Zemax recently announced that it has launched its LensMechanix for Creo Parametric to help engineers streamline optomechanical product design.
LenMechanix allows mechanical engineers to load all lenses, mirrors, sources and detectors from OpticStudio as Creoparts without the need for STEP, IGES or STL files. The engineers can start designing mechanical structures around optical components using exact optical geometry. They can also confirm they haven’t had an impact on optical performance by monitoring the changes in spot size, beam clipping and image contamination.
“We’re thrilled to bring the capabilities of LensMechanix to Creo Parametric,” said Isis, Peguero, product manager for LensMechanix. “Since we launched LensMechanix for SolidWorks, we’ve received requests to expand the product to other CAD platforms.”
The LensMechanix system helps streamline optomechanical workflow in Creo in five ways, according to the company. Mechanical engineers can load al lenses, mirrors, sources and detectors from OpticStudio as Creo parts without the need to use STEP, IGES or STL files. They can design mechanical structures around optical components in minutes using exact component data. Engineers can apply surface finishes to mechanical components to model scattering properties. Engineers are also able to validate designs and generate ISO 10110 drawings.
“Optomechanical design often utilizes a linear workflow starting with a handoff of the finished optical design. During this handoff between (up until now) separate optical and mechanical design software, critical design information might get lost making it difficult to validate the complete design before prototyping,” said Lucas Oorlynck, a Barco early adopter of LensMechanix. “Integrating Zemax LensMechanix in mechanical CAD software allows the optical and mechanical engineers to quickly exchange and adapt their designs utilizing the same optical baseline. LensMechanix has the potential of cutting the time loss due to a more reliable file exchange and closing the gap between the optical simulation and reality, allowing for a validation before prototyping.”