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Photoworks LED
2

Photoworks LED

Photoworks LED

(OP)
I was just wondering if anyone has come up with a quick way to make a LED light up realistically in PW.  It seems like I run into this issue a lot with lighted switches, indicators, etc.  Anyway, I usually approximate the effect by adding a point light and monkeying around with some other lighting settings, but it never seems to knock my socks off.

Just wondering how other folks get around it.  Is there an easier way in '08?

Dan

www.eltronresearch.com

RE: Photoworks LED

Have you tried setting your illumination type to Constant?  Any color you like, and it can emit light.  I'll try to dig up my old post on this from about two years ago--had some images posted as a demo (related generally to what you're asking).

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Photoworks LED

I've seen it done in an extremely realistic way before in a user group presentation here in Seattle. I'll see if I can't dig up my notes on it.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

RE: Photoworks LED

RE: Photoworks LED

From the presenter, Adam Smith:

Create the led lens with a bit of roughness (start with clear PC then make it the same texture as MT11010)  then select the back face of the lens and set it to one of the new light source textures.
Render and adjust as needed.  Caustics and indirect illumination are helpful but not needed.

I hope this helps...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

RE: Photoworks LED

Not the best example but it gives you an idea.  The blue areas use teh new light material in 2008.  I didn't adjust the setttings a whole lot.  This is pretty much out of the box.  You do have much more control now.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
www.axiscadsolutions.com
www.robrodriguez.com
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/rob_rodriguez/
Eastern Region SWUGN Representative www.swugn.org  www.nvtswug.com
SW 2007 SP 2.0

RE: Photoworks LED

(OP)
Thanks for all of the response, guys.

Theo, that's how I've been doing it, but I have never been that impressed with the end result.  You know what I mean?

Rob, as always, you nailed it.  I have only been playing with '08 for a couple of days (mostly adjusting my settings), and I just didn't see the new Lights folder in the PW/Realview materials.  That will be a huge time saver.  I've been dinking around with it a little this morning, and the effects are finally what I'm looking for.

Thanks again, everyone!peace

Dan

www.eltronresearch.com

RE: Photoworks LED

Yeah, I know what you mean.  "Constant" can only go so bright.  (By the way, have you seen all the layered control you get in Maxwell?  Very impressive use of bitmap-generated light emittance, etc. with masks and bump files.  Too bad the plug-in didn't actually work with SW.)

Waiting for SW 2008. ..

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Photoworks LED

(OP)
Maxwell has always looked cool to me.  Whenever I go to their site I end up with a puddle of drool on my desk.  I just haven't had the time to play with it yet.

Dan

www.eltronresearch.com

RE: Photoworks LED

Also,
In your PhotoWorks toolbar, there is "Render Options".
Under "System Options" tab, you can display PhotoWorks info in the model.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

RE: Photoworks LED

(OP)
Chris, in '08 the PW info is always displayed in the model.  It's all tangled up with Realview now.

Dan

www.eltronresearch.com

RE: Photoworks LED

I don't have 08 yet.
Thanks.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

RE: Photoworks LED

The Maxwell Plug-in looks more promising for 2008.  I haven't used it (not released yet) but from the screen shots it looks like they've done some good work.  I don't think decals are supported yet though and this is a major limitation (for me anyway)  Now that I have a quad core system Maxwell is actually usable.  Displacement mapping in Maxwell is just awesome.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
www.axiscadsolutions.com
www.robrodriguez.com
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/rob_rodriguez/
Eastern Region SWUGN Representative www.swugn.org  www.nvtswug.com
SW 2007 SP 2.0

RE: Photoworks LED

Tinker with the "Emissivity" property under the optical properties in SW.

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