For years, SolidWorks users have achieved photorealistic images of their designs by leveraging the PhotoView 360 application, built with Luxology rendering technology. Now, Luxology announces new tool that facilitates the use of the company’s modo software for advanced visualization by SolidWorks users. The new modo for SolidWorks Kit simplifies the importation of SolidWorks models into modo while maintaining user interface conventions familiar to SolidWorks users.

The kit expands modo’s native functionality with additional options for efficiently importing parts and assemblies while providing flexibility on how the model is organized for visualization purposes. Inside modo, users are presented with a familiar SolidWorks-style layout and navigation controls, along with drag and drop support for changing materials and selecting lighting environments. A complete list of the new features in the modo for the kit is as follows:

Enhanced SolidWorks Import: allows additional import options for bringing SolidWorks parts, bodies, and assemblies into modo. Benefits include reduced memory usage for large files and the ability to use instances for ease of editing and reduced overhead.

PhotoView 360 Compatibility: models open in modo with the same appearance and decal information as seen in SolidWorks

Familiar Navigation for SolidWorks Users: user interface and navigation is similar to SolidWorks and PhotoView 360 so users have a comfortable and consistent set of controls

Efficient Tools for Selecting and Reorganizing Imported Models: help users with the complex task of re-organizing model data so that it is easier to apply materials. Imported data can be selected by appearance, part, body, or face and new layers can be created in modo to highlight specific parts of the design.

Library of Additional Materials: 350 material presets (PAD presets) beyond those included with modo let Kit users mimic real world surfaces like leather, carpet, tinted glass, and mesh grills – or even “x-ray” materials that reveal interior portions of the designs

Studio Environment Set 1 Kit: set of 51 HDRI spherical images complete with ground planes for easily obtaining professional-quality studio lighting for product shots and engineering visualizations

Training Videos: prepared by experts in both SolidWorks and modo, these videos guide users in the SolidWorks-specific user interface, CAD tools, workflow, and rendering creation

A webinar detailing the highly-anticipated modo for SolidWorks Kit and conducted by SolidWorks expert and Luxology Registered Trainer Paul McCrorey, will be held on April 28, 2011 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PDT. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.luxology.com/store/modoforsolidworkskit/.

Luxology

www.luxology.com