I'm working on modeling a next-generation X-ray mirror for which the shape can be actively controlled by use of many thin piezo-electric actuators mounted on the mirror surface. The mirror is basically a glass conical paraboloid with a 1 meter radius and 200 micron thickness (e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_optics). Our project is currently using a proprietary FEA package, but the model setup and turnaround time is slow, in part because there is only one part-time engineer who can run it.
SfePy looks like a great package and we're hoping that it could be used to automate running a large number of different cases. I've spent some time reading the documentation but I have a few questions that I hope can be answered before going too much further. I want to apologize in advance if some of my wording is imprecise, I have a physics background but this topic is a bit outside my realm...
- Is SfePy appropriate for this problem?
- If a specify a grid with about 800 x 400 points (azimuthal, axial) and about 10 boundary conditions (corresponding to mount points), what is the rough order of magnitude of time to compute the solution? Is it seconds, minutes, hours, or days?
- The linear elastic examples show a problem with a specified displacement. How do I specify an input force? The piezo essentially provides a tensile force along the surface.
- Is there a way to specify the problem and solve in cylindrical coordinates? This is the natural coordinate system.
- How do I specify 6-DOF constraints which correspond to the mirror mounts?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Tom Aldcroft