software for 3d images of products

hello folks,

I'm in the process of designing some new products - and I want to create some 3D images to help promote the product and help give people an idea of what I'm trying to create.

It also helps explain to case manufacturers what I'm trying to make.

I've played with Sketchup so far - with a little success, but I'm wondering what software people use for the real thing. For instance, Behringer has very high quality 3d renders of products, and Rane has some cool pictures of their products, all rendered.




Any thoughts? Advice?

Solidworks.

(be ready for sticker shock!)

You can do quite a lot with SketchUp but the renders never look amazing.



Solidworks and Maya seem to be the big two. I think there is a SketchUp Pro 3D Render add-on which makes the exported renders look 'photorealistic' and that might be your cheapest option compared to the other two.

-T

Tom, did you create things like the XLR connectors yourself?

Yeah, I've become a bit of a SketchUp Ninja!

Thing is its not very accurate - I think it will only go to 1/32 of an inch and even then its gets screwy.

[quote author="SSLtech"]Solidworks.

(be ready for sticker shock!)[/quote]

Okay, I'd have to give up on months of work to get used to that program.

I'm kinda torn between continuing to use sketchup and maybe upgrade to the pro version... or this "Alibre" software I've seen.

http://www.alibre.com/xpress/software/alibre-design-xpress.asp

All I want to do is design cases and user interfaces (knobs etc) for them so I can generate 3d images of finished products.

Does it _have_ to be so difficult?

the ber-ring-ur one looks like a nice 3d application made it.
the rane one definately looks like photoshop.

i wonder if you can find a program that renders CAD drawings, therefore you could get your tight tolerences and ease of use in cad, then import it and render it in a different program.
i know solidworks has a render function, as well as a CAD import function,
ive got solidworks 2007.

Solidworks jockeys are amazing. A friend used to work for Price-Phister and would crank out these gleaming faucet designs with fabulous realistic effects from various assumed light sources. Just gorgeous. But yes, a "seat" is ultrapricey.

I think one could go in the other direction though, without being laughed out of the room: really good rough sketches. Of course you have to have some artistic ability, or else a mega-reputation so people forgive the crudity (vide Pease or Jim Williams).

Look at the late Roger Hayward's illustrations in some of the Freeman classic textbooks, like Pauling's General Chemistry. I just love that style. See as well Linkwitz's schematics on quadrille paper he reproduces on his website.

I used to do hand schematics all the time with fountain pen. I miss them, but reluctantly migrated to machine drawings.

When you say a 'seat is pricey', do you mean the cost of the software or the time you have to put in to be any good at SW? Or a combination of the both?

I'd kill to be a CAD ninja. As others have already said though, the guys who're good at it have put in a lot of time...

Justin

The investment as I understand it for the software and the support. One of the ID firms I dealt with would talk about how many "seats" they had. But of course the learning curve for the folks that warmed them was also substantial, and I don't know what the distribution of the ~200 USD per hour the outfit charged was software cost, salary, and profit.

solidworks premium office (highest version) is like 4500$. the yearly cost for support/updates like 1000$ alone. so its pretty expensive.
some alternatives are Rhino3D, which is decent and alot cheaper.

i guess its cool that solidworks has the integration of CAD and modeling in 1 program. but you dont really 'need' your models to be dead accurate, they are just for visuals. i would say do those in a modeling program like 3dStudioMAX or a cheaper alternative, and then if your making something to send to a machine shop or laser/waterjet, then just do that work in CAD.

That's a lot, but I thought it was a lot worse I guess.

i've seen it where you can get a student version thats got a 2 yr life for like 200$ almost worth going back to school just so you can get the program use. :green:

[quote author="asm"]i've seen it where you can get a student version thats got a 2 yr life for like 200$ almost worth going back to school just so you can get the program use. :green:[/quote]

That makes me laugh as I'm recalling Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles, near the end of the movie, asking for a student discount at the theater box office (and when declined in a rude way utters "PITA" I think).

3D is cool!

I have been stuck to the box all sunday
This is my next diy : GSSL Double Disco Edition :green:

[quote author="Klangkraft"]3D is cool!

I have been stuck to the box all sunday
This is my next diy : GSSL Double Disco Edition :green:
[/quote]

Det var det jävligaste :!: :shock:
(that's most devilish)

What SW are you using?
Where in Gbg are you?

The texture done with Illustrator and modelling/render in MAX.

[swedish]
Jag bor på hisingen, Eriksberg. Var har du din lödkammare då?
[swedish]

Rochey,
I have only used 3D Studio MAX, but this is a very nice program. I dont know about the US but in Sweden you can get a student licence running for two years for ~ $130. That´s a really good price. The only catch is that it´s for non commercial use only. Full MAX is $4000 or so.

There are cheaper alternatives around. Maybe take a look at Maxon Cinema 4D.
And I think there is a "personal learning edition" of MAYA for free.

But you have to invest a LOT of time in any of these programs to even get started. Hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Good luck!

Klangkraft

[quote author="Klangkraft"]But you have to invest a LOT of time in any of these programs to even get started. Hundreds and hundreds of hours.

Good luck!

Klangkraft[/quote]

The money I could probaby find somewhere... but the time is near impossible. I barely have enough time for my expat audio stuff now

If someone can do 3D drawings of some products we're working on, I'm willing to offer some products in return once they are produced

Rochey

Inventor is the best software that I have personally used for 3d stuff. It's just the way in which you create things is geared towards 3d, rather than making something 2d into 3d. But, I have to admit to not having used many different packages.

Try Caligari Truespace. It's 3D modelling, though not "engineering" oriented like Solidworks.

You'd also need some graphic program like Photoshop or equivalent.

You design a graphic image of the front panel "silkscreen/paint/design" and map that texture to your object (say a box). Then position your 3D cylinders for the knobs (more like a cone object with a chopped top portion). Wrap some texture around the knobs too to give that ridged edges.

It's a lot of work.