How can I make a ball of light similar to a lightbulb?

[Mertens]

I have been toying around trying to make a "ball of light" similar to a lightbulb. I haven't had much luck. I also need something similar to a flourescent lightbulb that is long and flat. I am using Solidworks Education Edition. There must be something I can do.

What I am designing is something similar to the Millenium Falcon. The "flourescent lightbulb" is the engine and the ball of light is going to be a type of laser fire. It would also be nice if I could choose a color for the light to be.

Anyway, any help you can give me is greatly appreciated.

 

[SBaugh]

Have you tried a Point Light source?

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Mertens]

I have tried, but I cant figure out how to position a point light. The X,Y,Z coordinate system is sorta guess and check and I cant really see the effects until I render. If I could move around the light outside of the property manager like a part, that would make it a lot easier, but I dont think that is possible. I think I could do that in Auto-Cad, but not Solidworks.

 

[rockguy]

Here is a trick for you. In your assembly or part place a 3D sketch point where you would like to place the point light. Now use the measure tool to find the coordinates of the 3d sketch point. Once you have those coordinates you can enter the values in your light position dialog box.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Mertens

If you select the Lock to model switch you then can "move around the light ... like a part"

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Check out the "Disco Light" at

http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files-04.htm

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[Mertens]

Thanx for all of the help. The lock to model trick seemed to work best, although I could still only move the point light in the property manager, but I could atleast rotate views so I could position it exactly.

Thanx for the link to the disco ball CorBlimeyLimey. I will have to look at the part file and see how he lighted it tomorrow.

 

[JNR]

Ever thought about using a graphics software package for this kind of work rather than CAD software? You could still build dimensional 3D model in CAD and export them in various formats both 3D and 2D.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.