Problem....SW2006 rendering not clear!!!

[Magicblack]

I am making a package design in Solidworks 2006.

I want the package to be clear like glass is.

The product is clear when i first render it, but when i change the background the entire object becomes a greyish black colour and i cant get it to be clear like glass.

I have tried changing the backgrounds and lighting, nothing works.

When i selected the material for the object, the small preview box showed the object clear as glass, but when i render it, the object appears a dark plastic color instead of clear.

can anyone help?

 

[ctopher]

What video card and SW version are you using?

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[bvanhiel]

Some stuff to try:

1. Under the Document Properties tab in Photoworks->Options, make sure the "Enable Depth Settings" checkbox is checked and that you have numbers in the reflections and refractions box (I use 4 and 6, but there's no science behind my numbers).

2. Under the Lighting tab in the Scene dialog box, make sure that the Global Shadow Control is set to Transparent.

3. Check your lights' photoworks properties and make sure that your lights are using the global shadow controls (right click each light in the menu tree and click the "photoworks properties" button.

-b

 

[Theophilus]

If you're using indirect lighting (which I recommend for excellent quality), you'll eventually need to turn up the lighting once you've done your test renders for the final rendering--or else you'll see lots of round dots of light instead of smooth light.

Otherwise, bvanhiel's suggestions above look like the first steps to try.

Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.

 

[afb66t9]

Glass is invisible, it makes a big difference what background/environment it is put into. Reflections make glass more realistic. I use HDRI (HDR) backgrpound images for my glass renders.

 

[Magicblack]

Well the problem is when i select a white background, the package which is supposed to render clear like a glass appearance turns into a dark plastic finish insteead and if i try to render again in a different background it continues to come up in a plastic looking finish rather then clear.

I have played around with the backgrounds and ligthing and nothing changes.

I have activated the 'enable depth settings' and global shadow control setting has been set to transparent, but when i try to render the object in white it will still come out a dark grey (not clear) and i can not see the contents inside the package.

I have rendered objects with see through finishes before with white backgrounds and they have come out perfectly fine, so i am not sure why i am having this problem.

thanks for the previous input.

 

[Theophilus]

What specific material are you using?

Are you using indirect lighting or only global?

How many reflections/refractions are you using for your depth settings?

Have you applied such settings within the context of your assembly, or only on the part level?

What service pack are you running?

I know these questions may seem basic, but I've not yet seen direct answers to them (and such answers would help me determine what's happening).

Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.

 

[bvanhiel]

Try unchecking "use solidworks materials" in the options dialog box.

-b

 

[Theophilus]

bvanhiel, that's a great point. (I thought I posted these options, but that must have been a different thread.)

I have the first three options checked, the next two unchecked, the next two checked, and the last unchecked. With these options, things work as expected with PhotoWorks.

There was an assembly a while back that was modeled and had materials and scenery assigned while these options were set differently--particularly the "Use SolidWorks Materials" option. Unchecking this option didn't immediately do anything, so this became confusing. I believe I had to rebuild, save, shut down SolidWorks. Then I opened the assembly, opened the part that wasn't cooperating, rebuilt it, saved it, and went back to the assembly. I beleive that's all I did to get the materials to behave again.

Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.