Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 1

PhotoView 360 is an add-in package that allows for photorealistic rendering of solid models in the SolidWorks software environment. It allows the user to add photorealistic materials, finishes, and labels to the models, and to place the models in a variety of stock or custom environments. While some of this (materials, labels, etc.) can be accomplished using only the DisplayManager, true photorealistic rendering capabilities require the PhotoView360 add-in. The photorealistic renderings can be used to provide virtual images of finished product designs before the products have ever been manufactured. For example, a photorealistic rendering of the door assembly model (from Chapter 6 of the textbook) can be seen in Figure 1. The PhotoView 360 add-in can be used to render either part or assembly models. In this tutorial, the rendering shown in Figure 1 will be creating using both techniques.

Part 1: Photorealistic Rendering of a Part

Figure 1

Open the solid model of the Hatch part, created in Chapter 6 of the text (shown in Figure 2). From the SolidWorks main menu, select Tools: Add-Ins, and enable the PhotoView 360 add-in, as shown in Figure 3. Click OK.

Figure 2

Figure 3

The main menu will now have a PhotoView 360 entry, as shown in Figure 4. In the textbook tutorials, the Task Pane was disabled. However, when working with PhotoView 360, the Task Pane can be quite useful.

Figure 4

Enable the Task Pane from the View menu, as shown in Figure 5. The Task Pane will now appear on the right hand side of the screen. The first step in the rendering will be to apply a material property to the appearance of the hatch part.
Figure 5

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 2

From the PhotoView 360 menu, select Edit Appearance, as shown in Figure 6. In the Task Pane, expand the entry for Appearances by clicking the plus sign, as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 Figure 6

Expand the Organic entry, and then the Wood entry. Click on Satinwood, as shown in Figure 8; the various types of Satinwood will be previewed in the Task Pane. Double-click on the polished satinwood entry, as shown in Figure 9.

Figure 1 Figure 2

Click the check mark in the PropertyManager on the left side of the screen to apply the material, as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 3

Photorealistic rendering can take significant computing time and resources; however, our rendering can be previewed in an interactive lower-quality graphics window prior to final rendering. To do this, select Preview Window from the PhotoView 360 menu, as shown in Figure 11. Click OK in the message window that appears, as shown in Figure 12.

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 3

Figure 12

Figure 11

The preview window will appear, as shown in Figure 13.

If desired, we can place the rendered model into a Figure 13 stock scene. To do this, select Edit Scene from the PhotoView 360 menu, as shown in Figure 14. In the Task Pane, click on the Basic Scenes entry under Scenes, as shown in Figure 15. Scroll through the entries, and click on Office Space (Figure 16).

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

Note the change in the preview window. Click the check mark in the PropertyManager to apply the scene. Decals can now be added to the part. A standard library of decals is available; in addition, custom graphics files can be created and used as decals as well.

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 4

Begin by rotating the model into the approximate position shown in Figure 17. The decals will be applied to this large flat surface. Select Edit Decal from the PhotoView 360 menu (Figure 18). Scroll down to the Warning decal from the library, shown in Figure 19, and click. In the Decals PropertyManager, click on the Mapping tab (Figure 20).
Figure 17

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

Select the large flat face as the surface to which the decal will be applied (Figure 21). The decal will be previewed in the preview window; if it appears upside-down, click the Mirror Vertically entry in the Size/Orientation box of the PropertyManager to change it (Figure 22).
Figure 21

In the modeling area, use the Resize handle (Figure 23) and Move handle (Figure 24) to size/locate the decal area as shown in Figure 25.

Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24

Figure 25

The decal will be previewed as in Figure 26.

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 5

Click the check mark in the PropertyManager to apply the decal.

Figure 26

Custom decals can be created as well. Using a graphics program such as Microsoft Paint, create a label such as the one in Figure 27 (in terms of scale, the label shown is 750x250 pixels, but it could also be resized in PhotoView 360 later). Save it as a bitmap (*.bmp file) in a convenient location.

To apply this custom decal to the model, select Edit Decal again from the PhotoView 360 menu. In the Decals PropertyManager, click the Browse button (Figure 28), and browse to the file location for your custom label. Double-click your custom filename, and it will appear in the PropertyManager (Figure 29).

Figure 27

Figure 28 Figure 29

As with the previous label, click the Mapping tab, select the large flat surface, and mirror/move/resize your custom label until it appears as shown in the preview window in Figure 30.
Figure 30

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 6

To improve the appearance, we can modify the appearance of the label to make the white label background transparent, allowing the wood surface to show through. This can be accomplished by using a mask. Click on the Image tab in the PropertyManager, and click on Selective color mask in the Mask Image options, as shown in Figure 31. Select the Pick Color tool (Figure 32). Using the Pick Color tool, click on the white background area in the Decal Preview, as in Figure 33; this will select the color white to be masked out as transparent in the final rendering. Click the check mark to close the PropertyManager.

Figure 31

Figure 32

Figure 33

The preview window will appear as in Figure 34. Save the part file, which will now include the changes to the appearance. A final high-quality photorendering can be produced for use in other documents, or for printing. To produce the final high-quality rendering, select Final Render from the PhotoView 360 menu, as shown in Figure 35.
Figure 34

The high-quality image will be rendered in the Final Render window, as shown in Figure 36. The file can be saved as an image file, using the Save Image button in the upper-right corner (Figure 37).

Figure 35

Figure 37

Figure 36

Close the Final Render window, the preview window, and the part file. This modified file will be used in the next tutorial as part of a photorendering of the door assembly.

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 7

Part 2: Photorealistic Rendering of an Assembly

Assemblies can be photorendered in two ways. In one technique, photorenderings of each of the part files can be created (as in the previous tutorial); the resulting assembly file can be photorendered using these part file appearance properties. Alternatively, the appearance properties for the photorendering can be added directly to the assembly. In this tutorial, we will use each of these methods. We will create a photorendering of the door assembly created in Chapter 6 of the text, as shown in Figure 38. We will use the appearance and decals added in the previous tutorial for the hatch component, but will add the appearance information for the hinges and screws directly to the assembly.

Begin by opening the Door.sldasm assembly file created in Chapter 6, as shown in Figure 39. Open a preview window from the PhotoView 360 menu. Notice that the appearance properties of the hatch component (wood texture and decals) have propagated to the assembly. Zoom in on a hinge in the assembly window. Note that the preview window will be updated to this new zoom level. We will now add a brass appearance to the hinges. Expand the Metals entry, and click on Brass, as shown in Figure 40. Appearances can be dragged from the list directly onto parts in the assembly window as follows: Click and hold on the polished brass entry in the Task Pane, as shown in Figure 41. With the mouse button still held, drag the appearance onto one of the hinges in the assembly window (not the preview window), as in Figure 42.

Figure 38

Figure 39

Figure 40

Figure 41 Figure 42

In the context toolbar that appears, select the part option, as shown in Figure 43. This will apply the appearance to all instances of the Hinge part, and the preview window will be updated.

Figure 43

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SolidWorks 2011

PhotoView 360 Tutorial

Page 8

The screws can be photorendered using this technique; however, we will demonstrate an alternative technique in this tutorial. In the FeatureManager, select all instances of the screw component (using the CTRL key to allow for multiple selections), as shown in Figure 44. Select Edit Appearance from the PhotoView 360 menu. The eight instances of the screw component should be listed in the PropertyManager, as shown in Figure 45.

Figure 44

Figure 45

In the Task Pane, select Brass from the list of metals, and click on the sandblasted brass material. The screws will be rendered, and the preview window will update. To see this in detail, you may zoom in on the hinge in the assembly window; the preview window will be updated accordingly, and the rendering of screws can be seen in detail, as shown in Figure 46. Zoom out to the previous level. Add a Scene if desired, and zoom/pan in the assembly window until the image appears as desired in the preview window (shown in Figure 47, with the Courtyard Background from the Presentation Scenes selected). Save the assembly, if desired. A final rendering could now be produced and saved, using the same procedure as in the previous tutorial.
Figure 46

Figure 47