In optical design projects, it’s crucial not to underestimate the impact of optomechanical tolerances on the actual system performance. Too often, optical tolerance‑analysis simulations rely on simplified tolerance models that fail to reflect actual manufacturing and assembly conditions. The COMET software, developed by INO, gives optical designers an integrated solution that enables the use of OpticStudio files to conduct tolerance analysis using mathematical models that more accurately represent real optomechanical performance.
Tolerance analysis is a critical step in predicting the final performance of an optical system given the inevitable variations in manufacturing and assembly. Traditional optical tolerancing relies on arbitrary perturbations to simplify the analysis—an approach that can, in some cases, be either overly conservative or insufficiently cautious, and often fails to accurately represent real-world mounting behaviour[1]. Manually configuring tilts, decenters and axial errors is laborious and requires advanced expertise in optomechanics.
COMET is a standalone MATLAB application with a guided graphical interface designed for optical designers and mechanical engineers. It leverages manufacturing databases (optical and mechanical) and applies optomechanical equations to convert real-world tolerances into perturbations usable directly in OpticStudio.
How does it work?
The process begins with an initial OpticStudio file or a previously configured COMET file. The optical designer or mechanical engineer can:
- Configure each lens individually (or apply the same settings to all lenses),
- Select the mounting method,
- Set tolerances using an intuitive table,
- Automatically generates the required coordinate breaks and pick-ups in the lens data editor, with tolerances in the tolerance data editor, in a new OpticStudio file ready for Monte Carlo tolerance analysis.
COMET allows to save and share files easily, to facilitate exchange of information and design variations between the optical designer and the mechanical engineer. COMET establishes a common language between optical designers and mechanical engineers through its use of tolerance methods defined in ISO 10110-6 and ASME Y14, thereby reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
Tangible Benefits for OpticStudio Users:
- Increased Realism: By simulating actual mechanical centring and mounting conditions, COMET enables predictions that are far more representative of real-world performance. This minimizes discrepancies between simulation results and actual prototype measurements.
- Rapid Iterations: COMET enables quick assessment of various centring and tolerance scenarios, starting from the early project stages—before a complete mechanical model is even developed.
- Cost and Risk Reduction: By providing a more refined modelling of tolerances, COMET helps prevent costly overdesign as well as failures caused by poor centring. It promotes an optimal balance between performance and manufacturing feasibility. Comet helps predict more accurately optical performances and yield of an optical design in production.
- Enhanced Collaboration: COMET offers a shared workspace, guides users step-by-step, and structures information exchange between multidisciplinary teams, minimizing communication errors.
By combining a robust scientific foundation with a user-friendly interface, COMET represents a major advancement in optomechanical tolerance analysis. COMET empowers OpticStudio users to:
- Translate real-world mechanical tolerances into accurate optical simulations,
- Efficiently compare mounting methods,
- Prioritize cost-effective and performance-driven assemblies,
- Standardize communication across multiple disciplines.
Ultimately, COMET transforms tolerance analysis—a critical and historically time-consuming task—into an integrated workflow that is rapid, reliable, and insightful. With this approach, optical design teams can make more informed, precisely calibrated, and cost-effective decisions.