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Amethyst ShadowFX Review

CADinfo.NET Tech Team

Amethyst ShadowFX is a Windows-based program that enables you to generate shadow profiles cast by objects such as buildings for any latitude, longitude and time of year.

Shadow profiles can be quickly and easily generated without the need to input complex 3D objects, and data is presented in a highly usable and an easy-to-understand format.

Shadow profiles are output in the form of AutoCAD DWG and DXF files. These can be imported into CAD drawings for further analysis, or printed onto transparencies for use as overlays.

Amethyst ShadowFX incorporates several animations that simulate the movement of the sun and indicate the direction and length of shadows cast. A range of reference reports can also be generated.

Amethyst ShadowFX provides a comprehensive guide to creating shadow diagrams. However will not automatically produce shadows from existing CAD drawings. The advantage of being able to display existing DWG and DXF files is that dimensional data can be extracted from drawings, without the need for an additional DWG compatible viewer. It does not render or generate shadow profiles, but provides detailed and comprehensive information from which a skilled drafter might manually create the shadows on other software.

One of the first things you need to do for any ShadowFX report is to determine the location on the globe of your subject shadow. This is very easy using the built-in position finder.

Horizontal and Vertical Shadow Angles

The horizontal and vertical shadow profile can be generated for point objects of any height at any latitude and longitude and at any time or date. The result is a vector diagram of shadow line projections cast by the object, which may be printed or exported to a CAD system. Entering the required data is easy and simple. The resulting shadow angle diagram is generated very quickly and this is an obvious time-saving. However using these diagrams to create a a meaningful shadow map remains a manual task requiring an understanding of how the diagrams should be interpreted and applied to a 3D structure.

Horizontal Shadow profile diagram is a vector diagram that can be saved in DWG or DXF.

Vertical Shadow Profile is a vector diagram that ca n be saved in DWG or DXF format.

Horizontal Overhand and Vertical Fin Shadow Modeling

The tools for shadow modeling horizontal overhang and vertical fins provide the user with an animated and interactive understanding of the sunlight penetration.

The overhang projection and height as well as the wall thickness can be interactively dragged to very quickly try out different situations. the orientation of the openings are changed by an angle setting in the dialog box. Blue and green on the horizontal overhang diagram are a very useful instant design aid. The blue arrow indicates the direction of sunlight at solar noon, two months either side of the winter solstice. The green arrow indicates the direction of sunlight at solar noon, two months either side of the summer solstice. Altering the overhang dimensions using these arrows for a reference helps you design the most efficient solar shading device. In temperate climates, it is desirable to design a shade so that the window is fully shaded in the summer to minimise heat loading, and fully exposed in the winter to maximise heat gain.

The overhang could represent an purpose-designed sun-screen or an eaves overhang.

Horizontal overhang diagram showing the blue and green arrows. the red pints indicate interactive rag points to alter dimensional data.

It was not possible to set the sill edge of the opening at floor level and only one horizontal blade can be modeled. A Although a multi-bladed sun-shade could be designed using the results from this diagram the design option built-in would be useful. Multi-blade screens can use materials more efficiently and are more practical for retro-fits than large single overhangs.

Interestingly, the vertical fin shading diagram applies to a vertical screening fin shading a horizontal roof opening (skylight or atrium situation) and not a vertical opening (such as a window). The latter situation would be a useful complement to the horizontal overhang diagram.

The ability to view DWG and DXF formats is useful to users who otherwise would not be able to obtain dimensional data  from electronic files. However successful use of ShadowFX requires that any dimensions be taken from dimension annotations, rather than from measurement of the design information directly. The way windows are opened in ShadowFX makes viewing opening drawings difficult while completing diagram setup dialog boxes.

3D Shadow Model

ShadowFX provides a 3D shadow model that displays exactly the kind of shadow map that many users will want to create. 

3D Shadow Model

Unfortunately, ShadowFX only creates this map for an abstract rectangular prism structure and the result is only available as an animation or frame-by-frame display. While the report is interesting to look at for various locations and times around the world, it is a learning aid only and has no practical application.

Solar Calculations and Reports

Amethyst ShadowFX contains comprehensive data on solar activities. These have proven very useful in finding quick references of sun angles. The result is very well presented.

Shadow Data for Horizontal Shadow Profile. This report is suitable for print out.

The Solar Calculator report

Summary

Amethyst ShadowFX is useful software for quick and easy references to information that would require time-consuming consultation of one or more solar charts. The overhang and fin diagrams provide fast, simple sun-screening design solutions.

This software is appropriate for small scaled 2D shadow analysis. This program is suitable for anyone who wants a fast, simple shadow profiling tool. It is useful for the beginner wishing to learn about the science of sunlight control on structures and for the professional looking for very fast access to uncomplicated sun control data at low cost.

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