Luxexcel and OPTIS CAD Software Enable 3D Printing of Optic Designs

Luxexcel, the only company in the world able to 3d print functional optics has teamed up with software specialist OPTIS to provide an easy route from CAD design to custom 3D printed prototype.

Luxexcel and OPTIS combine software and additive manufacturing to provide a complete service to optical designers. Users of OPTIS software can virtually design their lens within the OPTIS CAD software and 3D print their design with Luxexcel’s Printoptical Technology. The Luxexcel material is integrated by Optis in their Material library which is accessible online.

Peter Paul Cornelissen, Head of Marketing and Online Business Development at Luxexcel explained: “With the integration of the Luxexcel material in the OPTIS Library you can design your file with our material properties included. This will significantly speed up your design- and prototyping-process. Our online service has three easy steps: design, upload and receive your product. After the customer designs his lens or light guide, he uploads and orders it online on the customer portal. We check the design, print it and ship it to the customer within 5 working days. With this digital process we will change a 3000 years old analogue industry and make it future proof.”

OPTIS’ software solutions enable designers and engineers to create a digital lighting plan and optical design of their future product. Within the software these virtual prototypes can be tested and verified immediately. Following the digital model, optical designers often need to create a real optical prototype or proof of concept. Before it would take a long time and high upfront investments to actually get your design produced. “With our software and the additive manufacturing technique of Luxexcel you can speed up this process and reduce your costs significantly”, says Jacques Delacour, OPTIS founder and CEO. “When you design a part, you want to see it, test it and if needed you want to iterate it. The actual prototype offers this possibility.”

3D printed optics offer you the possibility to quickly and iteratively develop your designs. It reduces throughput time and costs and it allows for customized and optimized solutions due to the flexibility offered by this production technique.

“I’m excited about this new collaboration”, adds Jacques Delacour. “Our users definitely need ways to ease their design phases. This partnership is a step forward towards the creation of always better and safer automotive designs, which includes more and more lit material.”