Ray Tracing through Complex Surfaces in Kompas-3D CAD and Experimental Validation

This paper demonstrates the use of the API of the Kompas-3D CAD system to access the capabilities of its geometric kernel, which enable ray tracing through surfaces and components of complex shapes. To demonstrate the application potential of the developed algorithm, a simulation of a Newtonian mirror system was performed. To validate the accuracy of the simulation, an experimental setup was assembled. The results of both the computational analysis and the experiment are presented. For the purpose of simplifying the modeling, it was assumed that the patterns observed through the mirror system were self-luminous sources. The capability of the assembled mirror configuration to operate in conjunction with a thermal imager was investigated. Thus, the assembled mirror system demonstrated linear magnification of the radiating light source’s image without a significant loss of contrast.