Ray Tracing Through Optics Assembly

[maesoph]

Dear All:


I need to do some ray tracing through an assembly similar to the picture below. Can this be done in Pro easily? Do I need an add-on package?? A pix of what I would like to do is attached


:


Now, the lens curverature, etc. is all calculated by the optics dept. All I need to do is show the optics cone through the assembly. Actually, our case is even simpler as I am just mounting a 2 axis mirror so I am only dealing with planar surfaces. I have seen this done in Solidworks using cones also. Any help you can provide is appreciated.

 

[design-engine]

vectors?More information might be needed but this is very interesting.Is this for visualization only then because the optics are all done by the optics department?
Edited by: design-engine

 

[maesoph]

Well, I have seen it done with cones also. Vectors would probably work. Basically need to capture the basics of snell's law - angle of incidence = angle of reflection.

 

[gkbeer]

Mathematically correct ray traces can be done but are time consuming and fragile modeling wise.

I have also used revolved or projected surfaces to approximate the illumination envelope. Trimming and merging as needed. This too can be fragile depending on the chosen references.

Better is to model this in the skeleton without referencing part geometries.

BEST is to have your Optics Dept export the ray trace and optic surfaces as a STEP file. ( I know this can be done from either the code5 or fred optical codes. ) Put that info as an imported feature in your skeleton model and use it for visualization and to provide assembly references, or simply have it there as a cross check.

Edit: add pic. There's something like 100 rays being bounced 8x thru the center optic in this skeleton model. All provided as a step file and imported into my skeleton as a single feature. I had to sort the various passes out into different layers, but the result allows checking the mechanical design against the optical.




Edited by: gkbeer

 

[stefanba]

Hi maesoph,





look here


[url]http://www.buw-soft.com/content/en/produkte/smartoptics.php? p=Mw==&s=MTA[/url]=


I guess that is what you are looking for. If you like you can get a trial version


STefan

 

[maesoph]

Thanks for all of the replies!!!!! Very informative!!!!!! Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!