How to Fit Textures to Parts in SOLIDWORKS Visualize

Many users transitioning to SOLIDWORKS Visualize from PhotoView 360 may recall a setting in PhotoView that allowed you to scale and manipulate how textures were projected onto objects and faces. Having the knowledge to fit textures to parts properly is crucial to producing high-quality SOLIDWORKS Visualize renders.

These settings also exist in SOLIDWORKS Visualize and are incredibly useful with textures like wood that may have an obvious grain and scale to them!

Key Components to Fit Textures to Parts

When fitting textures to parts, there are two key components to accurately place the texture: Scale and Projection mode. Both of these options will be in the Texture Mapping tab of the Appearance menu.

The projection is what will control where the seam, if any, would be in the texture. The best option for your file can vary by both pattern and what views or angles the product will be rendered. This can be a setting that requires trial and error to get correct.

The scale settings are more self-explanatory. Is the texture you are using a long wood panel or made up of smaller tiles? Depending on the real-life size of the texture, you would adjust the scale accordingly.

Changing the Projection Mode

The way that SOLIDWORKS Visualize projects the texture onto the model is controlled by the Mode dropdown.

The options for Projection Mode in SOLIDWORKS Visualize are the following:

• UV
• Box
• Planar
• Spherical
• Radial
• Cylindrical
• Perspective

For each of these options, SOLIDWORKS Visualize will take the texture and project it onto the model from the shape selected. This means that the shape closest to the nature of the part, such as Spherical for a ball and Box for a cabinet, will be the best starting point for most files.

Non-Geometric Projection Options

The two non-geometric options are UV and Perspective. Perspective allows you to apply the texture as if projected from the current view (like a film projector or spray paint). This can be useful on complex surfaces, when only rendering on a stationary view. Keep in mind that rotating models with Perspective textures can have unusual stretching of the texture from different angles.

UV is going to be a more in-depth texturing option, such as is used by filmmakers and game designers for their models. UVs can be an entire subject in and of themselves, so we will not be going more in-depth with them in this article.

Changing Texture Scale

While the projection type will give textures the correct orientation, the other setting that adds to our realism is Scale. Under the Texture Mapping menu is a Transform section that allows two ways to adjust the scale.

Adjusting SOLIDWORKS Visualize texture scale settings

First, you can use Scale All to scale up and down the entire pattern in all directions. This is great to take a 2-millimeter tile to a 2-inch tile. There are also XYZ scale boxes that will allow you to scale each axis independently. This will let you stretch a texture in one direction and can help things such as elongating a grain to look a bit more uniform or changing the nature of a pattern from square to rectangle, etc.

Improving SOLIDWORKS Renders

Fine-tuning your SOLIDWORKS Visualize materials and making sure you fit textures to parts in the render can take your images from mediocre to extraordinary. An extra adjustment can go a long way to enhance the overall realism and results of your renderings.

While the information above will enable you to finesse the textures and give your pieces just the right look, adjusting the scale and projection mode may not be enough. In those situations, instructor-led training can take your skills to the next level.

To register for an upcoming SOLIDWORKS Visualize training course, click here.