High Quality Image Memory Usage

[scotty7]

We have been using Product Outline to generate some superb views in assemblies that we haven't previously been able to get anywhere near loading. However, trying to use High Quality Image to generate pictures of these has been troublesome. Once the Start Shade is clicked, UG goes away and "Processes Geometry". In doing so, it uses huge ammounts of memory, to the point where it maxes out on memory and fails. To put numbers on this, the outline represents 15,000 components, and uses about 800MB of memory. Generating the image takes this up to 2.6GB (with 3GB switch activated), which is pretty much enough to kill the process. Anyone else see this, or anyone got a workaround? Ideally we would like to get the whole assembly captured, but this uses 2.2GB memory before any image capture is attempted.
We were hoping to get a really large image (A0) out of the system, so any alternative would have to be able to generate similarly large images. Using UG NX2, 4 and 6 (Beta), Windows XP with 3GB switch, NVidia Quadro FX1500.
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[hudson888]

Scotty,

You have several settings in high quality image rendering. Which are you using out of Gouraud, Phong, Photo realistic, Ray traced or Radiosity?

I've done my fair share recently, including animations and got some help from here in doing so.

http://www.crackle.com/c/Animation/Stirling_Engine_CAD_Animation/2200462#ml=fi=&fu=2343490

I haven't had much luck rendering at settings above ray traced. I find that under the radiosity settings it never seems to finish for any but the simplest models.

Fewer better placed lights may help, and you can often render shadows with standard rather than fine settings without sacrificing too much.

Best Regards

Hudson

 

[MSPBenson]

I'm not sure if changing the rendering type or the lights will help. The problem is that before it even begins worrying about shadows and light reflection paths it has to process the geometry. This is what the original post mentions is the problem.
The only solution is to lighten the geometry.
Remove any hidden components. You can't see them but they are still processed and all of the subsequent rendering steps will take longer.
If you are using a base surface as a floor and backdrop make these as small as possible. If these are too large they can use up large amounts of ram.
Size does seem to play a part in rendering so consider scaling the assy (if that is feasible).
Possibly increse the faceting size in image preferences as well as this should reduce the required memory.

Hope that helps.


Mark Benson
Aerodynamic Model Designer

 

[hudson888]

You can render faceted models if you wish.

 

[scotty7]

Thaks all. The Product Outline is a faceted rep anyway, otherwise we wouldn't have a hope of loading all the assembly to view at the same time - it is about 14GB, conservatively. A colleagure has generated a GRiP routine which takes a bit of the pressure off the memory, but not very much!

 

[hudson888]

Scotty,

As I said you can read some of this from earlier posts in recent weeks, but it is worth recapping that you would still use hide components in views capacity, or layers, or reference sets to hide internal systems when producing exterior product outline drawings.

The classic case is a vehicle where you don't need to see the motor. In the past people have created all sorts of layout assemblies for the purpose generating these views.

These days I'm for hiding components in views where possible. However you want to actually create the explosion in modeling and hide the components that you don't want to see using a saved view, before you add views to the drawing. Doing it this way will help you saved extra time with 14Gb assemblies.

Another tip might be to suppress parts of the assembly in the drawing file using master model concept so that you don't even load the internals that won't appear in the views.

Best Regards

Hudson