Anyone here use PTC Creo?

Oops replied to the wrong post

 

Re SOLIDWORKS Visualize Thats Definately not right I have a 7720 with p4000 and a desktop with dual RTX 4000 and visualize uses 100% of the GPU when rendering. I generally advise setting it to GPU only in Tools - Options anyways as CPU doesn't make much difference for iRay based rendering tools like visualize. If you have one of the 440 branch drivers installed as certified by SOLIDWORKS (441.66 or newer)
You can find this here https://www.solidworks.com/support/hardware-certification
I would also advise either disabling switchable graphics in the BIOS (F12 on startup) or ensuring that visualize it set to use the NVIDIA graphics card (Nvidia control panel - 3d settings - program settings pick visualize from drop down or add it and select the Nvidia graphics card)

You can also set the global settings to use the NVIDIA card which should work unless the program in question is set to use the integrated card.

Also ensure that visualize hasn't defaulted to the new AMD Pro Render due to not detecting an NVIDIA card again this is under options, ensure it is set to NVIDIA iRay and restart visualize.


Re cad software I can't commnet for Creo but The latest version 2020 version of SOLIDWORKS (not visualize)has a new graphics engine based on a more modern version of open gl and can take more advantage of high end Quadro cards like dealiyours wheren with complex datasets. (Typically many thousands of parts)

So for zoom pan rotate it will put more load on the graphics card if the dataset is complex ,if isn't your graphics card will barely break a sweat

Other tasks like file open and rebuild are mostly CPU frequency based using 1-2 cores.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Here's a screenshot - during the rendering process you can see not much is being used...


This is with the following settings:


I've also followed your advice with the Nvida control panel...

I'd prefer not to disable the auto switching in the BIOS, as that might affect other programs etc - surely it shouldn't be necessary for me to do that?

Thanks again

 

Hmm that is odd, i would confirm your findings using a tool like GPUZ https://www.techpowerup.com/download/techpowerup-gpu-z/

i don't trust task manager much but have used GPUZ numerous times and you don't even need to install it.

The fact it Visualize is working in GPU only mode must mean it it utilizing the graphics card and the passes per second look good (i don't believe a CPU could do that even on a simple model)

and yeh disabling switchable graphics shouldn't be needed, we just tend to do it as a safety measure for those who are more worried about stability/ performance than battery life.

One other tip, under options you can also enable the AI denoiser and add a button in the viewport, it's on the same menu as he render settings for iray

 

Thanks a lot. Tried GPUZ and it shows the RTX being used at around 85% - does that sound better? Still not 100%... Is yours actually at 100%?

Weird that task manager is so inaccurate...

Thanks for the tip about the AI denoiser - what does it do? Just remove the noise quicker?

 

Great, glad it's working, good old Microsoft is all i can say re task manager!

According to GPUZ i'd say usage varies during preview render but when doing a final render it should be close to 95-100% most of the time,

As for the AI denoiser see this blog from it's first release. It uses machine learning to eliminate noise 5-10x faster than traditional techniques
https://blogs.solidworks.com/solidw...ing-new-artificial-intelligence-denoiser.html

 

Thanks. Have enabled AI d now. NIce one!

Just tried a full render, and GPU usage fluctuated between 90% and 92% for the whole time....