Did you know Lambda Research Corporation makes an Add-In for SOLIDWORKS named RayViz? RayViz has several key capabilities including, applying optical properties to models in SOLIDWORKS, saving the optical properties as part of the SOLIDWORKS model, raytracing within SOLIDWORKS, and exporting a TracePro model for full analysis in TracePro. RayViz does not require having TracePro.
When RayViz is installed, a database of optical properties is also installed. This database is similar to the database in TracePro including material, surface, and surface source properties. The default setting in RayViz is to apply properties available in the LC version of TracePro. The user has the option to change this setting to allow TracePro Standard and Expert properties to also be applied. There is also the option for RayViz to use the TracePro property database if the user also has a copy of TracePro. When the SOLIDWORKS model is saved, the applied optical properties will be saved as part of the SOLIDWORKS model.
RayViz also allows for raytracing directly in SOLIDWORKS. RayViz shows the rays and the ray paths, but it does not feature the analysis tools found in TracePro. RayViz has similar raytracing capabilities to TracePro LC, so some raytracing features such as bulk scattering and fluorescence are not available in RayViz.
Lastly, RayViz allows the user to export a TracePro .OML file. This file can then be opened in TracePro for a full analysis. The properties applied in SOLIDWORKS using RayViz are saved with the TracePro file, so in many cases all that needs to be done in TracePro is to start the raytrace.
Applications for RayViz include opto-mechanical layout, basic light guide design, baffle and aperture placement, and many others.
RayViz gives SOLIDWORKS users the ability to apply optical properties and run raytraces directly in SOLIDWORKS as well as exporting the model to TracePro for additional analysis if required.