The specialized software VOB Lumex - Illumination System Design - is intended for design of illuminating systems composed of specific optical units of several types. A result of VOB Lumex operation is illuminance distribution calculated for a given plane of analysis, which is represented graphically as 2D-maps. Systems having several light sources can be simulated with the help of the program as well.
Calculations are carried out by methods of geometrical optics using a non-deterministic algorithm of ray tracing. Simulation is fulfilled by the Monte-Carlo method by means of tracing a plenty of rays, which are emitted by sources. A model used in the program permits taking into account, besides classical laws of refraction and specular reflection, also phenomena of light scattering and absorption on surfaces. There is no basic distinction between optical surfaces and surfaces of mechanical units in the used model, so it allows taking into account such units of a construction more fully.
Though program operating assumes only one system under simulating, there is a possibility for taking parameters of device elements into a system buffer, and, therefore, for usage of elements from one system in another one. Import/export operations of element parameters are available either.
An interface of the program in a part of description of optical systems is original and allows visually and conveniently represent complicated 3D asymmetric constructions. The interface of the program is equally convenient for operation with simple and complicated models differing significantly by a level of detailing, and requiring, accordingly, different size and character of input data. A device structure in VOB Lumex is represented in a form of a tree of elements. A hierarchical system of the tree of objects allows to structure different kind data and ensures quick access to those parameters, which need to be edited at the moment.
Some of new program possibilities were realized in the present version due to an software architecture, permitting step-by-step developing, namely in a part of variety of accessible optical units, in a part of import of CAD objects for defining complicated elements, light sources and mechanical units, a new 3D viewer, and some other features.