Your Quick Guide to Start Using SOLIDWORKS Visualize Today

Mike Staples, TPM Elite AE

SOLIDWORKS Visualize is the industry leading photo realistic rendering solution.  Here is your guide to get started using this incredible software today. Without knowing the basics it can be frustrating to dive right in so after fumbling around and learning from some video resources I wanted to pass along these essential tips to get you rendering amazing images in no time.  This video guides you through the following steps:

1. Prep your model in SOLIDWORKS by applying appearances similar to what it should look like.
2. Import options. Choose one of these two based on your needs regarding file update.
   1. Retain. Use only if you need to associatively update from SOLIDWORKS files.
   2. Appearance. Use this most of the time for ease of changing appearances.
3. Navigating the UI.
   1. Use Spacebar to toggle between easy and regular interfaces.
   2. Render selection. Use Fast for quick realistic visuals of the final render. Great for applying various appearances, environments, and camera setup. Use Preview if performance is slow.
   3. Zoom/Pan/Rotate
      1. Use the rotate icon to activate, then:
         1. Left mouse = Rotate
         2. Right mouse = Zoom
         3. Click wheel = Pan
         4. Scroll wheel = Perspective
            1. Tip: without activating the rotate icon use ALT + above mouse buttons. Be sure your active camera is unlocked.
4. Appearances.
   1. Drag and drop from the library or from another appearance listed.
   2. Bonus Tip: Copy and paste appearances. Shift left click an appearance in the model to copy, Shift right click to paste.
   3. Modifying appearances. Select the appearance tab and the appearance to modify and make adjustments.
   4. Tip: Toggle on the cloud library to download additional appearances and environments.
5. Environment.
   1. Drag and drop from library to add an environment.
6. Cameras
   1. Tip: Label one free and leave it unlocked for going back and moving around if you need to modify appearances later.
   2. Right click > new camera or copy and paste an existing. Make sure it’s active (green check) and selected and make any adjustments in the graphics area or using the camera properties.
   3. Be sure to set the aspect ratio.
   4. Once you have the camera exactly the way you want it, click locked to avoid inadvertent changes. Double click another camera to switch.
7. Save your project.
8. Render.
   1. Click Render. Set filename, image format, output mode (render for a single image, camera for all cameras), and resolution.  In render settings use Accurate and choose either the number of passes or time to complete the render.
   2. Go!

MySOLIDWORKS.com has a complete training guide for SOLIDWORKS Visualize.

MySOLIDWORKS > Training > Learning Paths