CONCORD, Mass., 19 April 2006. Military pilots will learn to fly jets and helicopters safely thanks to a lightweight, durable helmet-mounted display, which was designed and tested in SolidWorks and CosmosWorks software. Zygo Corporation improved productivity using SolidWorks 3D mechanical design software, and fine-tuned the device's weight and durability with the Cosmos design analysis tool.
Middlefield, Conn.-based Zygo develops equipment that tests the curvature, surface texture, and wavelength capabilities of lenses and lens systems used various applications.
Zygo faced complex weight and assembly design challenges developing a new flight simulator display that provides high resolution, reduces pilot fatigue, and can fit any pilot's helmet.
"The optical design is very complex. The display literally wraps around the pilot's helmet," says 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."
CosmosWorks design analysis software aided Zygo in troubleshooting design errors and reducing 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.
Zygo works with authorized SolidWorks resellers Hawk Ridge Systems and SolidVision for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
