Creating and Rendering Animations in SolidWorks

SolidWorks Visualize Animation Timeline

Animations are a powerful way to communicate how a product works, highlight key design features, or present a product concept to clients and investors. SolidWorks provides built-in tools for creating animations, and it also allows you to export them for rendering in advanced visualization software.

In this post, we’ll explore the options available for creating animations in SolidWorks, and how you can take them further with rendering tools like PhotoView 360, SolidWorks Visualize, and KeyShot.

Creating Animations in SolidWorks

SolidWorks offers two main ways to create animations:

1. Motion Study (Basic Animation)

   • Useful for simple movements such as rotating a part, translating a component, or creating an exploded view animation.

   • Perfect for assembly instructions, basic product demonstrations, or quick internal presentations.

2. Motion Analysis (Advanced Animation)

   • Uses physical simulation to create realistic motion with forces, motors, contacts, and gravity.

   • Ideal for demonstrating mechanisms, gear trains, and kinematic systems where physics-driven realism is important.

Animations created in these environments can be exported as video files directly from SolidWorks, but the visual quality depends on the rendering method you choose.

Rendering Options for Animations 1. PhotoView 360 (Integrated Rendering)

• Pros:

  • Built into SolidWorks (no need for external software).

  • Can render stills and animations with realistic materials, lighting, and environments.

  • Good balance between quality and speed for most engineering presentations.

• Cons:

  • Rendering speed can be slower for complex animations.

  • Less flexible compared to Visualize or KeyShot when it comes to advanced visual storytelling.

2. SolidWorks Visualize (Advanced Rendering)

• Pros:

  • Dedicated rendering software optimized for photorealistic images and animations.

  • Supports advanced lighting setups, real-world materials, and camera effects.

  • GPU-accelerated rendering dramatically speeds up the process.

  • Excellent for marketing visuals and client presentations.

• Cons:

  • Requires exporting models and animations from SolidWorks.

  • More learning curve compared to PhotoView 360.

3. KeyShot (Third-Party Rendering)

• Pros:

  • Industry-standard for product visualization with a simple, intuitive workflow.

  • Supports a wide range of materials, HDRI lighting environments, and animation tools.

  • Compatible with many CAD formats, including SolidWorks, making data transfer straightforward.

  • Highly flexible for creating cinematic, marketing-quality animations.

• Cons:

  • Requires a separate license and workflow outside SolidWorks.

  • Heavier focus on rendering, so CAD-based animation logic (like mates or motion analysis) may need re-setup.

Choosing the Right Workflow

• Use PhotoView 360 if you want quick, integrated animations without leaving SolidWorks.

• Use SolidWorks Visualize if your goal is photorealism and professional-quality animations for presentations or marketing.

• Use KeyShot if you need maximum flexibility, cinematic visuals, or if you already rely on it for product rendering in your workflow.

Conclusion

SolidWorks gives engineers and designers the ability to create animations that go beyond static models. By combining these animations with rendering tools such as PhotoView 360, Visualize, or KeyShot, you can transform your ideas into compelling visuals that effectively communicate your design intent.

If you’re interested in elevating your product presentations with high-quality animations and renders, reach out to discuss how I can help bring your designs to life.

Would you like me to also draft a short LinkedIn post promoting this blog, in the same professional style we used before?