Shape of a nonaxisymmetric liquid solder drop constrained by parallel plates

A differential equation describing the shape of a nonaxisymmetric solder-gas interface in cylindrical coordinates is developed using the Euler-Lagrange method. This equation is solved numerically using the method of finite differences for the geometry of a liquid drop constrained by two parallel circular plates that are separated vertically at a fixed height and displaced in the horizontal direction. For passive alignment applications, the shapes obtained can be used to calculate the restoring force produced by a drop constrained by circular plates when displaced from equilibrium.<
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