By Dennis Collin
Rendering in the Cloud has been available to users for some years now. Complementing the in-product rendering tools, Cloud Rendering has the advantage of freeing up your workstation to do other tasks whilst rendering is underway. In the past computers could be tied up for hours or even days depending upon the size and format of output.
The service uses cloud credits which is a standard measure which all Autodesk consumption-based cloud services use to perform certain tasks in the cloud. Customers may receive cloud credits when subscribing to Autodesk products. Cloud credits can also be purchased as a top up as needed. Dependent upon the size of the file and quality of render the cloud credit cost may alter slightly.
Your account details will let you see your cloud credit availability as well as look and resubmit previously rendered jobs and download output.
The Autodesk Cloud Rendering service is only available to subscribers of selected Autodesk software, or to customers who have a current maintenance plan for selected Autodesk software. Listed as follows:-
- Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection
- Media & Entertainment Collection
- Product Design & Manufacturing Collection
- AutoCAD
- Revit
- Fusion 360
- 3ds Max
- Navisworks
- InfraWorks
Or if you are on a maintenance plan with Revit or AutoCAD then cloud rendering is also available.
To do this simply login onto.
https://gallery.autodesk.com/a360rendering
You are then taken to a portal page shown below, where files can be submitted either by an upload process, or direct from your product. You can also review previously submitted renders, re-render jobs, download images and delete old jobs as appropriate.
Some sample files are provided for testing purposes and cost no credits to render. Clicking on one of the samples or uploading a file of your choice and choosing to render will then provide a dialogue where camera, size, environment and quality can be set. An ETA of render time, cloud credit cost and email notifications can also be viewed and selected.
The page will display showing a provisional render result with an ETA of completion. The image quality seen below is achieved after a few seconds. Obviously whilst all this is going on, we can return to our application and keep working. No rest for the wicked! Alternatively, we can check our emails, write reports etc. whilst the Cloud does its thing and emails on the render completion when done.
Alternatively, we can submit jobs from your respective product. Look for your cloud render function login to the service (if you haven’t already done so) and submit your job, setting view settings and quality etc. The interface is very similar to submitting rendering jobs within the cloud and is similar no matter which product you happen to be using.
Rendering can be a very stressful stage in any project, whilst willing your workstation to render faster and meet those deadlines. The Cloud Rendering facility means you can render high quality outputs in minutes and not have to rely on late night finishes or weekend sessions to get things done.
The image below from Revit took just 12 minutes to render, and I was able to perform other tasks whilst it was processing.
For more information on Cloud Credits, Product Training, Licensing or anything related to CAD, modelling or data management why not contact one of our team on 01784 419922 or visit http://cadline.co.uk for help or advice.