How to Render Animations In SolidWorks

How to Create an Animated Render in SolidWorks: Quick & Easy Method

Video link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_alfIc9gfk

Creating an animated render can significantly enhance how your product designs are presented and perceived. Using SolidWorks, one of the most robust and user-friendly CAD and rendering software available, I recently rendered a pair of earbuds. This post will guide you through the steps to achieve a similar high-quality animated render efficiently and effectively, making it an ideal method for professionals pressed for time and seeking impressive results.

Step 1: Preparing Your Model

Firstly, ensure that your model – in this case, earbuds – is fully prepared. This involves making sure all components are correctly assembled in your SolidWorks file. For earbuds, you’ll want to pay close attention to details like the ear tips, wires, and the body itself, ensuring that everything is modeled to scale and accurately represents the final product.

Step 2: Applying Materials and Colors

SolidWorks’ extensive material library allows you to apply different textures and colors to your model. For the earbuds, applying a rubber material to the ear tips and a metallic or plastic finish to the body can make them look realistic. These details help in creating more engaging and believable renders.

Step 3: Setting Up the Animation

Animating your model can bring it to life. In SolidWorks, you can set keyframes to define the motion of the earbuds. For a simple yet effective presentation, consider animating the earbuds rotating around their axis or moving towards the camera to showcase different angles. This step is crucial as it defines how your product is viewed and can highlight specific features of the earbuds.

Step 4: Rendering the Animation

With your scene set and animation in place, you’re ready to render. SolidWorks Visualize provides a straightforward rendering process that supports animations. Ensure you adjust your render settings to balance quality and render time — typically, a higher frame rate and resolution will result in a smoother and more detailed animation but will take longer to render.

For a quick render, you might choose slightly lower settings, which still provide good quality but save time. Once your settings are adjusted, render the animation to a video format that suits your needs, such as MP4 for compatibility and ease of sharing.

Step 5: Post-Processing and Presentation

After rendering, you may want to perform some light post-processing on your video. This can include adjusting the brightness and contrast, adding background music, or including text overlays to provide information about the earbuds. Software like Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects is suitable for these final touches.

Conclusion

Using SolidWorks to create an animated render of your products, like earbuds, is a fantastic way to showcase them in a dynamic and engaging way. The steps outlined above provide a straightforward pathway to achieving professional-quality animations relatively quickly. Whether for client presentations, marketing, or even educational purposes, animated renders can significantly boost the perceived value and appeal of your designs.

Check out our accompanying YouTube tutorial where we visually walk you through each of these steps, ensuring you have everything you need to start rendering your projects effectively. Happy rendering!