It was at SOLIDWORKS World 2016 we first saw the release of SOLIDWORKS Visualize. At that time it was a standalone install using your existing SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium License.
SOLIDWORKS 2017 sees SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017 installation handled by the SOLIDWORKS Install Manager. To do so the Install Manager requires a separate SOLIDWORKS Visualize License 
To obtain the SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017 license number you first will need to log in to the Customer Portal. Under My Support, select My Products. Expanding out your SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium License will display the “new” Visualize License. The Install Manager has provisions to insert both the different licenses.
SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017 sees further integration within SOLIDWORKS 2017. With the addition of the SOLDWORKS Visualize Toolbar. These tools can also be accessed via the Tools Tab> SOLIDWORKS Visualize
These tools include two different ways (Simple & Advance) to directly export the model into Visualize. Along with Update and Save features. Selecting the export feature automatically opens SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2917 and the exported model. Modifying the model in SOLIDWORKS 2017 and selecting the Update tool, proms Visualize to confirm the re-importing of the model.
For the long time SOLIDWORKS/ PhotoView 360 user, the best of the new Visualize 2017 features has to be the ability to set the Navigation tools as per SOLIDWORKS. This is done in SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017 via Tools> Options> User Interface> Viewport Navigation and the selection of SOLIDWORKS CAD. 
This changes Visualize 2016/ Bunkspeed navigation, of the model, from the ALT Key+mouse buttons combinations to a more familiar, SHIFT+MMB for Zoom, Ctrl+MMB for Pan and MMB for Rotate.
SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017 has also added the ability to Section a model. Sectioning is a similar function as it is within SOLIDWORKS and the use of a plane for the cut section. The Cutting Plane tool, Visualize 2017 is found under the Model Tab
Cutting Plane view allows for a internal view of the model and can be used to create a more interesting display of the component of a model
Although the ability to use Section views is a nice addition to SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2017, I believe it has been bettered in SOLIDWORKS 2017. The ability of PhotoView 360 to use the Creating Transparent Section Views allows for a greater range of more creative renders
SOLIDWORKS Visualize is very much a work in progress. With SOLIDWORKS World 2017 just over a month away it will be interesting to see if we get any insights into what may behold SOLIDWORKS Visualize 2018
Michael Lord 
Leave a Reply