SOLIDWORKS Visualize has a number of different options for creating transparent parts or assemblies dependant on the use. For example, a clear plastic part would need an accurate appearance to look realistic. Or a user may wish to apply a different amount of transparency to different parts within an assembly. This would allow them to show the inner details and workings of a complex project. Each can have a different effect on your render.
- If you have an assembly, you are able to adjust the opacity of some parts to show the inner detail. This works even if the part is a solid opaque material.
- Select the part you wish to make transparent from the viewport
Opacity = 1
- In the Models tab of the Palette on the right of the screen, you are now able to adjust the opacity slider
Opacity = 0.15
- You are also able to adjust the appearance itself if the material is always transparent. Every appearance (even if it is brought through from SOLIDWORKS) has parameters that you can edit. It can be edited to look transparent in a number of different ways. You access these from the Appearance tab within the palette on the right-hand side.
- You must first select the material you wish to edit.
- You are able to change the Appearance Type to glass
- You can edit the transparency colour.
- You should be able to increase the transparency a little further by reducing the colour value in the colour picker tab.
- In addition, you also have to option to increase the IOR value. IOR stands for Index of Refraction and it controls the angle that light takes as it bends travelling through a transparent material. The following image shows the IOR value increased to 1.75.
To find out more about Visualize, please go visit our SOLIDWORKS Visualization pages