Streamlining the workflow of optical and mechanical design

The process of optical design typically consist of several steps. The main step is to design an optical system, that meets the specification under the given constraints. However, for the system to work as a whole, not only the optics but also the mechanical mountings are of great importance. We present a novel approach, that allows a bidirectional exchange between the optical design software and mechanical CAD. This approach allows for a much more streamlined collaboration between optical and mechanical design. We will present the basic workflow of the design process as well as some application examples.