piviz-3d 2.2.0

Modern GPU-accelerated 3D visualization framework for scientific computing

πviz: High-Performance Scientific Visualization

πviz is a Python-native 3D visualization library designed for academic simulations and engineering analysis. Built on ModernGL (OpenGL 3.3+), it delivers publication-quality rendering with minimal overhead, making it ideal for computational mechanics, physics simulations, and scientific computing workflows.

Backend: ModernGL • OpenGL 3.3+ • GPU-Accelerated Batched Rendering • MSAA 4x

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Key Features

• Batched Rendering Pipeline – Automatic primitive batching delivers 10-40x performance improvement over traditional immediate-mode rendering
• GPU-Accelerated Instancing – Render 100,000+ particles and complex meshes at 60 FPS
• Scientific Colormaps – Perceptually uniform colormaps (Viridis, Plasma, Magma, Coolwarm) and categorical palettes
• Publication-Quality Export – High-resolution screenshots and MP4 video recording with clean, UI-free output
• Blinn-Phong Shading – Configurable material system with adjustable shininess and specular highlights
• Immediate-Mode API – Simple, Pythonic drawing interface with zero boilerplate
• OBJ Mesh Import – Load Wavefront OBJ files with automatic MTL parsing, per-material-group instanced rendering, and GPU texture sampling (mipmapped, linear-filtered)
• Automatic GPU Selection – Detects and uses the best available GPU (NVIDIA > AMD > Intel)
• USD File Playback – Native support for Pixar Universal Scene Description files
• Integrated UI System – Built-in widgets for simulation control and parameter adjustment

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Installation

pip install piviz-3d

Dependencies are automatically installed: moderngl, moderngl-window, imgui, numpy, imageio[ffmpeg], usd-core

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Quick Start

Simple Script Syntax

πviz provides a script-like interface for rapid prototyping:

import piviz as pz

# Simulation state
ball_pos = [0, 0, 0]
ball_vel = [0, 0, 0]
gravity = -9.8

def setup():
    """Initialize simulation"""
    pz.add_button("Reset", lambda: reset_ball())
    pz.add_slider("Gravity", 1.0, 20.0, 9.8, lambda v: set_gravity(v))

def update(dt):
    """Update physics and render"""
    # Physics
    ball_vel[2] += gravity * dt
    for i in range(3):
        ball_pos[i] += ball_vel[i] * dt
    
    # Collision
    if ball_pos[2] < 0:
        ball_pos[2] = 0
        ball_vel[2] *= -0.8
    
    # Render
    pz.box(pos=(0, 0, -0.1), size=(10, 10, 0.2), color=(0.3, 0.3, 0.3))
    pz.sphere(pos=tuple(ball_pos), radius=0.5, color=(1, 0.2, 0.2))

if __name__ == '__main__':
    pz.run(setup, update)

Class-Based Approach

For complex simulations with state management:

from piviz import PiVizStudio, PiVizFX, pgfx
import numpy as np

class SpringMassNetwork(PiVizFX):
    def setup(self):
        self.n_nodes = 1000
        self.positions = np.random.randn(self.n_nodes, 3).astype('f4') * 5.0
        self.connections = [(i, (i+1) % self.n_nodes) for i in range(self.n_nodes)]
    
    def render(self, time, dt):
        # All primitives automatically batched - single draw call per type
        for pos in self.positions:
            pgfx.draw_sphere(center=tuple(pos), radius=0.1, color=(0.2, 0.6, 1.0))
        
        for i, j in self.connections:
            pgfx.draw_cylinder(
                start=tuple(self.positions[i]),
                end=tuple(self.positions[j]),
                radius=0.02,
                color=(0.8, 0.3, 0.2)
            )

if __name__ == '__main__':
    PiVizStudio(scene_fx=SpringMassNetwork()).run()

Massive Particle Systems

Optimized for dense point clouds and large-scale datasets:

import numpy as np
from piviz import PiVizStudio, PiVizFX, pgfx, Colormap

class ParticleSimulation(PiVizFX):
    def setup(self):
        self.n = 100000
        self.positions = np.random.randn(self.n, 3).astype('f4') * 5.0
        
        # Color by distance using scientific colormap
        dist = np.linalg.norm(self.positions, axis=1)
        norm_dist = dist / np.max(dist)
        self.colors = np.array([Colormap.viridis(d) for d in norm_dist], dtype='f4')
    
    def render(self, time, dt):
        pgfx.draw_particles(self.positions, self.colors, sizes=2.0)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    PiVizStudio(scene_fx=ParticleSimulation()).run()

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Performance

Automatic Batching System (v2.0+)

Configuration	Draw Calls (v1.x)	Draw Calls (v2.0)	Performance Gain
100 nodes	100	1	1x (baseline)
500 nodes + 1000 springs	1,500	2	3x faster
1000 nodes + 2000 springs	3,000	2	18x faster
5000 nodes + 10000 springs	15,000	2	40x+ faster

The rendering pipeline automatically batches all primitives of the same type into single instanced draw calls, eliminating per-object GPU overhead.

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Controls

Action	Input
Orbit	Left Click + Drag
Pan	Shift + Left Drag / Right Click + Drag
Zoom	Scroll Wheel
Rotate view	Arrow Keys
Pan view	Shift + Arrow Keys
Fit to scene	H
Toggle Grid	G
Toggle Axes	A
Toggle Theme	T
Isometric View	0
Front View	1
Top View	3

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Material System

Control surface appearance with the material API:

from piviz.graphics.primitives import set_material_shiny, set_material_matte

# Glossy materials with specular highlights
set_material_shiny(shiny=True, shininess=64.0, specular=0.6)

# Matte/clay appearance
set_material_matte()

Shininess scale: 1-10 (soft) | 32 (balanced) | 64-128 (metallic)

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3D Mesh Import (OBJ)

πviz loads Wavefront OBJ files with full MTL and texture support. Geometry is cached on first load and rendered with GPU instancing, so the same mesh can appear thousands of times with no repeated parsing.

Script API (pz.mesh)

import piviz as pz

def update(dt):
    # Auto-detect MTL from the OBJ's 'mtllib' directive (default)
    pz.mesh("model.obj", pos=(0, 0, 0), scale=1.0, rotation=(0, 0, 0), color=(1, 1, 1))

    # Skip all materials — render as solid white geometry
    pz.mesh("model.obj", pos=(5, 0, 0), mtl='', color=(0.8, 0.8, 0.8))

    # Apply a flat color tint over the geometry, no textures
    pz.mesh("model.obj", pos=(-5, 0, 0), mtl='', color=(0.4, 0.8, 1.0))

    # Provide an explicit MTL file (ignores 'mtllib' inside the OBJ)
    pz.mesh("model.obj", pos=(0, 5, 0), mtl="path/to/material.mtl")

    # Extra search directory for texture images
    pz.mesh("model.obj", pos=(0, -5, 0), mtl="material.mtl", texture_dir="textures/")

mtl parameter semantics

Value	Behaviour
None (default)	Auto-detect from the OBJ's mtllib directive
'' (empty string)	Skip all material loading — renders white
'path/to/file.mtl'	Use this MTL file; ignore mtllib inside the OBJ

Texture rendering

When a material declares map_Kd, the texture is uploaded to the GPU as a mipmapped RGBA texture and sampled per-pixel in the fragment shader:

final = texture(tex0, uv) * instance_color_tint

Without a texture, the MTL Kd (diffuse) colour is baked into the vertex buffer and multiplied by the instance tint at render time. The color parameter on pz.mesh() is always the final multiplicative tint applied on top.

File organisation

The simplest setup keeps the OBJ, MTL, and textures in the same directory — they are all found automatically:

assets/
├── model.obj
├── model.mtl
├── diffuse_0.jpg
└── diffuse_1.jpg

If textures live elsewhere, pass texture_dir= with the extra search path.

Low-level API (pgfx)

from piviz import pgfx

# Single instance
pgfx.draw_mesh(path, position=(0,0,0), scale=1.0, rotation=(0,0,0),
               color=(1,1,1,1), mtl=None, texture_dir=None)

# Batch of N instances — zero Python loops, pure numpy
pgfx.draw_meshes_batch(path, positions, scales, rotations, colors,
                       mtl=None, texture_dir=None)
# positions:  (N, 3) float32
# scales:     (N, 3) float32, or scalar, or (3,) broadcast
# rotations:  (N, 3) float32 Euler angles (rx, ry, rz) in radians, or None
# colors:     (N, 3) or (N, 4) float32

rotation is applied as Rz × Ry × Rx on the GPU. OBJ files are typically Y-up; for a Z-up scene apply a base X rotation of -π/2:

import numpy as np
pz.mesh("model.obj", rotation=(-np.pi/2, 0, 0))

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USD File Playback

Visualize simulation data stored in Pixar's Universal Scene Description format:

import piviz

piviz.play_usd("simulation_output.usdc")

Supports PointInstancers and BasisCurves primitives with timeline controls.

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Export Capabilities

Screenshot: Click the camera icon or press IMG to capture high-resolution PNG

Video Recording: Click the record button to start/stop MP4 export (saved to exports/)

All exports exclude UI overlays for publication-ready output.

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Architecture

piviz/
├── core/
│   ├── studio.py        # Main application engine (ModernGL 3.3+, MSAA 4x)
│   ├── camera.py        # Orbital camera with SolidWorks-style navigation
│   ├── gpu_selector.py  # Automatic GPU detection and selection
│   ├── scene.py         # PiVizFX base class for simulations
│   └── theme.py         # Dark/Light/Publication color schemes
├── graphics/
│   ├── primitives.py    # Batched drawing API (pgfx), GPU instancing, texture binding
│   ├── obj_loader.py    # OBJ/MTL parser — returns per-group (vertices, tex_path) tuples
│   └── environment.py   # Grid and axes renderers
├── ui/
│   ├── manager.py       # Widget system
│   ├── overlay.py       # Performance HUD
│   └── viewcube.py      # Navigation cube
└── resources/

Rendering Pipeline: Deferred batched rendering with automatic geometry caching and GPU instancing

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API Reference

Drawing Primitives (pgfx)

# Shapes (automatically batched)
pgfx.draw_sphere(center, radius, color, detail=12)
pgfx.draw_cube(center, size, color, rotation=(0,0,0))
pgfx.draw_cylinder(start, end, radius, color, detail=16)
pgfx.draw_plane(size, color, center=(0,0,0), normal=(0,0,1))

# Lines and paths
pgfx.draw_line(start, end, color, width=1.0)
pgfx.draw_arrow(start, end, color, head_size=0.1)

# Particles (optimized batch renderer)
pgfx.draw_particles(positions, colors, sizes)

# Triangular meshes
pgfx.draw_triangle(v1, v2, v3, color)

# OBJ mesh import — single instance
pgfx.draw_mesh(path, position, scale, rotation, color, mtl=None, texture_dir=None)

# OBJ mesh import — N instances, zero Python loops
pgfx.draw_meshes_batch(path, positions, scales, rotations, colors, mtl=None, texture_dir=None)

Scientific Colormaps

from piviz import Colormap, Palette, Colors

# Perceptually uniform colormaps
color = Colormap.viridis(t)      # t ∈ [0, 1]
color = Colormap.plasma(t)
color = Colormap.magma(t)
color = Colormap.coolwarm(t)

# Categorical palettes
colors = Palette.Standard10       # 10 distinct colors
primary = Colors.BLUE            # Named colors

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Use Cases

• Computational mechanics and structural analysis
• Particle-based physics simulations (SPH, DEM, MD)
• Soft robotics and origami kinematics
• Reservoir computing and neural networks
• Spring-mass networks and lattice structures
• Educational physics demonstrations

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Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• OpenGL 3.3+ capable GPU
• Windows, Linux, or macOS

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License

Copyright 2026 Yogesh Phalak

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. See LICENSE for details.

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Citation

If you use πviz in academic work, please cite:

@software{phalak2026piviz,
  author = {Phalak, Yogesh},
  title = {PiViz: High-Performance Scientific Visualization},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://github.com/PhalcoAi/PiViz}
}