This article shows some useful tips to improve productivity when using Ansys Speos.
Note : on the gif, right clicks are highlighted by a red circle and left clicks by a yellow circle.
You can also find articles on Tips for Speos Options and on Tips for Speos Labs.
List file references
This feature can be accessed with a right-click on the project name in the 3D view.
In this list you will find all the reference files used in the project (surface properties, materials, spectrum, templates, ...) and you will know whether the file is Found or Not Found.
You can repair a missing file of a reference or of several references (multiselection with shift + click or control + click) :
This feature is usefull when sharing projects between several people to check if all files are present or to change several files in a few clicks (example, changing the spectrum file of 10 sources).
Remove rows with errors
When links are broken in a feature, you can click on the broom icon to remove all broken links.
Reframe on a part
Select a part in the structure tree or in the 3D view and press Z to reframe on it.
If nothing is selected, it will reframe on the complete model.
Locate Materials
Press Locate Materials icon and then Search for applied materials icon. Now when you cursor is flying over the parts, the material name is displayed :
Click on the Select geometry without material icon, all geometries without material applied on it are selected :
Select a Material and click on Select associated geometry and all the geometries where the material is applied are selected :
The visualization color can be customized :
It is only for visualization purpose and has no impact on the simulation result.
Locate Material Tool help page
Save views
You can create custom views, choosing what you want to include (orientation, object visibility) and affecting a shortcut to switch between views.
Adding a custom view help page
Fly through Mode
The Fly through mode allow you to move inside model, it can be usefull for big models.
The option is available in the Camera options panel or with Control + Shift + F.
Fly through off
Fly through on
Change selection with double click
To switch to the next choice in a selection list, you can double click on the list.
Visualization of rays in error
This feature is useful to understand the root causes when you have a high number of simulation errors.
In the Options of the simulation, activate Propagation error analysis
After the simulation compute, a new option will be available when doing a right click on the menu : Show rays in error
You can then change the number of rays displayed, choose which type of errors to display and how to display it (last impacts, rays, all impacts, rays and impacts).
Performing a propagation error analysis help page
Create presets
You can create a preset from an existing Speos object, with a right click on this feature and then Export to Preset, for example on a sensor :
By default, presets are located in C:\ProgramData\Ansys\v252\Optical Products\Presets (where v252 represents the version 2025R2). This location can be customized in the Speos options.
Exporting a Speos object to a Preset help page
Customizing the preset repository help page
Use presets
You different ways to create a feature from a preset.
First option, is to open the Presets tab and drag and drop the preset in the project :
You can adjust the position if needed (not saved in the preset).
Second option, is to shift click on the icon of the sensor and select the Preset in the list :
You can also apply a Preset to an already existing object, with a drag and drop from the Preset window to the object.
Or with selecting thee object and a right click in the preset menu :
Applying a Preset to an Existing Speos Object help page
Customize a Preset icon
You can customize the presets icon by adding in the presets folder a file .png 32x32 pixems, with the same name than the preset.
glTF import
glTF (Graphics Library Transmission Format or GL Transmission Format and formerly known as WebGL Transmissions Format or WebGL TF) is a standard file format for three-dimensional scenes and models. A glTF file uses one of two possible file extensions: .gltf (JSON/ASCII) or .glb (binary). (Wikipedia)
glTF files, including geometries and UV can be imported in Speos from release 2025 R1.
The import is available in the Assembly tab.
Live Preview - define rotation center
You can define the rotation center with a click on Set spin center button and clicking on a geometry or pressing shift and click on the geometry.
RAM estimation
An estimation of the RAM requested by the simulation is available in the simulation definition.
This estimation is primary based on sensors processing and is not applicable for GPU simulation. The meshing is not considered in this estimation.
Using Lightbox to save initialization time
If you repeat simulations using the same geometries (with the same material and same mesh), you can save initialization time by adding those geometries in a Lightbox (lightbox export), compute it, and use the generated lightbox in a Lightbox import.
Export Lightbox :
Import Lightbox :
You can also switch Display mode to Facets instead of Bounding box for a better visualization in the 3D.
You can now use the geometries included in the Lightbox in a simulation (press Control while selecting the geometry to add it to an existing list) :