KEYWORDS: Ray tracing, Solids, Geometrical optics, Solid modeling, Optics manufacturing, Optical components, 3D modeling, Data modeling, Systems modeling, Visualization
Optical systems are traditionally represented by a sequential series of `optical surfaces' that are ordered in the same manner experienced by light traveling from an object to an image point through the system. The actual system is composed of 3-D components which include these `active optical surfaces' as the external surface of the component. Modern simulation technology is based on solid modeling which provides a very close representation to the actual system and enables computer integrated manufacturing by being accurate and comprehensive enough for fabrication. The classical method to analyze an optical system is based on ray tracing, a technique based on geometrical optics where light propagation is assumed to be simulated by rays from the object to the image point. Each ray is represented by a linear vector traveling through the system to the evaluation plane by iterations. Each step calculates the propagation between two successive surfaces in a sequential order. The shift from `sequential surfaces' representation to `solid models,' which changes the classical method of ray tracing, but offers a variety of new analytical opportunities, is discussed.
Computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) environment consists of several standalone software packages that are capable of transferring and receiving data from each other. The resulting data should be configured and controlled in a well defined format. Each of the separate software tools operates on various configurations of hardware platforms. Standards are required to enable networking all those platforms and other standards are essential to enable each individual user with his own hardware platform access to operate the various software tools that he needs. The latest trends in the development of numerically controlled (NC) lens production machines, innovative automated testing equipment, and the extension of CAE in CAD packages, are the major contributors for turning CIM in optics from theory to practice. Lack of the appropriate standards within the optical community as well as the status of other standards in computers and CNC, is partially responsible for its limited implementation. Recent developments, the current state, and the standards that are essential for CIM in the optical industry are presented.
A typical CIM architecture consists of several standalone software applications which are integrated to provide a complete automated manufacturing environment. An essential component of CIM is a geometrical database that contains the models of systems and their components. All the individual applications must interface with that database, and direct interface to other software tools is an advantage. Traditional major components of this environment include a CAD/CAE system and a CAM system. The relationship between the two is clear, the CAD/CAE component produces a design which is transferred to the CAM component for production. An optical system contains two types of elements, optical and mechanical, with disparate design and manufacturing methods. The paper discusses the optical CIM environment and the basic components that it requires.
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