Raytracer Processor

The raytracer operates using the same set of instructions produced by the parser and employed by the CAD processor. The key difference is that the raytracer does not require the CAD model to be built in advance. Instead, it calculates intersections directly, effectively modelling every surface on the fly.

This approach avoids the time and storage costs of building complex CAD geometry, but the trade-off is performance: producing a raytraced image generally takes longer than rendering with CAD, since each surface interaction must be calculated precisely. The advantage is image quality – raytracing provides a fully realistic representation of the geometry, with support for advanced visual properties such as reflection, refraction, transparency and realistic lighting effects.

Control of the raytracer is left to the user. It can be enabled when a high-quality image is required, but for interactivity, Cyclone automatically reverts to CAD rendering while the user moves or rotates the model. Once the view is fixed, the raytracer re-renders the final image, giving a balance between responsiveness and realism.