ACADEMIA

Military pilots will soon learn how to fly jets and helicopters safely with a lightweight, yet durable helmet-mounted display designed and tested in SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks software. Zygo Corporation significantly improved productivity with SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software, and fine-tuned the device’s weight and durability with the COSMOS design analysis tool to deliver a better performing flight simulation aid than current models in use. Middlefield, Conn.-based Zygo specializes in developing equipment that tests the curvature, surface texture, and wavelength capabilities of lenses and lens systems used in a variety of applications, including cameras, microscopes, and telescopes. Zygo also manufactures optical products such as lenses, lasers, and space-borne telescopes. The company currently has 48 licenses of SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks to develop better products faster and meet the customization demands of its clients. Heads-up design and analysis Zygo faced complex weight and assembly design challenges developing a new flight simulator display that offers better resolution, reduces pilot fatigue, and can fit any pilot’s helmet (rather than forcing trainees to use a shared helmet). SolidWorks’ ease of use, assembly capabilities, and automated part interference features proved invaluable to the display’s design. The software’s ability to detect and fix colliding parts also saved a lot of time and downstream errors. “The optical design is very complex. The display literally wraps around the pilot’s helmet,” said Michael Harkins, senior mechanical designer at Zygo’s research and development division in Cosa Mesa, Calif. “We simply couldn’t have designed it in 2D. SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks have made us more productive and innovative.” COSMOSWorks design analysis software allowed Zygo to troubleshoot design errors and reduce prototyping costs. For example, engineers used the software to ensure the tiny rods that support the display had the appropriate stiffness to handle the display’s weight, the low profile to minimize visual distractions, and the light weight to reduce pilot fatigue. “Design and analysis should be a tightly woven process,” said Rainer Gawlick, SolidWorks vice president of worldwide marketing. “Using SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks gives Zygo the tools to quickly and accurately develop lenses, lasers, and other optics with the precise measurements and performance these products demand.” Zygo works with authorized SolidWorks resellers Hawk Ridge Systems and SolidVision for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.