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* Image Courtesy of Daz 3D

Nvidia Iray

Simulate Your Reality

NVIDIA^® Iray^® is an intuitive physically based rendering technology that generates photorealistic imagery for interactive and batch rendering workflows. Leveraging AI denoising, CUDA^®, NVIDIA OptiX^™, and Material Definition Language (MDL), Iray delivers world-class performance and impeccable visuals—in record time—when paired with the newest NVIDIA RTX^™-based hardware.

Using the Latest NVIDIA Technology

The latest version of Iray adds support for RTX, which includes dedicated ray-tracing-acceleration hardware support (RT Cores) and an advanced acceleration structure to enable real-time ray tracing in your graphics applications.

NVIDIA RTX Support

In the 2019 release of the Iray SDK, all render modes utilize NVIDIA RTX technology. In combination with AI denoising, this enables you to create photorealistic rendering in seconds instead of minutes.

Learn more about NVIDIA RTX

AI Denoising

Using Tensor Cores on the newest NVIDIA hardware brings the power of deep learning to both final-frame and interactive photorealistic renderings. This unique capability speeds the completion of final images and smooths interactive rendering for a more rapid understanding of your scene’s composition and lighting.

Learn more about AI denoising

Interactive image showing an image with AI denoising on and off

Image of NVIDIA Materials Definition Language

NVIDIA Material Definition Language

NVIDIA Material Definition Language (MDL) defines the properties of materials, ranging from the color of surfaces to their reflection or refraction properties to the light emission of surfaces. They even include additional surface geometric properties that are not commonly modeled in the primary geometric description of surfaces, such as cut-outs, displacements, or bump maps.

Learn more about MDL

Multi-GPU and Multi-Machine Setup

Iray supports any number or combination of GPUs and CPUs running within the same machine and gives you control over which ones are being used for rendering. This makes multi-GPU systems the preferred choice for Iray applications, even on cloud-based systems.

Learn more about Multi-GPU systems

NVIDIA Iray Features

NVIDIA is continually evolving the Iray feature set to improve the physically based 3D and VR rendering workflows of designers and digital artists.

Lighting
Simulation
Advanced
Camera
Materials
Compositing

Light Path Expressions

Separation of different types of light paths into different frame buffers.

Emissive Geometry

Realistic, physically-based lighting model which produces desirable effects, such as soft shadows; simple and natural to set up.

Luminance Distribution

Render color coded image to determine luminance.

Caustics

Rendering algorithms which can simulate very complex light paths, such as those which create caustics.

Spectral Rendering

Full spectral rendering including lights, textures and output.

OpenVDB Support

Render any OpenVDB file created in 3rd party applications.

Measured Materials

Easy drop in usage of measured materials via MDL.

Photometric Lights

Realistic lighting based on measured data.

Instancing

Memory savings, and immediate updates of animated objects.

Rounded Corners

Show highlights even if chamfers or filets are not explicitly modelled.

Section Planes

Multiple cross section planes, optionally closed with caps.

Decals

Place multiple double sided stickers on objects.

Depth of Field

Efficient implementation of depth-of-field, optimized for each rendering mode.

Motion Blur

Provides an idea of motion in still images, and of fluidity in rendered animations.

Stereo Viewing

Separate camera settings for right and left eye to achieve a 3D stereo output.

Panoramic Snapshots

Render out cylindrical or spherical maps.

Hair/Fur

Render spline based fur/hair geometry with MDL based material description.

Volume Rendering

Simulation of interactions that occur within a volume.

Subsurface Scattering

Simulation of material interactions that occur below the surface.

vMaterials

Easy access to hundreds of verified materials with high quality textures.

Matte Objects

Matte objects can be defined as stand-ins for already existing elements in the environment or backplate.

AOV Output

Support for the output of buffers which store various additional image information.

Line/Toon Renderer

Render any scene in a toon and/or hidden line style.

Bloom

Post process to add bloom and glare.

Full List of Iray Features

Category	Feature	Description
Advanced	Decals	Place multiple double sided Stickers on objects.
	Instancing	Memory savings, and immediate updates of animated objects.
	Rounded Corners	Show highlights even if chamfers or filets are not explicitly modelled.
	Section Planes	Multiple cross section planes, optionally closed with caps.
Camera	Depth of Field	Efficient implementation of depth-of-field, optimized for each rendering mode.
	Motion Blur	Provides an idea of motion in still images, and of fluidity in rendered animations.
	Panoramic Snapshots	Render out cylindrical or spherical maps.
	Stereo Viewing	Separate camera settings for right and left eye to achieve a 3D stereo output.
Compositing	AOV Output	Support for the output of buffers which store various additional image information.
	Bloom	Post process to add bloom and glare.
	Line/Toon Renderer	Render any scene in a toon and/or hidden line style.
	Matte Objects	Matte objects can be defined as stand-ins for already existing elements in the environment or backplate.
Lighting	Caustics	Rendering algorithms which can simulate very complex light paths, such as those which create caustics.
	Emissive Geometry	Realistic, physically-based lighting model which produces desirable effects, such as soft shadows; simple and natural to set up.
	Light Path Expressions	Separation of different types of light paths into different frame buffers.
	Luminance Distribution	Render color coded image to determine luminance.
	Photometric Lights	Realistic lighting based on measured data.
	Sun/Sky	Interactive sun & sky system based on physical models.
Materials	Hair/Fur	Render spline based fur/hair geometry with MDL based material description.
	Measured Materials	Easy drop in usage of measured materials via MDL.
	Subsurface Scattering	Simulation of material interactions that occur below the surface.
	Volume Rendering	Simulation of interactions that occur within a volume.

Download Document: Full List of Iray Features (PDF 1.4 MB)

How to Get Iray

Iray Plug-Ins

Several integration partners have already created state-of-the-art integrations that give you access to Iray within these popular 3D content creation applications: Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, and McNeel Rhinoceros.

Learn more about Iray plug-ins

Iray SDK Integration

NVIDIA Iray is designed for seamless integration into any application with the need for easy-to-use but convincing rendering. The Iray SDK is available through our partners who provide the professional support you may need during your integration phase.

Learn more about Iray SDK integration

Software Applications with Iray Integrated

Allura

Allura, developed by Render Plus Software, seamlessly integrates Iray+ into SketchUp to create stunning renderings from your SketchUp models. All rendering settings are stored directly in SketchUp which makes it easy to re-render your model after making changes, or use the same rendering settings for other models.

Learn more about Allura

Bloom Unit

BloomUnit is a solution enabling SketchUp users to interactively create photorealistic results using Iray, with the flexibility and convenience of cloud computing.

Learn more about BloomUnit

Dassault Systèmes CATIA

CATIA establishes a paradigm shift in PLM for system engineering by providing multi-discipline dynamic behavior modeling and simulation. CATIA with Iray rendering technology is fully integrated into the CATIA Live Rendering Workbench.

Learn more about CATIA

Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS Visualization products are for anyone who needs to create professional photo-quality images, animations, and other 3D content in the fastest and easiest way possible. SOLIDWORKS Visualize is software agnostic, which means designers, engineers, and content creators can use SOLIDWORKS or other CAD creation tools (Rhino, Autodesk Alias, 3ds Max) to design their models.

Learn more about SOLIDWORKS

Patchwork 3D

Lumiscaphe specializes in innovative digital aspect mockup (DAM) and photorealistic visualization. Patchwork 3D, its real-time 3D rendering software suite, enables the creation of advanced DAMs with complex illumination and animation. Patchwork 3D Engineering now natively uses the NVIDIA Iray rendering engine to support the most demanding engineering and design workflows.

Learn more about Patchwork3D

ProWalker GPU

ProWalker GPU created by Cadalog, Inc. provides SketchUp users with photorealistic, interactive rendering of still images and animations. This plugin brings physically based materials, lighting and environments to the Sketchup community.

Learn more about ProWalker GPU

Siemens NX

NX from Siemens Digital Industries Software gives you the power to drastically improve the way you develop products in an open, collaborative environment. NX Ray Traced Studio provides high-performance tools based on NVIDIA Iray that help you visualize your products using material types, textures, smoothness, finish, lighting, and backgrounds in a fully integrated environment. NX makes real-time visualization and sophisticated rendering easily accessible to everyone involved in the product development process.

Learn more about Siemens NX Ray Traced Studio

Substance Designer

The industry standard for creating custom materials, Substance Designer’s heavy-duty 3D texture authoring tools give you complete authoring control. Design tileable textures and patterns, and edit complete texture sets. Create from scratch in this nondestructive, node-based environment, or take advantage of Substance Designer's ever-expanding scripting capabilities. Design with precision—exactly how you envision it.

Learn more about Substance Designer

Substance Painter

With this powerful app, you can paint 3D textures on your model in real time. You get smart materials that adjust to any object to show realistic wear and tear. And the workflow is nondestructive, so you can experiment all you want. Play with mask presets that adapt to any shape, and paint with brushes that you can modify on the fly.

Learn more about Substance Painter

SYNCHRO

SYNCHRO’s 4D Building Information Modelling (BIM) platform is fundamentally changing how construction projects are delivered with Iray functionality that gives users access to complex lighting simulation, and exchangeable, physically based materials, which aid in the creation of high-quality visuals and animations locally or in the cloud. BIM also gives users the ability to utilize scheduling and real-time visualization to plan and manage resources in both space and time.

Learn more about SYNCHRO 4D