Optimize Your Design for Manufacturing With LightTools

Better Together: Using Optimization with Parameter Analyzer

The LightTools Parameter Sensitivity Analyzer provides Design of Experiments functionality that automates the process of analyzing the impact that system variables have on specified performance metrics, helping designers quickly reach an optimal design solution. It is a very effective tool for speeding optimization, since it rapidly scans the merit function space and selects the best starting variable configuration.

Backlight Pattern Optimization: Optimize Curved Surfaces for High Spatial Uniformity

The LightTools Backlight Pattern Optimization (BPO) utility efficiently optimizes the performance of display systems including curved panels, backlights, and light pipes. For example, designs created with the utility can conform to a vehicle dashboard, rotate about a user's field of view, and have custom shapes – while also providing high spatial uniformity.

The BPO utility works with the LightTools Optimization Module to achieve the desired output by varying the spacing or the size of the pattern elements. Elements used to optimize the spatial uniformity can be 2D or 3D (texture) pattern elements.

To learn more:

• Watch the video: Backlight Pattern Optimization on a Curved Surface

The Advanced Design Module leverages proprietary algorithms, including algorithms from Synopsys' LucidShape^® products, that automatically calculate and construct optical geometries based on user-defined illuminance and intensity patterns. This unique, functional approach gives designers the freedom to focus on overall design objectives rather than the implementation details of complex optical components.

Key features in the Advanced Design Module include:

• Freeform Design features for modeling freeform reflective and refractive surfaces that are automatically shaped to form a user-specified light pattern. Freeform design features are especially advantageous for systems with small light sources, such as LEDs and halogen lamps.
• MacroFocal Reflector tool for designing multi-surface segmented reflectors, with different spreads for each facet. MacroFocal Reflector is useful when designing lighting systems for applications that need precise control of the light pattern or sharp intensity cutoffs at one or more sides of the beam. Applications include street lighting, outdoor lighting, and architectural lighting systems.
• Procedural Rectangle Lens tool for designing surfaces with pillowed optical arrays, which enables precise light distribution control in LED luminaires and signal lighting, as well as in applications that require superposition of optical distributions.
• LED Lens tool for creating various types of freeform LED focus and collimator lenses. These lenses produce highly efficient fiber illuminators or highly directed light distributions.  

To learn more:

• Watch the video: LightTools Advanced Design Module Introduction

LightTools provides a Tolerance Manager that gives insights early in the design process into potential problem areas. It can also be used to analyze systems already in production, as well as predict performance changes based on errors expected to be introduced during the manufacturing process, LightTools allows designers to evaluate performance, adjust the required precision to achieve acceptable results, and predict manufacturability and production yields. 

The Tolerance Manager is part of the LightTools Optimization Module and supports: 

• Sensitivity analysis to evaluate how sensitive each performance measure is to changes in tolerances that affect the system 
• Interactive tolerancing to fine tune tolerance limits and instantly see the impact of changes 
• Monte Carlo tolerance analysis to predict as-built system performance

To learn more:

• Read the white paper: Tolerance Analysis Tools 
• Watch the video: Tolerancing Capabilities in LightTools 8.6: Part I

To learn more:

• Read the Synopsys article on light guide design
• Watch the video: Features in LightTools for analysis and optimization of freeform optical designs for light guides and light pipe design