HOW TO: Render a SolidWorks model in Blender


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This tutorial will show you to export a CAD file (Solidworks parts and assemblies, .step or .iges files, etc…) to be used in Blender, using an .STL. This model can then be used for further modeling, rendering or 3D Printing.

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Exporting a CAD file to Blender or any poligon-based 3D program is not ideal as the geometry (topology) created by these CAD exporters is very ‘ugly’. Modeling something with poligons to start with is better, especially when used with advanced materials, simulations or animations. It is however usefull to be able to render a CAD file or to be able to put it in a more complicated scene. This alows you to render your object in a more natural environment, interacting with other objects. A popular choice for rendering CAD files is Keyshot. While this is powerful software, it still only renders your object, not alowing you to model a more advanced scenery. This is why I use Blender whenever I want to present a 3D Model.

Thanks for watching!!!

Music: Mars – Evalk https://youtu.be/q00bGGuXig8

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15 responses to “HOW TO: Render a SolidWorks model in Blender”

  1. Great content. I feel blender is a powerful and fast program. With the GPU and CPU support, the render times and the results are better than Keyshot (I know there is Solidworks visualize for GPU rendering but I don't like it). I don't know why people don't use it.

    I hope to see how to animate a Solidworks assembly in blender

  2. Another way of making certain edges look 'hard' is to add a bevel modifier. This is a little harder to use as there are a few more settings to adjust, but gives you the ability to automatically have tiny bevels (Fillets/Chamfers) on the sharp edges without having to worry about them in your base model.

    See my last video "HOW TO: Render in SolidWorks (part 1)" (youtube.com/watch?v=LHtBIgD61PU&t=2s) where I explain why 100% sharp edges are a physical impossibility and don't look natural.

  3. Nice dude! Is there an advantage of using the edge split mod over auto smooth? Also, check out MoI for converting parametric files to meshes. It exports N-gons as well as custom vertex normals to make complicated geometry look smooth, 95% of the time. 

    ps: J is pronounced "jay", G is pronounced "gee".

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