Blender Optical Path

An agent skill for drawing optical setups in Blender. Describe a layout, and the agent draws editable beams, places library components, renders the scene, and adds a separate 2D label layer. You get an editable .blend, a text-free render and a labeled SVG.

Typical subjects: imaging and microscopy paths, interferometers, lithography setups.

中文说明

blender-optical-path-promo-readme.mp4

The dual-wavelength example combines 17 components, editable Geometry Nodes beams and separate SVG labels. The preview uses OptiCore meshes for four clear singlet lenses. The default floating view hides mounts and supports.

Generate a figure · Editable SVG · Example script

Three presentation modes

Paper templates default to floating: optical elements and necessary source/detector housings, without mounts or supports. Choose compact to retain recognizable mounts, or full for native assembly dimensions and supports.

The dual-wavelength example retains its floating and mechanical modes. It depicts 17 components and two illustrative wavelength channels. Labeled floating view · Mechanical view.

Journal Editorial by default

Journal Editorial (illustrated, alias journal-editorial) uses the component pack’s Cycles materials, soft studio lighting and Filmic view. Glass surfaces stay polished; cylindrical lens edges are frosted. The camera background has no floor shadows. Material source.

Simple relay SVG. Purple marks the combined channels. Additional rendering options are described in the shading guide.

Recipes and prompts: shading presets · compact composition · visual style

Workflow

1. Describe the topology, channels and target figure size.
2. Place library components, including reviewed Thorlabs hardware.
3. Draw editable Geometry Nodes beams with authored radii.
4. Apply a style and inspect the rendered composition.
5. Add editable labels in a separate SVG layer.
6. Check scene structure and readability at final size.

Ordinary paper illustrations need no optical prescription. Quantitative modeling is available when the task requires it.

Install

Requires Blender 5.2 or later; tested with 5.2.2 LTS. For pi:

git clone https://github.com/lychen2/blender-optical-path.git \
  ~/.pi/agent/skills/blender-optical-path

Run /reload, then /skill:blender-optical-path. For other agents, copy the whole folder into the skill directory and load SKILL.md.

Example request:

Draw an editable Michelson interferometer with floating optics, clear glass, narrow colored beam envelopes and a white background. Use a high oblique camera. Add BS, M1, M2 and Detector in a separate SVG.

Include the topology, any known dimensions and the target figure size.

Defaults

• Labels live in a separate 2D layer, so the 3D render stays text-free and you can edit labels without re-rendering.
• Paper templates use narrow editable beam envelopes with authored point radii. Adjust Radius Scale in Geometry Nodes to change their width.

Python and MCP

Inside Blender:

import runpy
api = runpy.run_path('/path/to/blender-optical-path/tools/optics.py')
scene = api['new_workspace']('Optical diagram')
api['place_asset']('assembly/biconvex_lens', (0, 0, 100),
                   scene=scene, at_optical_center=True)
api['add_beam_nodes']([(-100, 0, 100), (100, 0, 100)], scene=scene)
api['apply_style'](scene)  # Journal Editorial

Positions are in millimetres. Generate a complete paper-figure template in a new output directory:

blender -b --factory-startup --python-exit-code 1 \
  --python tools/paper_scene.py -- --output /chosen/new-figure

The directory receives figure.blend, clean.png, annotated.svg and scene.json. Templates: beam-relay, polarimetry, microscope. Use --presentation compact for mounts without supports, floating for optical symbols, or full for native assemblies. Use --style illustrated for Journal Editorial. Adjust Radius Scale in the beam's Geometry Nodes modifier.

tools/example_scene.py retains the minimal assembly example. Paper templates require no numerical input.

For OptiCore lens meshes, pass a local checkout to the complex example:

blender -b --factory-startup --python-exit-code 1 \
  --python examples/dual_wavelength_interferometer.py -- \
  --opticore /path/to/OptiCore --output /chosen/new-dual-figure

The adapter loads OptiCore in that Blender process. Glass materials are assigned separately. See reproduction and source-material options.

With a Blender MCP server connected, tools/blender_mcp_entry.py runs the same API from JSON requests. See the API and MCP reference.

Component library

library/Optical_Components.blend holds 70 components: 24 mounted assemblies, 18 manufacturer CAD parts and 28 schematic modules. Open it to browse, or place parts by id through the API. Part ids and sources are listed in library/index.json and library/provenance/.

• Manual assembly
• Supported systems
• Adding a part from official CAD

Package checks

blender -b --factory-startup --python-exit-code 1 \
  --python tools/check_package.py

Run tools/check_illustration.py in Blender for template, style, SVG and optional-entry checks. Run tools/check_geometry_nodes.py for editable-beam geometry. Run python tools/check_optical_model.py for optional numerical helpers.

tools/validate_layout.py checks a saved layout.

License

Code and documentation are released under the MIT License. Manufacturer CAD keeps its original terms; see third-party notices.