Render realistic images from 3D models in IRONCAD with KeyShot (Part 2 of 2)

This is part 2 of 2 in our series on image cleaning with IRONCAD. For part 1 -> Image cleaning with IRONCAD.

The advanced rendering engine implemented in IRONCAD is very good, but for some it may feel like a small threshold to overcome, especially if you have never rendered images before and want a realistic image as quickly as possible.

To solve this need, we offer a third-party software called KeyShot, which is developed by the company Luxion and has been on the market since 2010. It has undergone an amazing evolution of features and improvements and is today popular among IRONCAD users worldwide. KeyShot The add-on is available for both IRONCAD and INOVATE, but how do you actually use the software?

Follow this guide to learn more.

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Download and install KeyShot

Start by finding the version of KeyShot that matches your installation of IRONCAD or INOVATE. You do this by going to our Download Center.

There is also an installation manual that shows you how to install KeyShot step by step.

KeyShot can be tested and evaluated for 15 days. Once installed, it is placed under Add-Ins tab:

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Under KeyShot Options we find settings for how the model should be sent to KeyShot.

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‍Link parts with same materials means that all parts in IRONCAD with the same material/color will be linked in KeyShot. This can be good to have marked if you have already colored your model in IRONCAD. Both colors and textures that you have made in IRONCAD are transferred to KeyShot. But if you have a model where all parts have the same color, these will be handled as if they are linked in KeyShot, which means that when you color a part in KeyShot , all other parts with that color will be changed OM Link parts with same materials is checked under the settings.

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‍Use single shell for part is recommended to be checked as you usually want all the shells belonging to a part to remain contiguous and not be treated as separate shells.‍

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Model Up Vector usually needs to be changed as the Y axis is the axis used as the "up" in KeyShot's coordinate system unlike IRONCAD, where we use the Z axis as the "up" in our coordinate system.

This function thus needs to be changed to Y.

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The next step is to start rendering in KeyShot.

Start by opening the model in IRONCAD. When the model is open, click on Render in KeyShot to start up KeyShot and begin your rendering.

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The Update KeyShot button is used if you make a geometric change to your model in IRONCAD, all settings and colors are kept in KeyShot. So you send the updated model to an existing KeyShot session.

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Introduction to KeyShot

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The video above teaches you the basics from importing geometries, adding materials and finally rendering your model. You will notice how easy it is to find the settings in the program. The video also covers some of the GI (Global Illumination) that we also learned in our last guide(which you can find here).

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Materials and textures

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In KeyShot there are hundreds of different preset materials that are refined to the fingertips. Here we have e.g. lots of different metals, glass, colors, chameleon paint and much much more. You can of course go in and change each of the materials and get exactly the way you want it. Another good thing to know is that you can download a variety of other materials, HDR images, backgrounds and t.om. 3D models created by other KeyShot users completely free of charge (login required).

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By clicking on Cloud Library (under the Material Explorer), a new window will open in KeyShot, where you can choose what material, background, etc. you want to download.

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Click on what you want to download followed by Download

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As this was a material, it is downloaded and placed under Downloads and under Materials. Then the material is ready to use.

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Displacement Maps

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In our last guide on renderings we described how to use Bump maps to simulate a bump on a surface. Bumps is of course also available in KeyShot , however there is also something called Displacement Maps in KeyShot and is something we don't support IRONCAD. Displacement Maps creates an actual roughness on a surface and can be extremely useful if you really want to raise your rendering to another level.

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UV textures

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In KeyShot it is of course possible to add textures (images of surfaces), in tools that work in a similar way to IRONCAD that we discussed in part 1. We would like to take the opportunity to strike a blow for UV textures that are a more advanced way of texturing and in some cases the only way to texture. UV mapping(texture coordinates) is a method of projecting 2D images onto a 3D model.

The method uses U and V coordinates where U represents the horizontal axis while V represents the vertical axis. The UV coordinates are handled by a pair of numbers stored in a corner of a mesh. It is these numbers that are used to stretch a 2D texture on a 3D mesh. In short, UV mapping is used to control a texture on a surface a little better. See the movie above that describes this.

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Paint and draw on your 3D model with 3D paint

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Another very useful feature of KeyShot is 3D painting . The tool is a dream come true for those who are used to editing photos and images in photo editing software, the feature allows you to directly paint on the model to enhance and refine the final result. Watch the video above to get started with the feature.

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Camera settings

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Mastering the camera in KeyShot is critical to getting the most realistic rendering possible. The video above takes you through the most important things you need to know when it comes to camera settings.

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Rendering settings

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What rendering settings should I use? How do I render an image with an Alpha Mask? Take a look at the video above to learn the basic rendering settings for KeyShot.

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How much does KeyShot cost?

KeyShot for IC: €6,900

KeyShot PRO for IC: 10 900:-

(VAT will be added)

Contact us on 08-556 185 40 or contact us info@solidmakarna.se if you have any questions or want to place an order.

To find out which set of KeyShot you should use, we recommend that you look at this PDF document (KeyShot for IC is equivalent to KeyShot CAD in the document and equivalent for PRO): KeyShot Comparison

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Tutorials

Are you interested in learning all there is to know about KeyShot? These free video tutorials will take you through the entire KeyShot:

KeyShot Essentials