Configuring Your Workstation for Engineering Visualization

The right GPU, CPU, memory and storage can make a big difference in performance.

Dell has sponsored this post.

A selection of Dell Precision workstations. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

A selection of Dell Precision workstations. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

Advances in technology have provided designers and manufacturers with the ability to produce and capture an endless amount of data. Visualization has been a key tool in turning that data into something usable—from CAD sketches to realistic renders that bring to life a product yet to be built.

To make the most of the visualization software available today, engineers and designers need the proper visualization hardware: a workstation. But there is a whole world of different workstations out there—both traditional desktop workstations and modern mobile workstations, and there are numerous factors to consider when choosing one. Properly configuring a workstation is essential to unlocking the opportunities of visualization for better decision-making, cost and time savings and minimizing design errors.

In this article, we examine several of the factors to consider when configuring a workstation.

NVIDIA RTX Graphics

One of the biggest advances in engineering visualization in recent years comes by way of the graphics processing unit (GPU), counterpart to the central processing unit (CPU).

There are two traditional approaches to rendering a design: rasterization, or ray tracing. Rasterization turns vector data into pixels that can be rendered into a 3D model, typically with OpenGL or DirectX graphic APIs. While very fast, rasterization often lacks a real-world aesthetic and may have different levels of quality depending on the scene in question.

Ray tracing, on the other hand, is known to provide photorealistic results, but takes much more time. At least, it used to: Since 2018, NVIDIA’s RTX graphics cards have offered a huge leap in rendering technology in the form of real-time ray tracing. RTX provides the speed of rasterization with the quality of ray tracing. This allows engineers and designers to perform quick rendering with true-to-life detail. Instead of waiting for a prototype to be built or 3D-printed, a sharp edge, ergonomic error or other vital detail can be discovered and fixed thanks to a high-quality render.

The NVIDIA RTX A5000 graphics card. (Image courtesy of NVIDIA.)

The NVIDIA RTX A5000 graphics card. (Image courtesy of NVIDIA.)

In today’s workstations, the GPU is the most important factor for high quality visualization, and NVIDIA RTX GPUs are leading the pack. Engineers who regularly render designs will benefit immensely from an advanced GPU. Desktop workstations will always offer more power to GPUs, but today’s mobile workstations have powerful graphics options—for example, the NVIDIA RTX A5000 mobile GPU. This card is available in mobile workstations such as the Dell Precision 7760.

Many desktop workstations, including Dell Precision tower workstations, can support up to two GPUs, providing even more graphical horsepower. For users with the most pressing visualization needs, two RTX A6000 cards linked with NVIDIA NVLink provides a veritable graphics superhighway.

RTX Software Solutions

While the right hardware is vital, it needs to be compatible with preferred software. By now, many software developers have integrated real-time ray tracing on NVIDIA RTX to enhance their rendering offerings. SOLIDWORKS Visualize, Autodesk VRED, Luxion KeyShot and Chaos Vantage are some of the early adopters.

SOLIDWORKS, which is a familiar name to anyone in the design and manufacturing arenas, quickly realized the need to capture the capabilities of advanced GPUs. SOLIDWORKS Visualize—which supports Autodesk Inventor, PTC Creo, McNeel & Associates Rhino, Siemens Solid Edge, and Siemens NX file types—allows for designing complex details and creating everything from interactive animations to photorealistic imagery, all using RTX technology.

CPU, Storage and Memory Considerations

Though we have focused on the GPU as the most important element of a visualization workstation, the CPU, memory and storage are also essential factors in getting the most out of your hardware.

Clock speed (measured in GHz) is a major component of processor performance, and is most relevant for applications that are single threaded—that is, they use one core at a time. Most CAD applications are single threaded or at best lightly multi-threaded, so designers should prioritize clock speed over core count. Six to eight cores are more than sufficient for these types of applications. Look for a clock speed in the vicinity of 2.5GHz (base) to 5GHz (turbo) for optimal CAD performance.

Understanding your memory requirements is also crucial for configuring a proper workstation. In general, you will want to overestimate memory to account for needs that may change in the future. 32GB of memory is plenty for many users, but if larger datasets and complex models are part of your daily workload, 64GB is a better fit.

As for storage, the move to Solid State Drives (SSDs) enables faster access to data. Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are slower, but are an excellent option for secondary storage, since they often cost less. As with memory, try to anticipate your future storage needs when configuring a workstation. 1TB of storage (on one drive or split across several drives) provides enough buffer room for most users. If security is a priority, Self Encrypting Drives (SEDs) are also available in some Dell Precision desktop workstations.

Though you should plan ahead when configuring your workstation, don’t fret too much—look for an option that can easily be upgraded if your needs change. Workstations like the Dell Precision 5820 Tower workstation are designed for expandability and flexibility.

The Right Workstation

There are several Dell Precision workstations made for high-end visualization with NVIDIA RTX GPUs, both in desktop and mobile form factors.

The Dell Precision 5560 mobile workstation. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

The Dell Precision 5560 mobile workstation. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

Entry-level options include the Dell Precision 5560, a 15-inch mobile workstation, and the Dell Precision 3650 tower workstation. The mobile 5560 is available with NVIDIA RTX GPUs up to the RTX A2000, while the desktop 3650 supports up to 350W graphics up to the NVIDIA RTX A5000.

There are even higher-end options that provide added gusto to handle large rendering workloads. The Dell Precision 7760 Mobile workstation has a 17-inch screen and better cooling, allowing its NVIDIA RTX GPUs—up to the RTX A5000—to draw up to 115 watts. The Dell Precision 7920 tower workstation offers the ultimate ray-tracing capabilities. It supports up to two NVIDIA RTX GPUs from the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 up to the NVIDIA RTX A6000.

When deciding which is the best option, a business needs to consider how its employees will use the tools. When first beginning to venture into advanced rendering, entry-level options are a good way to get a foot in the door. If employees are often off-site or need to be ready for mobility, mobile workstations still provide the needed juice to get the best real-time renderings.

Configuring the Right Workstation

There are many high-quality desktop and mobile workstations on the market, but it is always important to understand your specific needs and workflow in order to make an informed decision.

For users who deal in advanced rendering and demand high quality visuals, it is important to choose a solid GPU, preferably an NVIDIA RTX graphics card. In a mobile workstation, an NVIDIA RTX A2000 is the entry level for sporadic visualization work. Daily power-users should opt for an RTX A5000 or the closest alternative within their budget. Remember that desktop workstations can outperform their mobile counterparts, so unless a mobile form factor is necessary, a desktop with an equivalent RTX graphics card is a better choice for visualization. With two graphics card slots, desktop towers can more than double the best performance available on the mobile side.

The Dell Precision 7920 tower workstation. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

The Dell Precision 7920 tower workstation. (Image courtesy of Dell.)

Visualization users will likely benefit more from a high-speed CPU than a high core count CPU. Look for a processor with six to eight cores and a clock speed around 5GHz. With memory and storage, more is always better, especially given the sizes associated with complex 3D models. If it is possible within the budget, 32GB of memory and 500GB of SSD storage is a good starting point.

For more information on how to configure your workstation for engineering visualization, visit dell.com/precision.