Press Releases
Breault Research Organization (BRO) Releases APEX 2013 V1R1; Now Perform Parametric Optical Studies in SolidWorks
TUCSON, Ariz.--MAR. 5, 2013--Breault Research Organization (BRO), the global provider of virtual prototyping software and optical engineering services, is pleased to announce the release of the APEX 2013 V1R1 Add-In. New features and enhancements in APEX 2013 include parametric studies, ray trace reports, exact surface representations, new source types, interface enhancements, ray export options, and plot customization features, as well as enhanced support for SolidWorks configurations and foreign languages.
APEX 2013 V1R1 Release Highlights
- Parametric Studies in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now includes a parametric study option which allows users to check system performance as a function of one or more model parameters. Set study parameters, increments, constraints, and goals. Visualize study results with 3D plots showing all study trials, as well as power, intensity, irradiance, radiance, and directional power plots of individual trials.
- Trace Reports in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now allows users to create a ray trace report showing ray trace duration, as well as how rays are propagating through a system. An interactive object-by-object table shows missed and absorbed rays, and allows visualization of related objects. Summaries of MEDIA definitions and system ENTITY numbers are also provided.
- Exact Surface Representations in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now has an expanded list of surface types for which more efficient exact representations are used during ray tracing and analysis. In addition to cylindrical, conical, and spherical types, new surfaces added include planar, revolved, parabolic, and swept surfaces. Without any user intervention, APEX recognizes and replaces these surfaces, resulting in improved ray-trace and analysis speed.
- Emitting Disk and Rectangle Sources in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now includes a new source option for integrating random emitting sources into optical system models. This feature is found on the Sources tab and can be used to insert emitting disk and rectangle sources into a system. Defined as SolidWorks parts, source size, position, ray direction, ray numbers, flux, and emission characteristics can be specified by the user.
- Optical Entities Catalog Manager in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now has updated optical geometry and sources interfaces for greater consistency and ease of use. A new Optical Entities catalog manager is now accessible from the Command Manager tab, the Optical Geometry pull-down menu, and the Optics Manager tree. Optical entities include optical surfaces and scatter areas unique to the APEX add-in. In addition, the Sources tab now provides easy access to all source types.
- Exporting Rays in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now allows plotted ray data to be exported in IGES format. This facilitates sharing of simulation results and visualization of ray traces in other software programs where the IGES protocol is recognized. Ray traces and related plots may be accessed and exported from the Optics Manager tree. Exported ray data can be combined with system models in other programs where engineers create additional mechanical structure.
- Plot Customization Options in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now has new functionality to make working with plot options and multiple plots even easier. Standardize, set, copy, and paste your own plot options onto one or multiple plots. Customize plot colors, line widths, ranges and other values. Define and save your own default plot options for all future plots. And duplicate multiple plots in a new window for easy side-by-side comparisons.
- SolidWorks Configuration Support in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now has enhanced support for SolidWorks configurations. Optical properties and related changes may be applied to one or multiple configurations as defined by the user. New configurations may also be created with optical properties inherited from an active configuration. These enhancements allow users to more efficiently interact with and manage multiple configurations of a system model.
- Foreign Language Support in APEX 2013 V1R1 - APEX now has enhanced support for foreign languages in the add-in's user interface. Foreign languages supported now include Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese. These languages appear in the APEX user interface as configured by the user's choice of language in SolidWorks.
These features and other enhancements in APEX 2013 advance the state-of-the-art in CAD-integrated optical software and make APEX the standard for SolidWorks users seeking an optical software add-in.
Visit BRO's Web site to learn more about APEX Optical Software and other BRO products and services, including training courses and engineering consulting services:
About Breault Research Organization (BRO)
BRO is an optical engineering firm of global reach and reputation. BRO's optical software products and training courses help engineers turn creative visions into working prototypes, and the company's own engineers work on beyond-state-of-the-art projects for Fortune 500 companies, research institutions, and top government labs. BRO has been recognized by the director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for technology export achievements, received Wells Fargo Copper Cactus Awards for Best Place to Work and Community Service, was named Arizona's 2010 Small Business Innovator of the Year, and has been commended by United States Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano for excellence in technology development. BRO is an ISO 9001:2008 registered company steadfastly committed to quality, innovation, and the success of its clients.
Media Contact
Michael Stevenson
VP of Marketing
Breault Research Organization, Inc.
6400 E Grant Road, Suite 350
Tucson, Arizona 85715 USA
520.721.0500 voice x789
mstevenson@breault.com
