Hi, I work for a toy company that makes building blocks that are exactly the same. (imagine Lego, but every single block is exactly alike). You can see it in action here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q67B_HGugA

I need to create 3D renderings of various things that could be built using this one block. So far I’ve been using Solid Works to make one piece, and then just duplicate it over and over again to assemble various creations. I did some surfing and realized that Solid Works might not be perfect for me. I think there might be some software that would make the process of putting these pieces together easier, and maybe even help with the quality of final renders (I believe that Solid Works has a pretty retro rendering engine) Since I don’t have to create complex parts, and just put things together, what do you think would be best program for me? I really appreciate the help from the gurus on this forum. Any advice/feedback would be very appreciated. Thank you and happy holidays!

Basically, any 3d application paired with a good render engine will do. Since you're already using Solid Works, and have the object modeled there to your liking, why not just investigate plugin render engine capability? Keyshot comes to mind, and even has a page dedicated to why it works well with Solid Works.

https://www.keyshot.com/keyshot/keyshot_for_solidworks.html

I'm not sure how switching to some other application will enhance your workflow, since all you need to do is duplicate one object. However, I do know that some modeling packages can duplicate along a spline, which could come in handy for showing how your product can be used to create interesting shapes. I'm not sure if Solid Works has a feature like that, but you should look into it. Also, look into some kind of Array feature, which might make duplicating faster and easier. Applications like Blender and 3dsmax have some powerful Array features, as do many other packages, but there might be something like that already in Solid Works too.

LuxXeon, you've hit the bull's eye. Thank you. It makes a lot more sense now regarding what should I be seeking. Thank you for the response!!

what about trying Houdini ??

SolidWorks has the ability to reference a component in an assembly, and if that component changes, it would be automatically updated in the assembly wherever it occurs. There are a few related factors, so it could potentially be a bit more involved than swapping out a updated part where a dimensional change might cause the updated part not to fit in the same way. Another advantage of SolidWorks is that it is a parametric modeler, which mean the history of how you made the object is stored with the object, so its possible to go back and make a change that does not require rebuilding large parts of the model.

SolidWorks has a system called "Mates" to orient one component to another. Mates are typically used when creating an Assembly but may be used with any separate object in a file without creating an Assembly file. If you are not familiar with Mates and Assemblies , I suggest you learn how to use these before investigating another application.

Other terminology may be used depending on the application. Xreferencing is a similar method used by AutoCAD to allow automatic updating whenever a referenced file is changed.

Some poly modelers may use instancing, which is an efficient method to replicated an object in an array as LuxXeon mentioned. However, the instance may be created internally and not reference an external file. So if your component changes, it might not be as easy to substitute it for a revised version at some point in the future. This is usually application specific with poly modelers. (Some are more CAD like than others).

Simlab Composer is a less expensive alternative to Keyshot that integrates with SolidWorks, and it might be useful if you don't need all the options Keyshot has.