SOLIDWORKS Visualize is a hybrid rendering environment. The software constantly updates the scene using optimized renderers for all available CPUs, CUDA based GPUs, or both using Hybrid mode.
Rendering is the process of converting 3D data stored in a software package into the 2D image "seen" by the camera in the scene. Rendering brings together the scene geometry, Z-depth, surface properties, lighting setup, and rendering method to create a finished frame.
Unlike traditional 3D applications, you do not need to guess and check before generating final results. In SOLIDWORKS Visualize, you interact with the final result at all times, even while animating.
A SOLIDWORKS Visualize project consists of an environment sphere that includes a transparent floor plane for accurate shadowing, and an HDR environment image that maps to the spherical environment. No further lighting setup is required, although additional light sources are available.
You use the SOLIDWORKS Visualize Add-in to export SOLIDWORKS features to SOLIDWORKS Visualize.
If you are using SOLIDWORKS Visualize Professional, you have the option of using SOLIDWORKS Visualize Boost to render your images on a cluster of computers on the network. This offloads render processing from your computer, so you can work on other tasks while the rendering is taking place.