A strategic solution for the design and analysis of optoelectronic systems in demanding environments
The development of advanced technologies in the defence sector requires increasingly precise and versatile tools. Among them, the the ability to comprehensively simulate optoelectronic systems has established itself as a key resource for reducing costs, minimising technical risks and accelerating design, integration and validation cycles.
In this context, AERTEC addressed an operational need The difficulty of working with multiple specialised simulation tools that were not integrated with each other was a common problem in the development of complex optoelectronic systems - such as sensors, rangefinders, guidance systems or target acquisition units. This fragmentation, which is common in simulation environments complicated coordination between disciplines and slowed down the design and validation processes..
As a response to this recurrent challenge in multidisciplinary environments, the choice was made to implement a more unified approach to carry out the modelling, simulation and functional analysis of the system from a joint perspective, thus facilitating the technical work and the coherence of the results using a unified tool.
What is an optoelectronic system?
An optoelectronic system integrates optical and electronic components in functional architectures, where the manipulation of light (at multiple wavelengths) is combined with electronic signal processing to fulfil specific sensing, acquisition or actuation functions.
This type of system is present in critical applications such as:
- Autonomous guidance systems
- Electro-optical and infrared sensors
- Laser designation platforms
- Intelligent weaponry and precision ammunition
Today's challenge: the fragmentation of tools
Despite the progress of simulation platforms, most of today's tools are oriented towards very specific tasks: optics, electronics, signal analysis, etc. This generates three recurrent problems:
- Limited interoperability between software from different manufacturers.
- Duplication of efforts to adapt and transfer models or results between platforms.
- Difficulty in maintaining technical consistency in multidisciplinary projects.
The result is a workflow fragmented and inefficientwhere functional integration and traceability of critical parameters is lost.
A comprehensive and modular solution
AERTEC has worked on the development of an integral simulation environment, structured in a modular way, with the aim of representing complete systems from their initial conditions to the electronic output, including aspects such as optical behaviour and dynamic response. This approach allows a unified vision of the system and favours consistency between disciplines during the design and validation phases.
They mainly include:
- System definition module
- Optical propagation module
- Electronic module
- Post-processing module
Competitive advantage: one tool, multiple disciplines
Beyond the technical efficiency, the main advantage of this simulation environment is that it drastically improves interaction between multidisciplinary teams. By working on the same platform, the optics, electronics, software and test departments:
- They share a common and up-to-date database.
- Reducing inconsistencies arising from conversions between formats
- They can simulate design iterations in real time.
- Increase traceability and quality of the final product
This translates into a substantial improvement in overall development efficiency, especially in environments where coordination between teams and speed of iteration are critical factors.
The integral simulation of optoelectronic systems is not only a validation tool, but also a strategic facilitator in complex systems engineering. At AERTEC, this unified environment arose as a a concrete response to real integration challengesand consolidates a more agile, coherent and efficient approach to the development of aerospace and defence solutions.
