This course introduces custom optical modeling and simulation, equipping participants with the skills to develop their programs, process data from engineering tools and create tailored solutions for domain-specific optical challenges. Using Python as the primary programming language, attendees will learn fundamental coding techniques, data handling methods and simulation strategies for optical systems. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, participants will gain the ability to build flexible, custom models to address unique engineering and research needs.

This course aims to present concepts, tools and methods of the tolerancing process, from assigning initial tolerance values to performing sensitivity studies to developing alignment strategies, including compensator choice, generating error budgets and performing Monte Carlo analysis. That will help attendees determine optimal tolerances for optical systems. Detailed topics in the course apply to different systems being developed – from low-end single elements to complex systems like microscopic or photographic lenses. The importance of tolerance throughout the design process is discussed in detail, including determining the robustness of the specifications and designs for manufacturing and operation. Examples are included to help researchers, designers, engineers and technicians practically apply the concepts to plan, design, engineer and build high-quality, cost-competitive optical systems.

This course provides participants with a methodical analysis of optical systems and optical manufacturing technologies with the aim of bridging their key features. To this end, optical systems are classified based on key features relevant to fabrication and optical fabrication technologies are classified based on features relevant to design. This allows optical systems to be linked to the most appropriate optical fabrication technologies enabling the modeling of optimal fabrication chains. After a thorough theoretical analysis the novel methodological approach will be applied to practical and useful examples from industrial optics.