Well I feel pretty stupid

I just bought Maxwell, and it doesn't look like I can even use it unless I
have SW2006 ! I have 2005.
The Maxwell pdf manual doesn't even say how to use it with a sldprt file.
Does maxwell run from within SW like PW?
Was I sucked in by a cool demo again??

 

Hmm- that might well be, since 2006 has a camera that would make it
compatible with rendering plugins in the industry

 

Maxwell needs 2006, for the camera. I have my PC dual booting so I can
do real work in SWX 2005 and then boot into SWX2006 to render.

After hitting the render button on the Maxwell plug-in it generates a
mxs file that renders in a pop up window. Or you can render the mxs that
it generates from the command line. There will be a GUI when it's
released next month.

Note you can also link up to four PC's /CPU's to enable cooperative
rendering, with one Maxwell licence. I've only done it with 2 PC's so.

Login to Maxwell's SolidWorks forum and get Juan's Tutorial video's. and
read the Install "sticky". It's also worth reading the stuff in the
general tutorial forum especially the bit regarding "Avoid High
Reflectance (updated with plastics" unless you have infinity to render
your parts.

If you have any questions, Juan or another Maxwell employee will answer
on the forum within a day, usually. Juan is the guy who is programming
the SolidWorks Plug-in.

It is possible to render inside a part file but you are limited to the
"physical sky" that's built into Maxwell for lighting. The best way is
to set up an assembly and assign emitters to parts to illuminate the
scene. Maxwell does not use SolidWorks lighting.

I have set up a standard studio assembly with 2 lights which I drop
parts or assemblies into to render them. If you are interested, after
you install SWX2006, I'll post the "very" basic studio assembly I have
made on my website for you to download?

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help.

The SolidWorks Plug-in is still Alpha and Maxwell is still Beta hence
it’s currently half price.


Regards


John Layne
www.solidengineering.co.nz

 

John,
Thanks very much for your inforamtion and offer to help.

The other day I was trying to get a simple part rendered for use in our next
advertisment. After about 1/2 hour with PW, I could see the learning curve
was going to be painful. I decided it would be quicker to go down to the
shop and machine the part from aluminum, and take a photo, than it would be
to get a good image out of PW. So, bitter on PW, I remembered seeing
someone's very nice looking rendering of a medical-looking part on this
newsgroup, and remembered it was created using Maxwell. Off to the web
site, saw the Solidworks mention and whipped out the credit card.

I can rationalize the expense of going to SW06 by factoring in the
early-adopter discount on Maxwell. ;-)

Bill

 

The learning curve could be also be quite steep for Maxwell. Some of the
PhotoWorks interface is a lot easier than Maxwell.

I find the end results a lot less frustrating than PhotoWorks. Plus for
me at least they are more predicable once you get to know what it can do.

I'm far from being an expert and I'll never spend the time on Maxwell to
produce those sorts of renders you can see in their gallery. My main aim
is to produce renders that help my customers foresee the final product.
But I'm happy to share the little knowledge I have.

John Layne
www.solidengineering.co.nz

 

I'd be happy to render it for you, I could use the practice?

John Layne
www.solidengineering.co.nz