Ray tracing is a rendering process where light rays are virtually traced from the camera's viewpoint through the 3D scene. This creates physically accurate reflections, shadows, and refractions – without a real photo set. For brands, this means consistently photorealistic CGI images and animations, flexibly scalable for e-commerce, print, and interactive experiences.

How it Works – Ray Tracing in Action

During rendering, the engine sends a ray (primary ray) into the scene for each pixel. If it hits an object, additional rays are calculated for reflection, refraction, or shadows – physically described by the “Rendering Equation” (see NVIDIA: Ray Tracing Essentials – The Rendering Equation). An acceleration structure like the Bounding Volume Hierarchy (BVH) reduces the number of necessary intersection tests and speeds up the process.

How it works (short & understandable)

1. Primary ray: For each pixel, a ray is shot from the camera into the scene.
2. Hits & Secondary Rays: When a ray hits an object, more rays are calculated for reflection, refraction, and shadows.
3. Acceleration: Structures like BVH (Bounding Volume Hierarchy) help to test only relevant polygons.
4. Denoising: Raw images can be noisy – a denoiser smooths out the render results.

You can find more information about materials & maps here: Material & Surface Digitization

Ray Tracing Benefits for Brands & Marketing

- Photorealism – Glass, metal, and lacquers look authentic thanks to real light calculation.   ‍

- Consistency – Identical light/material setups create series with a uniform look.

- Flexibility – Camera, light & material can be adjusted at any time – without a new shoot.

- Future-Proof – WebGPU increasingly allows ray tracing functions directly in the browser (e.g., for 3D configurators).

Application Examples from our 3D Projects

Interior / Furniture Rendering: In our 3D project for Natuzzi we showcase furniture in virtual living environments – Ray Tracing emphasizes materiality (e.g. leather, wood) in a particularly credible way.

Product detail with metal / glass: In the "LC 1912" render project by JUNG, fine light reflections and soft shadows on brushed metal are essential – Ray Tracing precisely reproduces these effects.

Our Rendering Process in 6 Steps

1. Look-Development – Defining material and light setup.
2. Lighting – Placing HDRI & Lights; Test render for the mood.
3. Ray-Traced Rendering – Batch rendering of the final perspectives in our 3D Render Studio.
4. Denoising & Compositing – Noise reduction, combining layers.  
5. Export & Optimization – WebP/JPEG/TIF, possibly GLB for interactive viewers.
6. Integration – Transfer to PIM/CMS, distribution in shop & marketing.

Ray Tracing vs. Path Tracing – A Quick Comparison

Path Tracing is a special type of Ray Tracing that stochastically traces all light paths and creates even more realistic Global Illumination – but takes longer to render.  

Ray Tracing (classic) stops rays earlier or works with heuristic shortcuts – faster, but a bit less "perfect".

Ray Tracing vs. Rasterization - Quick Comparison

You can find more about shaders & material maps in the blog article Shaders for photorealistic CGI.

Typical Errors & Quick Fixes

- Noise / Fireflies → Increase samples, use Adaptive Sampling, apply Denoiser.

- Missing Glass Caustics → Activate Path-Tracing-Pass or special Caustics solutions.

- Overexposure / Burnouts → Linear Tonemapping & correct HDRI Exposure.

- Render times are too long → Use BVH optimization, Instancing, Texture-Baking.

FAQ - Ray Tracing

Is Ray Tracing the same as Path Tracing?

No. Path Tracing is a variant of Ray Tracing that probabilistically traces light paths, delivering even more natural Global Illumination, but with higher computational effort. More on that in the Blender manual: Path Tracing in the Cycles integrator.

Can Ray Tracing already run in the browser?

Yes. The WebGPU API gives web apps access to modern GPU features and enables ray tracing workflows (depending on browser & hardware support).  

Does every CGI image need Ray Tracing?

Not necessarily. Rasterization is often sufficient for quick concept images. If it's primarily about correct material properties, physically based rendering (PBR) is sufficient – if the focus is on realism (metal, glass, lighting mood), ray tracing makes sense. Overview: 3D visualization

Which software do you use for Ray Tracing?

Depending on the project, we rely on established render engines (e.g., Fstorm, Corona Renderer, etc.). The result is important – i.e., the material & light setup – not the name of the tool. An overview: “Ray Tracing vs. Rasterization – NVIDIA Guide” (https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/ray-tracing-essentials/)

When is Ray Tracing particularly worthwhile?

‍‍Whenever material properties (metal, glass, paint, fabrics) and lighting situations need to appear realistic – for example, for high-quality product images in e-commerce or print.

Does Ray Tracing actually replace Normal Maps?

No way. Ray Tracing simulates light physically correctly – but fine micro-details like wrinkles, pores, or fabric structures only come into play with Normal Maps. Ray Tracing + Normal Maps = realistic light reaction and visible material structure, without the polygon model becoming huge.