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SOLIDWORKS GRAPHICS OPTIMIZATION GUIDE
S
olidWorks 2014 is focused on 3D
modeling and design so there is a
big emphasis on providing high-
quality interactive visualization
capabilities in the viewport.
The software offers full control over
shadows and lighting and there are a
number of preset visual styles, which
can be toggled between instantly to suit
different workflows.
There are two main display modes
inside SolidWorks: OpenGL and RealView.
OpenGL mode is used predominantly
in modeling workflows to give the
clearest understanding of geometry. It
uses standard texture mapping and casts
simple shadows on the floor. The big
focus in on performance and clarity and
not on realism.
OpenGL mode features a number
of different display states including
wireframe, shaded and shaded with edges.
‘Shaded with edges’ (pictured left) is
arguably the most popular. It places a
big emphasis on highlighting the exact
topology of a model. For example, it
makes it easy to see where fillet blends
start and finish and is particularly useful
when working with more complex
surface-based geometry.
OpenGL mode provides users with full
control over how a model is displayed.
To facilitate modeling, most users
completely shut off shadows, enable only
the ambient light and use a plain white
background, or one of a contrasting color,
to highlight the model. Render surfaces
in different colors according to the local
radius of curvature. Use zebra stripes to
visualize small changes in a surface by
simulating the reflection of long strips of
light on a very shiny surface.
Increasingly, designers and engineers
are demanding higher levels of realism
in the viewport. SolidWorks RealView is
used to give the SolidWorks model a much
more realistic appearance. It supports
environment reflections, floor shadows,
multi-colored effects such as car paint, as
well as ambient occlusion, an effect that
delivers much more realistic real-world
lighting.
Upping the visual quality inside the
SolidWorks viewport can offer huge
workflow benefits. Designers and engineers
are able to make judgments on aesthetics
throughout the product development
process. In the past, to visualize a design at
such levels of quality would have required a
time consuming off line render.
With SolidWorks RealView the
visualization is instant and the model is
fully interactive. It is also possible to render
out a high-res still in seconds, which can be
useful for reports.
Increasing the level of realism inside the
viewport does place a bigger load on a
workstation’s GPU. The demands become
even higher as the size and complexity of
models increase.
Maintaining full interactivity with high-
quality models can be a big challenge
with older workstations. When rotating,
panning and zooming around an assembly,
frame rates or visual quality can drop.
HP Z Workstations are well equipped
to deliver a full interactive experience with
large models. With high-performance
Intel® Xeon® CPUs and NVIDIA Quadro
GPUs based on the Kepler architecture they
can help users work with RealView enabled
all the time, rather than having to revert
back to the less demanding OpenGL modes
to maintain full interactivity with the model.
Reliability is also essential in demanding
workflows and HP Z Workstations undergo
a rigorous testing process before they are
certified by DS SolidWorks.
With an HP Z Workstation
with NVIDIA Quadro we
are able to quickly rotate
complex models, keep the
conversations going, look
at how all the pieces fit
together. Art Thompson,
CEO, Sage Cheshire
Aerospace.
SolidWorks model of the
capsule used in the Red Bull
Stratos space diving project
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