The merit function routine (MFR) is implemented in the National Research Council Canada Integrated Modeling (NRCIM) toolset and based in the MATLAB numerical computing environment. It links ANSYS finite element structural models with ZEMAX optical models to provide a powerful integrated opto-mechanical engineering tool. The MFR is utilized by the Thirty Meter Telescope Project to assess the telescope active optics system requirements and performance. This paper describes the MFR tool, including the interfaces to ANSYS, ZEMAX, the method of calculation of the results, and the internal data structures used. A summary of the required performance of the Thirty Meter Telescope, and the MFR results for the telescope system design are presented.

Date Published: 4 August 2010
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 7738, Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy IV, 773818 (4 August 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.857661

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7738:
Modeling, Systems Engineering, and Project Management for Astronomy IV
George Z. Angeli; Philippe Dierickx, Editor(s)