HEXAGON (optical software)
Encyclopedia
The Hughes Executable Application for General-Purpose Optical Analysis (HEXAGON) is an in-house optical engineering
software program developed by Hughes Aircraft
Company to allow them to design
and analyze a wide variety of optical lens
systems. There is an extensive interface capability with other optical design programs (CodeV, Zemax
, and OSLO
); with mechanical CAD
programs (Pro/Engineer
, AutoCAD
, and I-DEAS
); and the structural CAD program Nastran
. Data can be easily exported to and imported from MATLAB
and Excel. Graphical output can be vector graphics, viewed with a built-in viewer or output to WMF format for inclusion in Word or PowerPoint, or bit-map graphics
(BMP) image files.
Input is entirely command driven, allowing unattended batch operation; a built-in Macro programming language allows the construction of a simple new 'command' that can execute other commands in a complex manner. Users store their own previously written macros in a macro libraries (a single disk file), and there is an extensive 'permanent' macro library available for all users.
The diagram below shows some of the features of the HEXAGON software:
Company acquired the software code ACCOS-V and extensively upgraded it while maintaining the command structure: entry consists of a command word (case insensitive) up to six letters long, followed by an optional qualifier word up to eight letters long, then either a text field or a numeric field containing up to five numbers. The new code was named HEXAGON and many optical designers used interactive terminals to run the program on an IBM 4341 mainframe computer. In the 1980s the program expanded its capabilities in optimization, tolerance analysis, and physical optics; this later capability is a subset of HEXAGON named SOQ, for System Optical Quality, that models coherent laser systems using a two-dimensional complex field array. In the 1985 Hughes was sold to General Motors
and renamed GMH; in the 1997 GMH was acquired by Raytheon
Company. Currently Raytheon has exclusive use of the proprietary software code. The acronym HEXAGON is now said to stand for "Handy EXpert Application for General-Purpose Optical Analysis".
Optical engineering
Optical engineering is the field of study that focuses on applications of optics. Optical engineers design components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, and other equipment that utilizes the properties of light. Other devices include optical sensors and measurement...
software program developed by Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
Company to allow them to design
Optical lens design
Optical lens design refers to the calculation of lens construction parameters that will meet a set of performance requirements and constraints, including cost and schedule limitations....
and analyze a wide variety of optical lens
Lens (optics)
A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
systems. There is an extensive interface capability with other optical design programs (CodeV, Zemax
Zemax
Zemax is a widely-used optical design program sold by Zemax Development Corporation of Bellevue, Washington . It is used for the design and analysis of optical systems...
, and OSLO
Optics Software for Layout and Optimization
Optics Software for Layout and Optimization is an optical design program originally developed at the University of Rochester in the 1970s. The first commercial version was produced in 1976 by Sinclair Optics. Since then, OSLO has been rewritten several times as computer technology has advanced...
); with mechanical CAD
Computer-aided design
Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...
programs (Pro/Engineer
Pro/ENGINEER
Creo Elements/Pro, a product formerly known as Pro/ENGINEER is a parametric, integrated 3D CAD/CAM/CAE solution created by Parametric Technology Corporation . It was the first to market with parametric, feature-based, associative solid modeling software...
, AutoCAD
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
, and I-DEAS
I-DEAS
I-DEAS , a Computer-aided design software package. It was originally produced by Structural Dynamics Research Corporation in 1982. I-DEAS was used primarily in the automotive industry, most notably by Ford Motor Company and by General Motors...
); and the structural CAD program Nastran
Nastran
NASTRAN is a finite element analysis program that was originally developed for NASA in the late 1960s under United States government funding for the Aerospace industry. The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation was one of the principal and original developers of the public domain NASTRAN code...
. Data can be easily exported to and imported from MATLAB
MATLAB
MATLAB is a numerical computing environment and fourth-generation programming language. Developed by MathWorks, MATLAB allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages,...
and Excel. Graphical output can be vector graphics, viewed with a built-in viewer or output to WMF format for inclusion in Word or PowerPoint, or bit-map graphics
(BMP) image files.
Input is entirely command driven, allowing unattended batch operation; a built-in Macro programming language allows the construction of a simple new 'command' that can execute other commands in a complex manner. Users store their own previously written macros in a macro libraries (a single disk file), and there is an extensive 'permanent' macro library available for all users.
The diagram below shows some of the features of the HEXAGON software:
History
In the 1970s Hughes AircraftHughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
Company acquired the software code ACCOS-V and extensively upgraded it while maintaining the command structure: entry consists of a command word (case insensitive) up to six letters long, followed by an optional qualifier word up to eight letters long, then either a text field or a numeric field containing up to five numbers. The new code was named HEXAGON and many optical designers used interactive terminals to run the program on an IBM 4341 mainframe computer. In the 1980s the program expanded its capabilities in optimization, tolerance analysis, and physical optics; this later capability is a subset of HEXAGON named SOQ, for System Optical Quality, that models coherent laser systems using a two-dimensional complex field array. In the 1985 Hughes was sold to General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and renamed GMH; in the 1997 GMH was acquired by Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
Company. Currently Raytheon has exclusive use of the proprietary software code. The acronym HEXAGON is now said to stand for "Handy EXpert Application for General-Purpose Optical Analysis".
See also
- Optical engineeringOptical engineeringOptical engineering is the field of study that focuses on applications of optics. Optical engineers design components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, and other equipment that utilizes the properties of light. Other devices include optical sensors and measurement...
- Ray tracing (physics)Ray tracing (physics)In physics, ray tracing is a method for calculating the path of waves or particles through a system with regions of varying propagation velocity, absorption characteristics, and reflecting surfaces. Under these circumstances, wavefronts may bend, change direction, or reflect off surfaces,...
- Code VCODE VCode V is a commercial software package developed by Optical Research Associates. It is used for the design and analysis of optical imaging and optical communication systems...
- Optics Software for Layout and OptimizationOptics Software for Layout and OptimizationOptics Software for Layout and Optimization is an optical design program originally developed at the University of Rochester in the 1970s. The first commercial version was produced in 1976 by Sinclair Optics. Since then, OSLO has been rewritten several times as computer technology has advanced...
(OSLO) - ZemaxZemaxZemax is a widely-used optical design program sold by Zemax Development Corporation of Bellevue, Washington . It is used for the design and analysis of optical systems...