GPU Power for Next-Generation Design

In the face of mounting product complexity, engineers are increasingly reliant on advanced modeling tools, robust simulations and nascent visualization technologies to get the job done. Yet to capitalize on their full potential, engineers need to step up their workstation game and invest in state-of-the-art graphics and processing technologies that can fully support new optimized design workflows.

Today’s engineers are concepting, testing and prototyping products in a highly realistic virtual world to save costs, drive efficiencies and accelerate time to market. Armed with high-fidelity CAD

The Radeon Pro WX 7100 GPU.

modeling, multidisciplinary simulation, sophisticated rendering—and even virtual and augmented reality (VR)—engineers are empowered to innovate on a scale not possible with traditional methods of design exploration and physical prototyping.

Optimized Graphics Processing

While digital design workflows can open up innovation potential, it’s only possible with the right horsepower. AMD’s new Radeon Pro WX series of GPUs and its new Radeon ProRender rendering engine are designed specifically to address the demanding needs of workstation users, especially those professionals pushing the boundaries of science, technology and engineering applications.

The new Radeon Pro WX series GPUs are optimized for open source software, undergo extensive independent software vendor (ISV) application and workstation certification testing, and support advances that deliver the highest levels of performance. Based on AMD’s new Polaris architecture designed specifically for speed and energy efficiency, the Radeon Pro GPUs employ the latest advances in AMD’s 4th generation Graphics Core Next architecture, including 4K video decode and encode support, next generation display capabilities and support for open source software through GPUOpen.

GPU accelerated transparent mode (OIT). Image courtesy of Palatov Motorsport LLC.

AMD has worked closely with leading ISVs (independent software vendors) and workstation providers to ensure the Radeon Pro GPU line supports the most advanced feature sets. For example, ISV certification for SOLIDWORKS means the AMD GPUs support features such as the RealView Graphics real-time shading and self-shadowing functions as well as Mate, a SOLIDWORKS feature for joining parts in an assembly and simulating how they fit and move together.

Three GPU Options

There are three offerings in the Radeon Pro WX line: The 4100, a fast, low-profile workstation graphics card designed for CAD assembly and modeling; the 5100 for more advanced needs, including more immersive design and simulation; and the 7100, the fastest model with 8GB of ultrafast GDDR5 memory and DirectGMA support for reducing CPU use. The 7100 hits the sweet spot for design engineers doing complex and full-scale assembly modeling and simulations, along with immersive design such as cross sectioning, rendering and VR.

New Rendering Engine

To accompany the new Radeon Pro GPU line, AMD also released Radeon ProRender, a state-of-the-art, physically-based ray trace rendering engine enabling interactive workflows to produce photorealistic images on heterogeneous computing systems. With its support of the industry standard OpenCL API, ProRender can run on virtually any hardware, giving design engineers maximum choice in optimizing a workstation to meet their needs.

AMD is also covering the bases for organizations trading up workstations for a virtualized design environment in the cloud. The AMD FirePro S7150 GPU delivers virtualized graphics, enabling a secure and cost-effective solution for high-performance virtual workstations.

Today’s engineers are driving competitive advantage through unprecedented innovation. Armed with the right AMD GPU horsepower, the sky is the limit for next-generation design.

To learn more about the Radeon Pro GPU line and see a SOLIDWORKS demo, go to radeon.com/wx.