Starting a raytracing engine all over again

Author	Posts
Lionel Keymaster	The ray tracing in Patchwork 3D can make beautiful images of your scene. But is is slow… As an exemple, rendering this image of an electric vehicle takes over 5 minutes! What if there was a way to speed it up? But not twice as fast, not 10 times as fast, no really very very very much… Nowadays, the answer is YES with GPU ray tracing. So we’re beginning the development of a new ray tracing engine in GPU. Stay tuned, we’ll post our R&D journey here. Tagged: raytracing, rendering Published on 23 November 2023 at 18 h 13 min
Lionel Keymaster	So here is our first step to build a Ray Tracer in GPU to replace the CPU current one in Patchwork 3D: calculating lightmaps then interactive rendering of the model with only these lightmaps. Quite fast when compared to the usual lightmap calculation time, right? Published on 14 December 2023 at 17 h 15 min
Lionel Keymaster	Here is our second step to build a Ray Tracer in GPU to replace the CPU current one in Patchwork 3D: rendering the environment. It’s ray tracing and we can move around interactively! But not too quickly so as not to make you sick. 🙂 Published on 18 January 2024 at 17 h 42 min
Philippe Keymaster	Our third step is implementing a GPU-based Ray Tracer to replace the current CPU-based one in Patchwork 3D by rendering materials. This significant milestone brings us one step closer to a fully GPU-powered solution. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this update! Share your comments and join the discussion below. Published on 14 June 2024 at 9 h 50 min
Lionel Keymaster	We have successfully integrated graphical elements such as logos, marks, and iconography, known as “Stickers”, as part of our ongoing efforts to transition Patchwork 3D’s ray tracing engine from CPU-based to GPU-based. This implementation and all upcoming ones take advantage of the improved speed, power, and efficiency of GPU ray tracing. This development is part of our commitment to integrate all existing features into the new GPU raytracer, enhancing speed, power, and efficiency. The new engine will significantly improve rendering times and overall performance. Published on 5 September 2024 at 15 h 40 min
Philippe Keymaster	We’re thrilled to announce that the rendering of mirrors has been integrated as part of our ongoing efforts to transition Patchwork 3D’s ray tracing engine from CPU-based to GPU-based. This implementation and all upcoming ones take advantage of the improved speed, power, and efficiency of GPU Ray Tracing. This development is part of our commitment to integrate all existing features into the new GPU raytracer, enhancing speed, power, and efficiency. The new engine will significantly improve rendering times and overall performance. Published on 19 September 2024 at 17 h 04 min
Philippe Keymaster	We’re thrilled to announce that Patchwork 3D 2025’s GPU Ray tracing engine has significantly improved transparency for thick materials. This new feature represents a key component of our ongoing initiative to transition Patchwork 3D’s ray tracing engine from a CPU-based to a GPU-based architecture. By capitalizing on the advanced capabilities inherent in GPU Ray tracing, we introduce improved handling of thick transparent materials, such as glass. This enhancement significantly contributes to increased visual fidelity, physical realism, and efficiency in image rendering. The integration ensures accurate light refraction and dispersion within thick materials, delivering a more immersive visual experience. We selected detailed 3D models of glass figurines to demonstrate the capabilities of this implementation. Published on 5 December 2024 at 15 h 14 min
Philippe Keymaster	We have newly implemented the support of Multilayer and Seam materials in the GPU Ray tracer, which simplifies handling detailed surface effects. Gone are the days when achieving realistic surface details required a combination of stickers, overlays, or time-consuming workarounds. With Multilayer materials, you can create and assign a multilayer material to surfaces, effortlessly enhancing realism. Multilayer materials integrate the properties of multiple layers into a cohesive, unified material. This allows you to replicate intricate and realistic finishes without additional compositing. When designing product visualizations, these materials streamline your workflow while delivering realism. With Multilayer materials, you achieve: Metallic and pearlescent paints: Capture the brilliance of shimmering metallics or the subtle glow of pearlescent finishes with incredible detail and lighting interactions. Carbon fiber: Render realistic carbon fiber with an intricate weave pattern and glossy resin topcoat, all in a single material. Varnished wood: Create polished wood surfaces with deep grain textures and a perfect varnish layer that reflects light beautifully. Perforated leather: Design leather with detailed perforations, combining texture and realistic lighting for automotive or interior renders. With Seam materials, you can accurately position seams on surfaces, choose a type of stitching such as open, flat-felled, lapped, or French seam, and easily achieve a realistic relief effect. The advanced Ray tracing capabilities in GPU ensure: Physically accurate reflections: Materials look more natural with true-to-life light behavior. Enhanced depth and realism: Layered surfaces react to light in ways that simulate real-world materials. Improved workflow efficiency: Assign complex materials in a few clicks, reducing time spent on manual tweaks and edits. Share your comments. We’d love to see your feedback! 🚀 Published on 21 January 2025 at 17 h 49 min

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