mental images is providing rendering technology to SolidWorks Corporation which SolidWorks is marketing as part of its product offerings under the PhotoWorks brand from release 2 on. It gives engineers high-end photorealistic rendering results comparable to those found in specialized rendering tools costing many times more. PhotoWorks and PhotoWorks Studio are effective sales, marketing, and design communication tools because they allow engineers to easily transform three-dimensional (3D) product designs into images that non-engineers can understand.

Designers and engineers can use PhotoWorks and PhotoWorks Studio to create compelling, near photo-quality images of a finished product design. The software gives users more control over key computer-aided design (CAD) features such as light, shadow, material, and definition than previous versions. For example, a designer can use PhotoWorks to create an extremely realistic image of a chrome-plated toaster in a life-like kitchen with accurate lighting, shadows, and reflections off the toaster's sides.