Design, simulate, and refine advanced optical systems faster with powerful, physics-based modeling that boosts performance, reduces risk, and accelerates innovation from concept through production.
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio enables you to design, simulate, and validate optical systems faster. Combining powerful physics-based modeling with an intuitive workflow, it helps engineers predict real-world performance, reduce design iterations, and confidently deliver optimized, production-ready optics across imaging, illumination, and photonic applications.
Model, analyze, and optimize sophisticated optical systems using physics-based simulation, sequential as well as non-sequential ray tracing, and advanced tolerancing tools that provide accurate performance prediction from concept through manufacturability.
Simulation-driven insights improve early detection and diagnostic accuracy.
Ansys Zemax enabled Optotune to simulate and optimize advanced liquid lens systems for high-resolution medical imaging. Using physics-based modeling, engineers evaluated optical performance, minimized design iterations, and predicted real-world behavior before prototyping. The study demonstrates how simulation-driven design accelerated development while ensuring precision, reliability, and manufacturability. By integrating comprehensive analysis with rapid optimization, the team delivered imaging performance capable of supporting early disease detection. This case study highlights how advanced optical simulation reduces risk, shortens development timelines, and enables innovation in next-generation diagnostic technologies worldwide today across healthcare environments and demanding clinical performance requirements everywhere.
March 2026
Simplify complex optical designs with the 2026 R1 release of Ansys Zemax OpticStudio. Enhanced tools and seamless integrations make tolerancing, imaging, and cross-tool workflows faster, easier, and more reliable for real-world systems.
NEST simplifies optomechanical tolerancing with a visual, guided workflow for sequential systems. Key features include smart pivot presets, automatic operand insertion, real-time updates, and support for off-axis designs, enhancing precision while reducing setup complexity.
NSC imaging enhancements transform Non-Sequential Mode into a practical imaging tool, streamlining workflows with features like proper stops, quick focus, spot diagrams, and sequence grouping, removing long-standing friction in folded and complex systems.
ODX enhancements to Speos streamline workflows by enabling seamless integration of real designs, including prisms and Table Glasses, without losing accuracy. Former Code V users benefit from faster, smoother transitions to OpticStudio.
The NSC Quick Focus Feature simplifies detector positioning in Non-Sequential Mode. It automatically aligns detectors for focus, centering, and orientation using intended ray paths, saving setup time and preserving accuracy. With support for multi-wavelength systems and multiple sources, it’s perfect for tackling complex optical designs with confidence. Available in Premium and Enterprise.
The NSC Sequence Grouping feature simplifies management of large ray-path sets, allowing sequences to be grouped manually or automatically based on key optical and physical properties, with dynamic updates and range-based filtering for precise analysis. Available in Premium and Enterprise.
The NSC Spot Diagram feature, enables native spot diagram analysis in Non-Sequential Mode. This feature lets you evaluate image quality directly using rays traced along selected sequences and provides detailed reporting on RMS and geometric spot size, flux, and more. With seamless integration into the Sequence Selector and a new RSNC operand, optimization and analysis are more precise than ever. Available in Premium and Enterprise.
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio is an optical design software tool, used to conceive imaging, illumination, laser systems, and more. OpticStudio’s user-friendly interface combines analysis, optimization and tolerancing tools to design for manufacturability. Extended customization options can tailor OpticStudio to your needs, or automate your work. Integrated Multiphysics workflows streamline the use of structural, thermal or fluid simulation results
Ansys Zemax OpticStudio provides high-fidelity optical modeling using advanced ray tracing, wave optics, and polarization analysis. Engineers can predict system performance, evaluate tolerances, and assess environmental effects with high numerical accuracy. Integrated sequential and non-sequential simulation enables rigorous, system-level optical validation before prototyping.
Simplify and expedite your optical design projects with Ansys Zemax OpticStudio software capabilities.
The Ansys Zemax OpticStudio is a powerful tool for optical engineers and designers to simulate, optimize, and validate their optical designs before physical prototypes are built. It helps save time and resources in the development of optical systems by allowing engineers to iterate and refine designs in a virtual environment.
To leverage the Ansys Zemax OpticStudio for multiphysics analysis requires the Ansys Zemax OpticStudio Enterprise license. The Ansys Zemax OpticStudio Enterprise license makes it simple to import structural, thermal, and refractive index data into OpticStudio workflows, yielding critical design insights, significant time savings, and new possibilities for system analysis.
| OPTICS | OpticStudio Pro | OpticStudio Premium | OpticStudio Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ansys Optics Launcher | Included | Included | Included |
| Sequential Ray Tracing | Included | Included | Included |
| Monte Carlo Forward (Non-Sequential) Ray Tracing | Included | Included | Included |
| Multiple Configuration System Modeling | Included | Included | Included |
| Number of Parallel Application Instances per License | 4 | 8 | 8 |
| Polarization, Gradient Index, and Birefringence Ray Tracing | Included | Included | Included |
| Design Templates and Vendor Lens Catalog | Included | Included | Included |
| Materials Catalog | Included | Included | Included |
| Coatings Catalog | Included | Included | Included |
| Robust Optimization Methods | Included | Included | Included |
| Sensitivity Tolerancing | Included | Included | Included |
| Monte Carlo Tolerancing | Included | Included | Included |
| Ray Aiming | Included | Included | Included |
| Aspheric Optics | Included | Included | Included |
| Freeform Optics | Included | Included | Included |
| Diffractive Optics | Included | Included | Included |
| Composite Surface | Included | Included | Included |
| Image Quality Analysis (Geometric and Diffractive) | Included | Included | Included |
| Gaussian Beams | Included | Included | Included |
| Physical Optics Propagation | Included | Included | Included |
| Ghost Focus Generator | Included | Included | Included |
| Ray Splitting and Scattering | Included | Included | Included |
| Importance Sampling | Included | Included | Included |
| STAR Multiphysics Loading, Fitting, and Visualization tools (FEA, CFD) | Included | ||
| STAR Performance Analysis | Included | ||
| User-Defined Plugin for Surface, Objects, Sources, and Scatter Profiles | Included | Included | Included |
| Workflow automation with ZOS-API and Script Automation | Included | Included | Included |
| Export Full Design or Reduced Order Model (ROM) to Speos | Included | Included | Included |
| Dynamic and Static Exchange with Lumerical Sub-Wavelength model (LSWM) plugin simulation | Included | Included | Included |
| Lumerical Plugin for metalens simulation (Static Data Exchange) | Included | Included | |
| Import and Export of STEP, IGES, SAT, STL | Included | Included | Included |
| Dynamic Link to Creo Parametric and Autodesk Inventor | Included | Included |
OPTICSTUDIO RESOURCES & EVENTS
If you're facing engineering challenges, our team is here to assist. With a wealth of experience and a commitment to innovation, we invite you to reach out to us. Let's collaborate to turn your engineering obstacles into opportunities for growth and success. Contact us today to start the conversation.
