pin part of the object.

Note: I haven’t assigned a material to the “floor” object. This will use a “default” material setting when the image is rendered.

Any object not specifically assigned a material will use this “default”.

 

Step 4 – Render Parameters

Switch to the Render tab to specify the remaining parameters and launch the render.

 

Typically, you specify the dimensions (in pixels) for the required image, the maximum amount of time and the maximum sampling level. (The render will stop when either the maximum amount of time OR the sampling level has been reached).

 

Specify the name and location for the Maxwell scene file (mxs) and image file. The image type is determined by the file suffix used (JPG, TGA or BMP) ar possible types.

 

Also note that the current view MUST be a camera view.

 

Launch the render using the “Render Scene” button. This will start the render in a separate process or start Studio and load the generated MXS file, depending on which option you have selected.

 

Step 5 – Modifying parameters during the render

If you have chosen to produce a render, the MXCL program is started and the render proceeds.

While the render is in progress it is possible to modify various parameters including the Film Iso and Camera shutter speed and see the effect immediately in the preview window or on the next update in the main window.

 

You can also monitor the progress of the render, noting the current sampling level reached, etc.

 

Step 6 – The Finished Render

After 30 minutes the render had finished, reaching a sampling level of 12.68

Other parameters - Iso was set at 100 and shutter speed 1/60 (sec) using an fStop of 16.