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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Render fully textured AutoCAD models in 3ds Max using Import > Link to AutoCAD.
Type:
Tutorial
Length:
3 min.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
Linking an AutoCAD file into 3ds Max allows you to assign materials,
00:08
set up cameras and lighting, then render the model.
00:11
Rendering creates a 2D image or animation based on your 3D scene.
00:16
It shades the geometry of the scene using the lighting you set up,
00:20
the materials you apply, and environment settings, such as the background and atmosphere.
00:25
Having a pre-configured 3ds Max project file that contains a basic environment
00:31
can help when rendering an AutoCAD file in 3ds Max.
00:35
From the File menu, click Open.
00:38
In the Open File dialog, choose the desired 3ds Max project file,
00:43
such as AutoCAD Rendering_Start.max in this example.
00:47
Then, click Open.
00:49
This file is preconfigured with a Sun and Sky environment, a Physical camera,
00:54
and Physical Camera Exposure Control.
00:57
The next step is to link the AutoCAD file to 3DS Max.
01:01
From the toolbar, expand the File drop-down, then choose Toolbar > Import > Link AutoCAD.
01:09
In the file browser, navigate to the import folder of the DWG you want to link.
01:15
In this example, the file Facility_Building.dwg is selected to link.
01:20
Then, click Open.
01:23
The Manage Links dialog opens.
01:25
Expand the Preset drop-down and make sure that DWG File Saved from AutoCAD is selected.
01:32
Also, choose Attach this file.
01:35
The AutoCAD file is now linked.
01:38
The file displays in the viewport.
01:42
From the Physical Camera viewport label menu, select Show Safe Frames.
01:47
The yellow Safe Frame provides a guide to show you the full view of the rendering as it is seen through the camera.
01:54
Otherwise, some of the rendered view may be cut off,
01:57
depending on the rendering size and viewport shape.
02:00
From the main toolbar, click Render Setup.
02:04
In the Render Setup dialog, because this file is pre-configured, the renderer is already set to Arnold.
02:11
From the Common tab, in the Output Size group,
02:15
expand the drop-down and select the HDTV size option.
02:19
Note that adjusting the frame size also changes the Image Aspect and Pixel Aspect.
02:26
Also, when the frame size increases, the render time increases.
02:30
Finally, open the Arnold Renderer tab.
02:34
Here, you can set the Render Quality by changing the sample values.
02:38
Increasing the values increases the quality, but it also increases the render time.
02:44
When you are ready to render the scene, click Render.
Video transcript
00:03
Linking an AutoCAD file into 3ds Max allows you to assign materials,
00:08
set up cameras and lighting, then render the model.
00:11
Rendering creates a 2D image or animation based on your 3D scene.
00:16
It shades the geometry of the scene using the lighting you set up,
00:20
the materials you apply, and environment settings, such as the background and atmosphere.
00:25
Having a pre-configured 3ds Max project file that contains a basic environment
00:31
can help when rendering an AutoCAD file in 3ds Max.
00:35
From the File menu, click Open.
00:38
In the Open File dialog, choose the desired 3ds Max project file,
00:43
such as AutoCAD Rendering_Start.max in this example.
00:47
Then, click Open.
00:49
This file is preconfigured with a Sun and Sky environment, a Physical camera,
00:54
and Physical Camera Exposure Control.
00:57
The next step is to link the AutoCAD file to 3DS Max.
01:01
From the toolbar, expand the File drop-down, then choose Toolbar > Import > Link AutoCAD.
01:09
In the file browser, navigate to the import folder of the DWG you want to link.
01:15
In this example, the file Facility_Building.dwg is selected to link.
01:20
Then, click Open.
01:23
The Manage Links dialog opens.
01:25
Expand the Preset drop-down and make sure that DWG File Saved from AutoCAD is selected.
01:32
Also, choose Attach this file.
01:35
The AutoCAD file is now linked.
01:38
The file displays in the viewport.
01:42
From the Physical Camera viewport label menu, select Show Safe Frames.
01:47
The yellow Safe Frame provides a guide to show you the full view of the rendering as it is seen through the camera.
01:54
Otherwise, some of the rendered view may be cut off,
01:57
depending on the rendering size and viewport shape.
02:00
From the main toolbar, click Render Setup.
02:04
In the Render Setup dialog, because this file is pre-configured, the renderer is already set to Arnold.
02:11
From the Common tab, in the Output Size group,
02:15
expand the drop-down and select the HDTV size option.
02:19
Note that adjusting the frame size also changes the Image Aspect and Pixel Aspect.
02:26
Also, when the frame size increases, the render time increases.
02:30
Finally, open the Arnold Renderer tab.
02:34
Here, you can set the Render Quality by changing the sample values.
02:38
Increasing the values increases the quality, but it also increases the render time.
02:44
When you are ready to render the scene, click Render.
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