LightTools-v5.3 (c)Optical-Research-Associates

LightTools?is a unique optical engineering and design software product thatfeatures virtual prototyping, simulation, and optimization of precisionillumination applications. The software has adapted solid modeling technologyto accommodate the inherent accuracy required to simulate ray paths of lightas they traverse through and within optical elements and mechanical structures.The software is straightforward to use, accurate, has the most advancedcapabilities commercially available, and supports the tasks of design andengineering iterations in addition to analysis.
LightTools’ unique power lies in its complementary strengths of design andanalysis. The analysis gives you the status of how well your design is workingagainst spec, and the design features help you quickly and efficiently improvethe design, in both the initial concept phase and during engineering iterationsand refinements. It is this coupling of benefits (design and analysis) that makesLightTools really pay off in terms of productivity improvement, faster time tomarket, and better engineered products.
While analysis requires only the initial creation or importing of geometry,practical design requires quick and simple geometry modifications. You canperform easy design modifications because LightTools’ implementation of Booleanoperations and trimming operations retains the parametric information about howthe geometry was created. Surface and material properties are also maintainedas you edit the model, allowing quick analysis of multiple design forms.
LightTools’ basic 3D solid primitives, sphere, ellipse, toroid, block, cylinder(including cone), extrusion and rotationally swept polyline, can beparametrically edited and inserted with any size, in any location, and at anyangle. Complex objects previously defined using Boolean operations can be editedat any time (even after the object is complete); the object does not need to bedeleted and recreated. Each solid can be combined with any other solid (nativeor imported) using the Boolean operations, union, intersection, and subtraction. This allows the creation of complex, as-fabricated, models, such as segmentedreflectors and multifaceted lightpipes. Note that the complex elements can beoptical, mechanical, or structural components.