THORLABS BSC202, BSC203 User Manual

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BSC202 and BSC203 Benchtop Stepper Motor Controller

User Guide

Original Instructions

Contents

Chapter 1 Safety .............................................................................................4

1.1 Safety Information .................................................................................. 4

1.2 General Warnings .................................................................................. 4

Chapter 2 Overview........................................................................................ 5

2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 5

2.2 APT PC Software Overview ...................................................................7

2.2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 7

2.2.2 APTUser Utility ................................................................................................... 8

2.2.3 APT Config Utility ............................................................................................... 9

2.2.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls) ......................................................................... 10

2.2.5 Software Upgrades ........................................................................................... 11

Chapter 3 Getting Started ............................................................................ 12

3.1 Installing APT Software ........................................................................12

3.2 Mechanical Installation .........................................................................13

3.2.1 Siting ................................................................................................................ 13

3.2.2 Environmental Conditions ................................................................................ 13

3.3 Electrical Installation ............................................................................. 14

3.3.1 Connecting To The Supply ............................................................................... 14

3.3.2 Fuses ................................................................................................................ 14

3.3.3 Rear Panel Connections .................................................................................. 15

3.4 Front Panel Controls and Indicators .................................................... 16

3.5 Connecting The Hardware ................................................................... 16

3.6 Select the Stage Type (Using APTConfig) .............................. ............. 17

3.7 Verifying Software Operation ...............................................................18

3.7.1 Initial Setup ....................................................................................................... 18

Chapter 4 Operation - Tutorial ...................................................................20

4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 20

4.2 Using the APT User Utility .................................................................... 20

4.3 Homing Motors ..................................................................................... 21

4.4 Moving to an Absolute Position ............................................................22

4.5 Changing Motor Parameters ................................................................ 23

4.6 Jogging ................................................................................................. 24

4.7 Graphical Control Of Motor Positions (Point and Move) ...................... 25

4.8 Setting Move Sequences ............................ ... ... ............................ .. ... ..27

4.9 Using a Joystick Console..................................................................... 30

4.10 Creating a Simulated Configuration Using APT Config ........................ 31

4.11 Stage/Axis Tab .....................................................................................33

Continued......

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Chapter 5 Software Reference .................................................................... 34

5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 34

5.2 GUI Panel .............................................................................................34

5.3 Settings Panel ..................................................... ... ............................ ..36

5.3.1 Moves/Jogs tab ................................................................................................ 36

5.3.2 Stage/Axis tab .................................................................................................. 39

5.3.3 Advanced Tab .................................................................................................. 44

Appendices

Appendix A Rear Panel Connector Pinout Details .................................... 48

Appendix B Using a Virtual Comm Port...................................................... 54

Appendix C Preventive Maintenance ......................................................... 57

Appendix D Specifications and Associated Parts ............. ... ... ... .... .......... 58

Appendix E Motor Control Method Summary ........................................... 60

Appendix F Stepper Motor Operation - Background ................................ 64

Appendix G Regulatory ....................... .... ... ................................ ... .............. 70

Appendix H Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts ............................................... 75

Chapter 1 Safety

1.1 Safety Information

For the continuing safety of the operators of this equipment, and the protection of the

equipment itself, the operator should take note of the Warnings, Cautions and Notes

throughout this handbook and, where visible, on the product itself.

The following safety symbo ls may be u sed throughout the h andbook and on the equipment itself.

Shock Warning

Given when there is a risk of injury from electrical shock.

Warning

Given when there is a risk of injury to users.

Caution

Given when there is a risk of damage to the product.

Note

Clarification of an instruction or additional information.

1.2 General Warnings

Warnings

If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the

protection provided by the equipment may be impaired. In particular,

excessive moisture may impair operation.

Spillage of fluid, such as sample solutions, should be avoided. If spillage does occur, clean up imm ediately u sing absorba nt tissue. Do no t allow spilled flu id

to enter the internal mechanism.

Chapter 2 Overview

2.1 Introduction

The BSC202 and BSC203 2- and 3-channel Stepper Motor Controllers are the next generation of enhanced controllers using the familiar APTUser interface. Many new features are provided, including a choice between trapezoidal and S-shaped velocity profiles, a higher theoretical microstep resolution (409600 for a 200 full step motor) and speeds more than twice that achieved by its predecessors.

They are designed to drive larger framed 2-phase bipolar stepper motors, with and without encoder feedback, and can be used in a wide variety of applications. These high power units deliver up to 48V/50W peak (25W average) drive power per channel and are compatible with most stepper driven nano-positioning actuators & stages in the Thorlabs range.

The unit combines the latest high speed digital signal processors (DSP) with lownoise analog electronics and ActiveX® software technology for effortl ess high resolution microstepping of up to three axes. Additional axes can be driven by connecting one or more b enchtop units via a standard USB hub.The apt stepper motor controller is supplied with a full suite of software support tools. An intuitive graphical instrument panel allows immediate control and visualization of the operation of the stepper controllers, and any other controllers that are installed in the system. See Chapter 5 for a full description of the apt system software.

Fig. 2.1 APT Three Channel Stepper Motor Controller (BSC203)

Chapter 2

Stepper motors give excellent low speed performance an d positioning stability compared with DC servo motors. A wide range of 2-phase bipolar stepper motors and associated actuators are commercially available, each with its own characteristics, such as step resolution, peak phase current or voltage, and lead screw pitch. For this reason the apt™ stepper unit operation is fully configurable (parameterized) with key settings exposed through the associated graphical interface panels.

Motor step resolution, and lead screw pitch can be set for a particular motor/actuator combination, phase currents can be limited to suitable peak powers as required, and limit switch configuration is accommodated through a flexible set of limit switch logic settings. Moreover, relative and absolute moves can be initiated with move profiles set using velocity profile parameters. Similarly, home sequences have a full set of associated parameters that can b e adjusted for a particular stage or actuator. Fo r simplicity of operation, the apt™ software incorporates pre-configured settings for each of th e Thorlabs stages an d actuators, while still exp osing all parameters individually for use with other stepper motor driven systems.

For convenience and ease of use, adjustment of many key parameters is possible through direct interaction with the gra phical panel. For example a move to the n ext position can be initiated by clicking directly on the position display and entering a new value (see the tutorial in Chapter for further details). Furthermore, all such settings and parameters are also accessible through the ActiveX® programmable interfaces for automated alignment sequences.

The apt™ stepper unit also supports encoder feedback through dedicated quadrature encoded pulse (QEP) inputs, one for each channel of operation. Through conversion routines, the apt™ software is able to use this feedback signal to generate encoder position for access either through the GUI or via programmable interfaces for custom closed loop algorithms. A “built in” a lgorithm can be enabled to allow the stepper system to reach and maintain an encoded position through an iterative move sequence. Please see the APTServer on line helpfile or the handbook supplied with your linear encoded stage for further details.

In the remainder of this handbook, the Tutorial section (Chapter ) provides a good initial understanding on using the unit, and the reference sections (Chapter 5) covers all operating modes and parameters in detail.

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2.2 APT PC Software Overview

2.2.1 Introduction

As a member of the APT range of cont rollers, the BSC20 2 and BSC203 stepper controllers share ma ny of the a ssociated software benefits. This includes USB connectivity (allowing multiple units to be used together on a single PC), fully featured Graphical User Interface (GUI) panels, and extensive software function libraries for custom application development.

The APT software suite supplied with all APT controllers provides a flexible and powerful PC ba sed control system both fo r users of the e quipment, and software programmers aiming to automate its operation.

For users, the APTUser (see Section 2.2.2.) and APTConfig (see Section 2.2.3.) utilities allow full control of all settings and operating modes enabling complete ‘outof-box’ operation without the need to d evelop any further cu stom software. Both utilities are built on top of a sophisticated, multi-threaded ActiveX ‘engine’ (called the APT server) which provides all of the necessary APT system software services such as generation of GUI pan els, communications handling for multiple USB units, and logging of all system activity to assist in hardware trouble shooting. It is this APT server ‘engine’ that is used by software developers to allow the creation of advanced automated positioning applications very rapidly and with great ease. The APT server is described in more detail in Section 2.2.4.

Aside ActiveX®, a Windows®-based, language-independe nt technology, allows a user

to quickly develop custom applications that automate the control of APT system hardware units. Development environments supported by ActiveX® technology include Visual Basic®, LabView™, Borland C++ Builder, Visual C++, Delphi™, and many others. ActiveX® technology is also su pported by .NET development environments such as Visual Basic.NET and Visual C#.NET.

ActiveX controls are a specific form of ActiveX technology that provide both a user interface and a programming interface. An ActiveX control is supplie d for each type of APT hardware unit to provide specific controller functionality to the software developer. See Section 2.2.4. for further details.

Chapter 2

2.2.2 APTUser Utility

The APTUser application allows the user to interact with a number of APT hardware control units connected to the ho st PC. This program displays multiple graphical instrument panels to allow multiple APT units to be controlled from the same screen.

All basic operating parameters can be altered and, similarly, all operations (such as motor moves) can be initiated. Settings and parameter changes can be saved and loaded to allow multiple operating configurations to be created and easily applied.

For many users, the APTUser application provides all of the functionality necessary to operate the APT hardware without the need to deve lop any further custom software. For those who do need to further customize and automate u sage of the controller (e.g. to i mplement a positioning algorithm), the APTUser application illustrates how the various methods and properties of the APT ActiveX server can be exposed by a client application.

Use of the APT User utility is covered in the PC tutorial (Chapter ) and in the APTUser online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTUser utility.

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2.2.3 APT Config Utility

There are many system par ameters and configuration settings associated with the operation of the APT Server. Most can be directly accessed using the various graphical panels, however there are several system wide settings that can be made 'off-line' before running the APT software. These settings have global effect; such as switching between simulator and real operating mode, associating mechanical stages to specific motor actuators and incorporation of calibration data.

The APTConfig utility is provided as a convenient means for making these system wide settings and adjustments. Full details on using APTConfig are provided in the online help supplied with the utility.

Use of the APT Config utility is covered in the PC tutorial (Section 4.11.) and in the APTConfig online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTConfig utility.

Chapter 2

2.2.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls)

ActiveX Controls are re -usable compiled software components that supp ly both a graphical user interface and a pro grammable interface. Many such Co ntrols are available for Windows applications development, providing a large range of re-usable functionality. For example, there are Controls available that can be used to manipulate image files, connect to the intern et or simply pro vide user in terface components such as buttons and list boxes.

With the APT system, ActiveX Controls are deployed to allow direct control over (and also reflect the status of) the range of electronic controller units, including the BSC203 stepper motor controller. Software applications that use ActiveX Controls are often referred to as 'client applications'. Based on ActiveX interfacing technology, an ActiveX Control is a l anguage independent software component. Consequently ActiveX Controls can be in corporated into a wide range of softwa re development environments for u se by client application developers. Development environments supported include Visual Basic, Labview, Visual C++, C++ Builder, HPVEE, Matlab, VB.NET, C#.NET

and, via VBA, Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and Word.

Consider the ActiveX Co ntrol supplied for a Stepp er Motor Drive Card fitted to a BSC203 APT stepper controller unit (one panel is displayed for each channel (card) fitted.

This Control provides a complete user graphical instrument panel to allow the motor unit to be manually operated, as well as a complete set of software functions (often called methods) to allow all parameters to be set a nd motor operations to be automated by a client application. The instrument panel reflects the current operating state of the controller unit to which it is associated (e.g. such as motor position). Updates to the p anel take place automatically when a user (client) application is

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making software calls into the same Control. For example, if a client application instructs the associated stepper motor Control to move a motor, the progress of that move is reflected automatically by changing position readouts on the graphical interface, without the need for further programming intervention.

The APT ActiveX Controls collection provides a rich set of graphical user panels and programmable interfaces allowing users and client application developers to interact seamlessly with the APT hardware. Each of the APT controllers has an associated ActiveX Control and these are described fully in system online help or the handbooks associated with the controllers. Note that the APTUser and APTConfig utilities take advantage of and are built on top of the powerful functionality provided by the APT ActiveX Server (as shown in Fig. 2.2).

Refer to the main APT Software onl ine help file, APTServer.hlp, for a comple te programmers guide and reference material on using the APT ActiveX Controls collection. Additional software developer support is provided by the APT Support pages included on the so ftware installation CD supplied with every APT controller. This CD contai ns a complete range of tutori al samples and coding hints and tips, together with handbooks for all the APT controllers.

2.2.5 Software Upgrades

Thorlabs operate a policy of continuous product development and may issue software upgrades as necessary.

Detailed instructions on installing upgrades are included on the APT Software CD ROM.

Fig. 2.2 System Architecture Diagram

Chapter 3 Getting Started

3.1 Installing APT Software

Note

When operating via a PC, direct user interaction with the unit is

accomplished through intuitive graphical user in terface panels (GUIs),

which expose all key operating parameters and modes. The user can

select multiple panel views displaying different information about a

particular hardware unit. The multitasking architecture ensures that the

graphical control panels always remain live, showing all current

hardware activity.

Caution

Some PCs may have been configured to restrict the users ability to load

software, and on these systems the software may not install/run. If you are

in any doubt about your rights to install/run software, please consult your

system administrator before attempting to install.

If you experience any problems when installing software, contact Thorlabs on

+44 (0)1353 654440 and ask for Technical Support.

DO NOT CONNECT THE CONTROLLER TO YOUR PC YET

1) Download the software from www.thorlabs.com.

2) Locate the downloaded setup.exe file and move to a suitable file location.

3) Double-click the setup.exe file and follow the on-screen instructions.

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

3.2 Mechanical Installation

3.2.1 Siting

The unit is designed to be mounted free standing on a shelf, benchtop or simil ar surface.

Caution

When siting the unit, it should be positioned so as not to impede the

operation of the rear panel power supply switch.

Ensure that proper airflow is maintained to the rear of the unit.

3.2.2 Environmental Conditions

Warning

Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect

operator safety.

Location Indoor use only

Maximum altitude 2000 m

Temperature range 5

C to 40oC

Maximum Humidity Less than 80% RH (non-condensing) at 31°C

To ensure reliable operation the unit should not be exposed to corrosive agents or excessive moisture, heat or dust.

If the unit has been stored at a low temperature or in an environment of high humidity, it must be allowed to reach ambient conditions before being powered up.

Chapter 3

3.3 Electrical Installation

3.3.1 Connecting To The Supply

Shock Warning

The unit must be connected only to an earthed fused supply of 110 to 230V.

Use only power supply cables supplied by Thorlabs, other cables may not be

rated to the same current.

The unit is shipped to the UK, Europe and the USA, with the appropriate

power plug already fitted. When shipped to other territories the appropriate

power plug must be fitted by the user. Cable identification is as follows:

Brown-Live

Blue-Neutral

Green/Yellow-Earth/Ground

3.3.2 Fuses

Two T 3A/250V a.c. antisurge ceramic fuses are located on the back panel, one for the live feed and one for the neutral as follows:

Fuse Rating Type Fused Line

F1 T 3.15A ceramic; antisurge Live feed F2 T 3.15A ceramic; antisurge Neutral feed

When replacing fuses:

1) Switch off the power and disconnect the power cord before removing the fuse

cover.

Always replace broken fuses with a fuse of the same rating and type.

3.3.3 Current Leakage.

Caution

The power supply filters may exhibit some ground loop current leakage

and could trip very sensitive detection circuits.

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3.3.4 Rear Panel Connections

INTERCONNECT

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Fig. 3.1 Rear panel connections

MOTOR DRIVE - (15-Pin D-Type, Female) Provides connection to the actuator.

This connector provides all phase current drive and encoder feedback connections to drive a range of encoded and non-encoded stepper motors - see Section A.3.

CONTROL I/O

- (15-Pin D-Type, Female) The ‘CONTROL I/O’ connector exposes a number of electrical signals useful for external control. It is possible to configure a particular controller to resp ond to trigger inputs, generate trigger outputs or bo th respond to and generate a trigger output - see Section 5.3.3. Motor jogging lines can be used to jog the motor in both forward and reverse directions from a remote handset (Jogging parameters (e.g. jog distance) are set via the GUI panel - see Section 5.3.1.).

USB - USB port for system communications.

Note

The USB cable length should be no more than 3 metres unless a powered

USB hub is being used.

HANDSET IN - Provides connection for the MJC001 Joystick - see Section 4.9. and

Section A.2.

INTERCONNECT - (9-Pin D-Type, Male) For Future Use. No function at present. CH ID - For channel selection when using the MJC001 joystick - see Section 4.9.

Chapter 3

Power

apt

Precision Motion Controller

CHANNEL ENABLE

3.4 Front Panel Controls and Indicators

Fig. 3.2 Front panel controls and indicators

Power LED – Indicates that power is applied to the unit. CHANNEL ENABLE buttons – Used to ena ble/disable channel functionality. The

associated LED is lit when the channel is enabled. Disabling the channel allows the motor actuator to be moved manually.

Note

On BSC202 units, the Channel 3 LED is not used.

3.5 Connecting The Hardware

1) Perform the mechanical installation as detailed in Section 3.2.

2) Install the APT Software - see Section 3.1.

3) Connect the stepper motor actuator to the Controller unit - see Section 3.3.4.

4) Connect the Controller unit to the power supply - see Section 3.3.1.

5) Connect the PSU to the main supply and switch ‘ON’.

6) Connect the Controller unit to your PC.

The USB cable should be no more than 3 metres in length. Communication

lengths in excess of 3 metres can be achieved by using a powered USB hub).

7) Windows

should detect the new hardware. Wait while WindowsTM installs the

drivers for the new hardware - see the Getting Started guide for more information.

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Note

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

3.6 Select the Stage Type (Using APTConfig)

To ensure that a particular stage is driven properly by the system, a number of parameters must first be set. These parameters relate to the physical characteristics of the stage be ing driven (e.g. min and max positions, leadscrew pitch, homing direction etc.).

To assist in setting these parameters correctly, it is possible, using the APT Config utility, to asso ciate a specific stage type and axis with a motor controller channel. Once this association has been made, the APT server applies automatically, suitable default parameter values on boot up of the software.

Even if a stage type and axis has been associated with a controller channel, it is still possible to alter these pa rameters if req uired, (e.g. fo r a custom stage type not selectable using the APT Config utility).

Note

The BSC203 APT stepper controller unit can be fitted with up to three

stepper motor drive cards. Each card behaves as a discrete unit with its

own GUI control panel.

1) Shut down all applications using the APT server (e .g. APT User or your own

custom application).

2) Run the APT Config utility - Start/All Programs/Thorlabs/APT Config/APT Config.

3) From the 'APT Configuration Utility' window, click the 'Stage' tab.

Fig. 3.3 APT Configuration Utility - Stage Tab

Chapter 3

Caution

The following items relate to the single channel Drive Cards fitted to the

controller, and not the parent 3-channel controller housing.

4) In the ‘Motor’ field, select the serial number of the drive card to be configured. The ‘Channel’ field defaults to ‘1’ and the ‘Channel 2’ option is greyed out.

5) In the ‘Stage’ field, select your actuator type from the list displ ayed (e.g. HS NanoMax 300 X Axis).

Note

To use the increased resolution and velocity func itionality offered by these controllers, the stage types prefixed by ‘HS’ (e.g. HS NanoMax 300 X Axis) must be selected. Selecting a stage/actuator type without the ‘HS’

prefix will result in reduced velocity and resolution.

6) Click the 'Add Stage Association' button.

7) The server reads in the stage and controller information on start up. Shut down the APTConfig utility and proceed to Section 3.7. to verify the software operation. See the APT Config utility on line help for further information.

3.7 Verifying Software Operation

3.7.1 Initial Setup

The APT Software should be installed (Section 3.1.) and the stage association performed (Section 3.6.) before software operation can be verified.

1) Run the APTUser utility and check that the Graphical User Interface (GUI) panel appears and is active.

Fig. 3.4 Gui panel showing jog and ident buttons

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2) Check that the act uator type an d serial n umber associated in Section 3.6. are

displayed in the GUI panel.

3) Click the ‘Ident’ button. The associated channel LED on the fron t panel of the

controller flashes. This is useful in multi-channel systems for identifying whic h channel is associated with which GUI.

4) Click the jog buttons on the GUI panel and check that the motor or axis connected

to the co ntroller moves. The position display for the associated GUI should increment and decrement accordingly.

Follow the tutorial steps described in Chapter for further verification of operation.

Note

The 'APT Config' utility can be used to set up simulated hardware

configurations and place the APT Server into simulator mode. In this way

it is possible to create any number and type of simulated (virtual)

hardware units in order to emulate a set of real hardware. This is a

particularly useful feature, des ig ne d a s an aid to applic a t io n prog ram

development and testing. Any number of 'virtual' control units are

combined to build a model of the real system, which can then be used to

test the application software offline. If using real hardware, ensure that

Simulator Mode is disabled. If using a simulated setup, enable Simulator

Mode and set up a ‘Simulated Configuration’ - see Section 4.11. or the

APTConfig helpfile for detailed instructions.

Chapter 4 Operation - Tutorial

4.1 Introduction

The following brief tutorial guides the user through a typica l series of moves an d parameter adjustments performed using the PC based APT software. It assumes that the unit is electrically connected to the stage, and that the APT Software is alre ady installed - see Section 3.1. For illustration purposes, it also assumes that a NanoMax300 is connected to the ‘Motor’ connector on the rear panel.

4.2 Using the APT User Utility

The APT User.exe application allows the user to interact with any number of APT hardware control units connected to the PC USB Bus (or simulated via the APTConfig utility). This program allows multiple graphical instrument panels to be displayed so that multiple APT units can be controlled. All basic operating parameters can be set through this program, and all basic operations (such as motor moves) can be initiated. Hardware configurations and parameter settings can be save d to a file , which simplifies system set up whenever APT User is run up.

Fig. 4.1 Typical APT User Screen

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

1) Run the APT User program - Start/Programs/Thorlabs/APT User/APT User.

Note

The channel functionality of the BSC203 motor controller is accessed via

a single channel GUI panel, one panel for each motor drive card fitted.

Notice how the HS NanoMax 300 X Axis actuator type, selected in Section 3.6. is displayed in the ‘Settings’ window. See Se ction 4.12. and Section 5.3. for further details on the parameter values shown in the ‘Settings’ display.

4.3 Homing Motors

Homing the motor moves the actuator to the home limit switch and resets the internal position counter to zero. The limit switch provides a fixed datum that can be found after the system has been powered up.

1) Click the ‘Home’ button. Notice that the led in the button lights to indicate that

homing is in progress and the displayed position for both channels counts down to 000.000, i.e the home position.

2) When homing is complete, the ‘Homed’ LED is lit as shown above. See Appendix F , Section F.2.2. for background information on the home position.

Fig. 4.2 Motor Controller Software GUI

Chapter 4

4.4 Moving to an Absolute Position

Absolute moves are mea sured in real world units (e.g. millimetres), relative to the Home position.

1) Click the position display.

Fig. 4.3 Absolute Position Popup Window

2) Enter 3.0 into the pop up window

3) Click ‘OK’. Notice that the position display counts up to 003.000 to indicate a move to the absolute position 3.00mm.

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4.5 Changing Motor Parameters

Moves are performed using a trapezoidal velocity profile (see Appendix F , Section F.1.3.). The velocity settings relate to the maximum veloci ty at which a mo ve is performed, and the acceleration at which the motor speeds up from zero to maximum velocity.

1) On the GUI pan el, click th e ‘Settings’ button (bottom right hand corner of the

display) to display the Settings panel.

Fig. 4.4 Settings Panel - Move/Jogs Tab

2) Select the Move/Jogs tab as shown in Fig. 4.4.

3) In the ‘Moves’ field, change the parameters as follows:

‘Max. Vel’ - ‘2.5’ ‘Accn/Dec’ - ‘0.5’

Note

In current versions of s oftwa re, the ‘Min Vel’ parameter i s locked at zero

and cannot be adjusted.

4) Click ‘OK’ to save the settings and close the window.

5) Any further moves initiated on channel 1 will now be performed at a maximum

velocity of 2.5mm per second, with an acceleration of 0.5mm/sec/sec.

Chapter 4

4.6 Jogging

During PC operation, the motor actuators are jogged using the GUI panel arrow keys. There are two jogging modes available, ‘Single Step’ and ‘Continuous’. In ‘Single Step’ mode, the motor moves by the ste p size specifie d in the Ste p Distance parameter. If the jog key is held down, single step jogging is repeated until the button is released - see Fig. 4.5. In ‘Continuous’ mode, the motor actuator will accelerate and move at the jog velocity while the button is held down.

1) On the GUI panel, click the ‘Settings’ button to display the Settings panel.

Fig. 4.5 Settings Panel - Move/Jogs Tab

2) Select the Move/Jogs tab as shown in Fig. 4.5.

3) In the ‘Jogs’ field, enter parameters as follows: ‘Max. Vel’ - ‘1’ ‘Accn/Dec’ - ‘2’

Note

In current versions of software, the ‘Min Vel’ parameter is locked at zero

and cannot be adjusted.

‘Jogging’ - ‘Single Step’ ‘Stopping’ - ‘Profiled’ ‘Step Distance’ - ‘0.5’

4) Click ‘OK’ to save the settings and close the window.

5) Click the Jog Arrows on the GUI panel to jog the motor. Notice that the p osition display increments 0.5 every time the button is clicked.

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4.7 Graphical Control Of Motor Positions (Point and Move)

The GUI panel display can be changed to a graphical display, showing the position of the motor channel(s). Moves to absolute positions can then be initiated by positioning the mouse within the display and clicking.

To change the panel view to graph ical view, right click in the screen and select ‘Graphical View’.

Fig. 4.6 Motor GUI Panel - Graphical View

Consider the display shown above for a Stepper Motor Drive Card fitted to a BSC203 APT stepper controller unit.

The right hand display shows the channel and motor unit parameters; i.e. controller unit type and se rial number, associated stage and actuator type, min imum and maximum positions, current position, units per grid division and cursor position. All units are displayed in real world units, either millimetres or degrees.

Note

The channel functionality of the BSC203 motor controller is accessed via

a single channel GUI panel, one panel for each motor drive card fitted.

The Channel 2 parameters are greyed out.

The left h and display shows a circle, which represents the current position of the motor associated with the specified controller (absolute position data is displayed in the 'Chan Pos' field).

The vertical divisions relate to the travel of the stage/actuator associated with the controller (the stage/actuator is selected in the ‘APT Config’ utility). For example, the screen shot above shows the parameters for a 4 mm travel NanoMax 3-axis stage. The graph shows 8 divisions in the X axis, which relates to 0.5 mm of travel per division (4.0 mm in total).

Chapter 4

The graphical panel has two modes of operation, ‘Jog’ and ‘Move’, which are selected by clicking the buttons at the bottom right of the screen.

Move Mode

When ‘Move’ is selected, the motors move to an absolute position which corresponds to the position of the cursor within the screen.

To specify a move:

1) Position the mouse within the window. For reference, the absolute motor position values associated with the mouse position is displayed in the ' Cursor Position field.

2) Click the left hand mouse button to initiate the move.

Jog Mode

When ‘Jogging’ mode is selected, the motors are jogged each time the left mouse button is clicked.

The Jog direction corresponds to the position of the cursor relative to the circle (current motor position), e.g. if the cursor is to the left of the circle the motor will jog left. The Jog Step size is that selected in the Settings panel - see Section 5.3.

Stop

To stop the move at any time, click the ‘Stop’ button.

Returning to Panel View

To return to panel view, right click in the graphical panel and select ‘Panel View’.

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4.8 Setting Move Sequences

This section explains how to set move sequences, allowing several positions to be visited without user intervention.

For details on moving to absolute positions initiated by a mouse click – see Section

4.11.

1) From the Motor GUI Panel, select 'Move Sequencer' tab to display the Mo ve

Sequencer window.

2) Right click, in the move data field to display the pop up menu.

Fig. 4.7 Move Sequencer Window

Fig. 4.8 Move Sequencer Pop Up Menu

Chapter 4

3) Select 'New' to display the 'Move Editor' panel.

Fig. 4.9 Move Editor Window

Move data is entered/displayed as follows:

Dist/Pos: - the distance to move from the current position (if 'Relative' is selected)

or the position to move to (if 'Absolute' is selected).

Dwell Time: - after the move is performed, th e system can be set to wait for a

specified time before performing the next move in the sequence. The Dwell time is the time to wait (in milliseconds).

Return - if checked, the system will move to the position specified in the Dist/Pos field,

wait for the specified Dwell time, and then return to the original position.

Min Vel: Acc: and Max Vel: - the velocity profile parameters for the move.

Note

In current versions of software, the ‘Min Vel’ parameter is locked at zero

and cannot be adjusted.

The motor accelerates at the rate set in the Acc field up to the speed set in the Max Vel field. As the destination approaches, the motor decelerates again to ensure that there is no overshoot of the position.

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

4) Enter the required move data into the Move Editor and click OK. The move data

is displayed in the main window as shown below.

Fig. 4.10 Main Window with Move Data

5) Repeat step 4 as n ecessary to build a sequence of moves. Move data can be

copied, deleted, cut/pasted and edited by righ t clicking the data line(s) and selecting the appropriate option in the pop up menu (shown below).

Fig. 4.11 Pop Up Options

6) To run a single line of data, right click the appropriate data and select 'Run' from

the pop up menu (shown above).

7) To run the entire sequence, click the 'Run' button (shown below). A Home move

can also be performed from this panel by clicking the ‘Home’ button.

Fig. 4.12 Home and Run Buttons

8) To save data to a file, or load data from a previously saved file, click the ‘Save’ or

‘Load’ button and browse to the required location.

Chapter 4

4.9 Using A Joystick Console

The MJC001 joystick console has been designed to provide intuitive, tactile, manual positioning of the stage. The console features a two axis joystick for XY control. Up to 3 joysticks can be connected to each other, interfacing neatly into a multi-channel control application.

Note

The default parameter values loaded at the factory should be acceptab le for

most applications, and in this case, it is not necessary to conne ct th e

controller to a PC running the APT software. If these parameter values

subsequently require adjustment, this can only be performed by running the

APT software - see Section 5.3.4. for more information.

Note

In order for the controller and joystick to be used without a host PC, the Move/

Jog settings, Stage/Axis settings and the Joystick settings must be persisted

(saved) within the BSC20x unit before the foll owing predure is performed. This

is done by checking the ‘Persist Settings’ box on each settings tab - see

Section 5.3. for more details.

1) Connect the stage to the Controller unit.

2) Connect the joystick console to the HANDSET IN connector of the controller.

3) Switch ON the controller.

4) Wait until the red led on the joystick console and the Channel Enable LED on the controller front panel stops flashing (~3s). Press and hold the ‘High/Low’ button for 2 seconds to h ome the stage. When homing is complete, the green LED stops flashing.

In order to establish control over a particular axis, the jo ystick axes must be associated with the corresponding channels of the related controller. This is achieved by setting the joystick ID switch, located on the underside of the joystick console, and the channel ident switches on the rear panel of the BSC controller.

The joystick ID switch assigns the selected number to the X axi s of the joystick and the next sequential number to the Y axis. The channel ident switches on the controller unit(s) must then be set to match these joystick axis numbers.

For example, if the jo ystick switch is set to '1', then the cha nnel ID switch on the controller must also be set to ‘1’ as shown in Fig. 4.1. If two single channels are being used, the Y-Axis controller unit must be set to ‘2’.

30 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Fig. 4.1 ID switch setings

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

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9101112131415

5) Set the joystick console ID switch and the controller channel ID switches as described

in the preceding paragraph.

Caution

Do not set the switches to identical numbers as this may result in lack of

joystick control. Also, do not set the channel ID switches to 'E' or 'F' as

this is reserved for factory use and testing.

6) Open the APTConfig utility and ensure that the appropriate ‘HS’ option is selected

for the actuator being driven (e.g. HS 17DRV013). If an opt ion without the HS prefix is seleceted, then the joystick will not function - see Section 3.6.

7) The stage can no w be moved using the jo ystick, GUI pan el, or by setting

commands to move each axis by relative and absolute amounts – see the helpfile supplied with the APT server for more information.

4.10 External Triggering

External triggering is facilitated by the Trigger In and Trigger Out pins (pins 4 and 12) of the CONTROL IO connector on the rear panel of the unit.

These connectors provide a 5V logic level input and output that can be configured to support triggering from and to external devices - see Se ction 5.3.3. an d Section A.1.3. for further details.

4.11 Creating a Simulated Configuration Using APT Config

The 'APT Config' utility can be used to set up simulated hardware configurations and place the APT Server into simulator mode. In this way it is possible to create any number and type of simulated (virtual) hardware units in order to emulate a set of real hardware. This is a particularly useful feature, designed as an aid learning how to use the APT software and as an aid to developing custom software applications ‘offline’.

Any number of ' virtual' control units can be combined to e mulate a collection of physical hardware units For example, an application program can be w ritten, then tested and debugged remotely, before running with the hardware.

To create a simulated configuration proceed as follows:

1) Run the APT Config utility - Start/All Programs/Thorlabs/APT/APT Config.

Chapter 4

2) Click the 'Simulator Configuration' tab.

Fig. 4.13 APT Configuration Utility - Simulator Configuration Tab

3) Enter ‘LAB1’ in the Configuration Names field.

4) In the 'Simulator' field, check the ‘Enable Simulator Mode’ box. The name of the most recently used configuration file is d isplayed in the 'Current Configuration' window.

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

5) In the ‘Control Unit’ field, select ‘3 Ch Stepper Driver (BSC203)’.

6) Enter a 6 digit serial number.

Note

Each physical APT hardware unit is facto ry programmed with a unique 8 digit serial number. In order to simulate a set of ‘real’ hardware the Config

utility allows an 8 digit serial number to be associated with each

simulated unit. It is good practice when creating simulated

configurations for software development purposes to use the same serial

numbers as any real hardware units that will be used. Although serial numbers are 8 digits (as displayed in the ‘Load Configuration Details’

window, the first two digits are ad ded automatically and identify the type

of control unit.

The prefixed digits relating to the BSC203 stepper controller are:

70xxxxxx - Benchtop APT Three Channel Stepper Motor Controller

90xxxxxx - Single Channel Stepper Motor Drive Card

7) Click the 'Add' button.

8) Repeat items (1) to (7) as required. (A unit can be removed from the configuration

by selecting it in the 'Loaded Configuration Details' window and cl icking the 'Remove' button or by right clicking it and selecting the 'Remove' option from the pop up window).

9) Enter a name into the 'Configuration Names' field.

10) Click 'Save'.

11) Click 'Set As Current' to use the configuration.

Chapter 4

4.12 Stage/Axis Tab

This tab contains a number of parameters which are related to the physical characteristics of the particular stage or actuator being driven. They need to be set accordingly such that a particular stage is driven properly by the system.

Fig. 4.14 Stage/Axis Tab

These parameters were set automatically when the HS NanoMax 300 X Axis stage type was selected using the APTConfig utility in Section 3.6. The APT server automatically applied suitable defaults for the parameters on this tab during boot up of any client software such as APTUser. These parameters should not be altered for pre-defined Thorlabs stages and actuators selected using APT Config, as it may adversely affect the performance of the stage.

For custom stage types not available using the APT Config utility, the stage details must be entered manually.

Individual parameters are described in Section 5.3.

34 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Chapter 5 Software Reference

5.1 Introduction

This chapter gives an explanation of the parameters and settings accessed from the APT software running on a PC. For information on the methods and properties which can be called via a programming interface, see Appendix E .

5.2 GUI Panel

The following screen shot shows the gra phical user interface (GUI) (one panel per channel) displayed when accessing the controller using the APTUser utility.

The serial number of the driver card associated with the GUI panel, the

APT server version number, and the version number (in brackets) of the

embedded software running on the unit, are displayed in the top right

hand corner. This information should always be pr ovid ed when

Fig. 5.1 Motor Controller Software GUI

Note

requesting customer support.

Chapter 5

Jog - used to increment or decrement the motor position. When the button is clicked,

the motor is driven in the selected direction at the jog velocity one step per click. The step size and jog velocity parameters are set in the 'Settings' panel (see Section 5.3.).

Travel - displays the range of travel (in millimeters or degrees) of the motor. Moving - lit when the motor is in motion. Enable - applies power to the motor. With the motor enabled, the associated Channel

LED on the front panel is lit.

Digital display - sh ows the position (in millimetres or degrees) of th e motor. The

motor must be ' Homed' before the d isplay will show a valid position value, (i.e. the displayed position is relative to a physical datum, the limit switch).

Home - sends the motor to its 'Home' position - see Section F.2.2. The LED in the

button is lit while the motor is homing.

Homed - lit when the motor has previously been 'Homed' (since power up). Stop - halts the movement of the motor. Limit switches - the LEDs are lit when the associated limit switch has been activated

- see Section F.2.3. for further details on limit switches.

Settings display - shows the following user specified settings:

Driver - the type of control unit associated with the specified channel. Stage - the stage type and axis associated with the specified channel. Calib File - the calibration file associated with the specified channel.

See the APTConfig utility helpfile for more details on assigning and using calibration files.

Min/Max V - the minimum velocity at which a move is initiated, and the maxi mum

velocity at which the move is performed. Values are displayed in real world units (mm/ s or degrees/s), and can be set via the 'Settings' panel (see Section 5.3.).

Accn - the rate at which the velocity climbs to, and slow s from, maximum velocity,

displayed in real world units (mm/s/s or degrees/s/s). The acceleration can be set via the 'Settings' panel (see Section 5.3.) and i s used in conjunction with the Min/Max velocity settings to determine the velocity profile of a motor move. See Appendix F

Section F.1.3. for more information on velocity profiles.

Jog Step Size - the size of step (in mm or degrees) taken when the jog signal is

initiated. The step size can be set e ither via the Settings panel or by calling the SetJogStepSize method.

Settings button - Displays the 'Settings' panel, which allows the motor drive’s

operating parameters to be entered - see Section 5.3.

Ident - when this button is pressed, the LED (on the front panel of the unit) associated

with the selected channel will flash for a short period.

Active - lit when the unit is operating normally and no error condition exists. Error - lit when a fault condition occurs.

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

5.3 Settings Panel

When the 'Settings' button on th e GUI pan el is clicked, the 'Settings' window is displayed. This panel allows motor operation parameters such as move/jog velocities, and stage/axis information to be modified. Note that all of th ese parameters have programmable equivalents accessible through the ActiveX methods an d properties

on this Control (refer to the Programming Guide in the APTServer helpfile for further

details and to Section 2.2.4. for an overview of the APT ActiveX controls).

5.3.1 Moves/Jogs tab

Fig. 5.2 Stepper Motor Controller - Move/Jog Settings

Moves

Moves can be initiated via the GUI panel by entering a position value after clicking on the position display box (see Section 4.4.) or by calling a software function (see the APTServer helpfile). The following settings determine the velocity profile of such moves, and are specified in real world units, millimetres or degrees.

Velocity Profile (specified in real world units, millimetres or degrees). MinVel - In current versions of software the ‘Min Vel’ parameter is locked at zero and

cannot be adjusted.

MaxVel - the maximum velocity at which to perform a move. Accn/Dec - the rate at which the velocity climbs from zero to maximum, and slows

from maximum to zero.

Note

Under certain velocity parameter and move distan ce conditions, the

maximum velocity may never be reached (i.e. the move comprises an

acceleration and deceleration p hase only).

Chapter 5

Jogs

Jogs are initiated by using the ‘Jog’ keys on the GUI panel (see Section 4.6.), or via a jog handset connected to the unput logic pins exposed on the rear panel Control IO connector (see Appendix A ).

Velocity Profile (specified in real world units, millimetres or degrees) MaxVel - the maximum velocity at which to perform a jog Accn/Dec - the ra te at which the ve locity climbs from minimum to maximum, and

slows from maximum to minimum.

Note. The ‘Minimum Velocity’ is locked at zero and cannot be adjusted.

Operating Modes Jogging - The way in which the motor moves when a jog command is received (i.e.

handset button pressed or GUI panel button clicked).

There are two jogging modes available, ‘Single Step’ and ‘Continuous’. In ‘Single Step’ mode, the motor moves by the ste p size specifie d in the Ste p Distance parameter. If the jog key is held down, single step jogging is repeated until the button is released - see Fig. 5.3. In ‘Continuous’ mode, the motor actuator will accelerate and move at the jog velocity while the button is held down..

Single Step - the motor moves by the step size specified in the Step Distance parameter. Continuous - the motor continues to move until the jog signal is removed (i.e. jog

button is released).

Stopping - the way in which the jog motion stops when the demand is removed. Immediate - the motor stops quickly, in a non-profiled manner Profiled - th e motor stops in a profile d manner using the jog Velocity Profile

parameters set above.

38 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Fig. 5.3 Jog Modes

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

velocity

maximum velocity (v)

time

acceleration (slope) a

Step Distance - The distance to move when a jog command is initiated. The step size

is specified in real world units (mm or degrees dependent upon the stage).

Backlash Correction - The system compensates for lead screw backlash during reverse

direction moves, by moving passed the demanded position by a specified amount, and then reversing. T his ensures that positions are always approached in a forward direction. The Backlash Correction Distance is specified in real world units (millimeters or degrees). To remove backlash correction, this value should be set to zero.

Position Profiling

To prevent the motor from stalling, it must be ramped up gradually to its maximum velocity. Certain limits to velocity and acceleration result from the torque and speed limits of the motor, and the inertia and friction of the parts it drives.

The system inco rporates a traje ctory generator, which performs calculations to determine the instantaneous position, velocity and acceleration of each axis at any given moment. During a motion profile, these values will change continuously. Once the move is complete, these parameters will then remain unchanged until the next move begins.

Bow Index – This field is used to set the profile mode to either Trapezoidal or S-curve. A Bow Index of ‘0’ selects a trapezoidal profile. An index value of ‘1’ to ‘18’ selects an S-curve profile. In either case, the velocity and acceleration of the profile are specified using the Velocity Profile parameters on the Moves/Jogs tab.

The Trapezoidal profile is a sta ndard, symmetrical acceleration/deceleration motion curve, in which the start velocity is always zero. This profile is selected when the Bow Index field is set to ‘0’.

In a typical trapezoidal velocity profile, (see Fig. 5.4.), the stage is ramped at

acceleration ‘a’ to a maximum velocity ‘v’. As the destination is approached, the stage is decelerated at ‘a’ so that the fin al position is approached slowly in a controlled manner.

Fig. 5.4 Graph of a trapezoidal velocity profile

Chapter 5

BI BI

-BI -BI

Velocity

12 3 4 56 7

A - acceleration D - deceleration V - velocity BI - bow index

The S-curve profile is a trapezoidal curve with an additional 'Bow Index' parameter,

which limits the rate of change of acceleration and smooths out the contours of the

motion profile. The Bow Value is applied in mm/s

and is derived from the Bow Index

field as follows:

Bow Value = 2

(Bow Index -1)

within the range 1 to 262144 (Bow Index 1 to 18).

In this profile mode, the acceleration increases gradually from 0 to the specified acceleration value, then decreases at the same rate until it reaches 0 again at the specified velocity. The same sequence in reverse brings the axis to a stop at the programmed destination position.

Example

Fig. 5.5 Typical S-Curve Profile

The figure above shows a typical S-curve profile. In segment (1), the S-curve profile drives the axis at the specified Bow Index (BI) until the maximum acceleration (A) is reached. The axis continues to accelerate linearly (Bow Index = 0) through segment (2). The profile then applies the negative value of Bow Index to red uce the acceleration to 0 during segment (3). The axis is now at the maximum velocity (V), at which it continues through segment (4). Th e profile then decelerates in a similar manner to the acceleration phase, using the Bow Index to reach the maximum deceleration (D) and then bring the axis to a stop at the destination.

Note

The higher the Bow Index, then the shorter the BI phases of the curve, and the steeper the acceleration and deceleration phases. High values of Bow

Index may cause a move to overshoot.

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Persist Settings to Hardware - Many of the parameters that can be set for the BSC20x

series drivers can be stored (persisted) within the unit itself, such that when the unit is next powered up th ese settings are applied automatically. This is particularly important when the driver is being used manually via a joystick, in the absence of a

PC and USB l ink. The Move and Jog parameters described previously are good

examples of settings that can be altered and then persisted in the driver for later use.

To save the settings to hardware, check the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ checkbox before clicking the ‘OK button.

5.3.2 Stage/Axis tab

Fig. 5.6 Stepper Motor Controller - Stage/Axis Settings

Note

This tab contains a number of parameters which are related to the physical

characteristics of the particular stage being driven. They need to be set

accordingly such that a particular stage is driven properly by the system.

For Thorlabs stages, the APT Config utility can be used to associate a

specific stage and axis type with the motor channel (refer to the APT Config

helpfile for further details on how to associate a stage and axis). Once this association has been made, the APT server will automatically apply suitable defaults for the parameters on this tab during boot up of the software. These

parameters should not be altered for pre-defined Thorlabs stages selected

using APT Config, as it may adversely affect the performance of the stage.

For custom stage types not available using the APT Config utility, the stage

details must be entered manually. Individual parameters are described in the

following paragraphs.

Chapter 5

Stage and Axis Type - For Thorlabs stages, the stage type is displayed automatically

once the axis has been associated using the APTConfig utility. For third party stages,

the display shows ‘Unknown’.

Caution

Extreme care must be taken when modifying the stage related settings

that follow. Some settings are self consistent with respect to each other,

and illegal combination s of s etti ngs can result in incorrect operation of the physical motor/stage combination being driven. Consult Thorlabs for advice on settings for stage/actuator types that are not selectable via the

APTConfig utility.

Min Pos - the stage/actuator minimum position (typically zero). Max Pos - the stage/actuator maximum position. Pitch - the pitch of the motor lead screw (i.e. the distance (in millimetres or degrees)

travelled per revolution of the leadscrew).

Units - the ‘real world’ positioning units (mm or degrees).

Homing

When homing, a stage typically moves in the reverse direction, (i.e. towards the reverse limit switch). The following settings allow support for stages with both Forward and Reverse limits.

Note

Typically, the following two parameters are set the same, i.e. both

Forward or both Reverse.

Direction - the direction sense to move when homing, either Forward or Reverse. Limit Switch - The hardware limit switch associ ated with the home position, either

Forward HW or Reverse HW. Zero Offset - the distance offset (in mm or degrees) from the limit switch to the Home

position.

Velocity - the maximum velocity at which the motors move when Homing.

For further information on the home position, see Section F.2.2.

Hardware Limit Switches

The minimum velocity and acceleration/deceleration parameters for a

home move are taken from the existing move velocity profile parameters.

The operation of the limit switches is inherent in the design of the associated stage or actuator. The following parameters notify the system to the action of the switches

42 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Note

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

when contact is made. Select Rev Switch or Fwd Switch as required, then select the relevant operation.

Switch Makes - The switch closes on contact Switch Breaks - The switch opens on contact Ignore/Absent - The switch is missing, or should be ignored.

Motor

These parameters are used to set the 'resolution' characteristics of the stepper motor connected to the selected channel. The resolution of the motor, combined with other characteristics (such as lead screw pitch) of the associa ted actuator or stag e, determines the overall resolution.

Steps Per Rev - T he number of full steps per re volution of the stepp er motor

(minimum '1', maximum '10000').

Note

The Gearbox Ratio parameter is applicable only to motors fitted with a

gearbox.

Gearbox Ratio - The ratio of the gearbox. For example, if the gearbox has a reduction

ratio of X:1 (i.e. every 1 turn at the output of the gearbox requires X turns of the motor shaft) then the Gearbox Ratio value is set to X. (minimum '1', maximum '1000').

Note

The ‘Steps Per Rev’ and ‘Gearbox Ratio’ parameters, together with the

‘Pitch’ and ‘Units’ parameters are used to calculate the calibration factor

for use when converting real world units to microsteps. However, the

‘Steps Per Rev’ parameter is entered as full steps, not microsteps. The

system automatically applies a factor of 128 microsteps per full step.

The stepper motors used on the majority of Thorlabs stages/actuators

have 200 full steps per rev and no gearbox fitted. For these motors the

Steps Per Rev and Gearbox Ratio parameters have values of 200 and 1

respectively.

The correct default values for Steps Per Rev and Gearbox Ratio are applied automatically when the APTConfig.exe utility is used to associate a specific stage or actuato r type with a motor channel. See the APTC onfig

helpfile and the tutorial Section 3.6. for more details.

Chapter 5

Persist Settings to Hardware - Many of the parameters that can be set for the BSC20x

series drivers can be stored (persisted) within the unit itself, such that when the unit is next powered up these settings are applied automatically. This is particularly important when the driver is being used manually via a joystick, in the absence of a PC and USB link. The

Min Pos, Max Pos, and Velocity parameters described previously are good examples of

settings that can be altered and then persisted in the driver for later use.

To save the settings to hardware, check the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ checkbox before clicking the ‘OK button.

5.3.3 Advanced Tab

Fig. 5.7 Stepper Motor Controller - Advanced Settings

Triggering

The move parameters for triggered moves can only be set via software method

calls in APTServer. Triggered moves cannot be set up via the GUI panel.

See Section A.1. for details on voltage levels.

It is possible to configure a particular controller to respond to trigger inputs, generate trigger outputs or both respond to and generate a trigger output. When a trigger input is received, the unit can be set to initiate a move (relative, absolute or home). Similarly the unit can be set to generate a trigger output signal when instructed to move via a software (USB) command. For those units configured for b oth input and output triggering, a move can be initiated via a trigger input while at the same time, a trigger output can be generated to initiate a move on another unit.

44 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Note

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

The trigger settings can be used to configure multiple units in a master - slave set up, thereby allowing multiple channels of motion to be synchronized. Multiple moves can then be initiated via a single software or hardware trigger command.

Mode The Mode parameter sets the trigger mode for the associated channel.

Disabled - triggering operation is disabled Trig In - a move (specified using the Move Type parameter below) is initiated on the

specified channel when a trigger input signal (i.e. rising edge) is received on the Trig In pin of the rear panel CONTROL IO D-type connector - see Section A.1. for pin out details.

Trig In/Out - As for Trig In, but now a trigger output signal will also be generated on

the Trig Output pin when the move begins - see Section A.1. for pin out details.

Trig Out - A trigg er output signal is generated on the Trig Out pin when a move

(relative, absolute or home) is initiated via software (either through the GUI panel or ActiveX method call).

Move Type

The Move Type parameter determines the type of move to be initiated on the

associated channel when a trigger input signal is detected on the Trig In or Trig Out connector.

Relative - trig gered relative mo ve. Relative move distance and ve locity profile

parameters can be set prior to trigge ring using the SetRelMoveDist and SetVelParams methods respectively.

Absolute - triggered absolute move. Absolute move position and velo city profile

parameters can be set prior to triggering using the SetAbsMovePos and SetVelParams methods respectively.

Home - triggered home sequence. Homing parameters can be set prior to triggering

using the SetHomeParams method.

Chapter 5

move command

Motor 1 move

motor 2 move

motor unit B

motor unit A

Triggering Parameter setup

Motor Unit A (Master)

Trigger Mode - Trig Out Move Type - Relative

Motor Unit B (Slave)

Trigger Mode - Trig In Move Type - Relative

Initiate move on Motor Unit A via software or GUI,

CONTROL IO Pin 12 (Trigger Out)

CONTROL IO Pin 4 (Trigger In)

CONTROL IO MOTOR DRIVE

For example, consider the following diagram:

Fig. 5.8 Typical Triggering Set Up

When the move command is received via the USB link, the motor associated with unit A starts to move by the specified relative distance. Unit A also sends a trigger signal to Unit B. Unit B has been set to 'Trig In', so on receipt of the trigger from unit A, the associated motor also starts to move.

Persist Settings to Hardware - The Triggering parameters described earlier can be

stored (persisted) within the unit itself, such that when the unit is next powered up these settings are applied automatically. This is particularly important when the driver is being used manually via a joystick, in the absence of a PC and USB link.

To save the settings to hardware, check the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ checkbox before clicking the ‘OK button.

46 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

5.3.4 Joystick Tab

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Fig. 5.9 Joystick Settings

If the optional Thorlabs joystick console is be ing used (MJC001) the follo wing parameters are used to set the velocity and acceleration limits and the direction sense of any moves initiated from the joystick.- see Section 4.9. for more details on joystick use.

Low Gear Max Vel – The max velocity of a move when low gear mode is selected. High Gear Max Vel – The max velocity of a move when high gear mode is selected. Low Gear Accn – The acceleration of a move when low gear mode is selected. High Gear Accn – The acceleration of a move when high gear mode is selected. Direction Sense – The actual direction sense of any joystick initiated moves is

dependent upon the application. This parameter can be used to reverse the sense of direction for a particular application and is useful when matching joystick direction sense to actual stage direction sense.

Note

Joystick controlled moves always use a trapezoidal velocity profile.

Persist Settings to Hardware - The Joystick Parameters described above can be

To save the settings to hardware, check the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ checkbox before clicking the ‘OK button.

Appendix A Rear Panel Connector Pinout Details

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9101112131415

A.1 Rear Panel CONTROL IO Connector

The ‘CONTROL I/O’ is a 15-Pin D-Type, Female connector that exposes a number of electrical signals useful for external control. It is possible to configure a particular controller to respond to trigger inputs, generate trigger outputs or both respond to and generate a trigger output - see Section 5.3.3. Motor jogging lines can be used to jog the motor in bo th forward and reve rse directions from a remote han dset (Jogging parameters (e.g. jog distance) are set via the GUI panel - see Section 5.3.1.).

The pin functions are detailed in Fig. A.1.

Pin Description Return Pin Description Return

1 User 5V I/O 9 9 User 0V – 2 * Jog forwards 9 10 * Jog backwards 9 3 Not Used 9 11 ** Analog In 9 4

Tigger In

†

– 12 Trigger Out 9

5 User 0V – 13 Not Used – 6 RS232 TX – 14 RS232 RX 6 7

Digital (User) In

†

– 15 Digital (User) Out 9

8Keyed Pin –

Notes

* Jog inputs must be short circuit to User 0V (pin 9) in order to function. ** Analog In is 0 to 5V wrt 0V (pin 9). The input can be read by calling the

LLGetADCInputs method in the APT so ftware - see the APTSe rver h elpfile for more details.

† The OFF voltage range is 0 to 0.4V, the ON voltage range is 4.5 to 5V. Voltage greater than 5.5V will damage the input.

Fig. A.1 MOTOR I/O connector pin identification

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Output

330R

gnd

+5V

Optocoupler

A.1.1 Digital/User Outputs All digital outputs are of the open-collector type, with a 330 Ohm series resistor. When the output is set to a logic zero (which is also the d efault state), it behaves as open circuit. When it is a logic one, it behaves as a 330 Ohm resistor connected to ground.

Fig. A.2 Digital Output Schematic

In some applications, the outputs may be required to control external equipment that has optocoupler type inputs (such as PL Cs). The digital outputs used h ere can be used to directly drive most optocouplers and the +5V supply available on pins 14 and 15 can be used to provide power for the optocouplers.

Fig. A.3 Application Example: Connection to Optocoupler Inputs

These outputs can also b e used to i nterface to external logic circuitry (a pu ll-up resistor may be needed if the external logic does not contain it) or control other types of inputs.

The voltage that external equipment applies to the digital outputs must be

within the range 0 V and +5 V DC, or damage to the outputs may occur.

Please see the LLSetGetDigOPs method in the APTServer helpfile for details on how to control these logic IO.

Caution

Appendix A

10K

gnd

Gnd

Trigger Out

A.1.2 Digital/User Inputs The digital inputs used in the controller are of the standard CMOS logic gate type with TTL compatible input levels and a built-in pull-up resistor (10 kOhm to +5V). They can be connected directly to mechanical switches, open-collector type outputs or most type of logic outputs.

Fig. A.4 Digital Input Schematic (protection circuitry not shown)

When connected to a switch, the inputs will read as logic LOW if the switch is open circuit and HIGH if the switch is closed. When connected to a logic output, or any other voltage source, the input is guaranteed to read LOW if the voltage is above 2.4V and HIGH when the output is below 0.8 V. Please see the LLGetStatusBits method in the APTServer helpfile for details on how to control these logic IO.

Caution

The voltage applied to the digital inputs must be within the range

0 V to 5.5 V DC, or damage to the inputs may occur.

A.1.3 Trigger Output The trigger output is different from the rest of the digital outputs in that it is a 5V CMOS logic gate with a series 1 kOhm resistor for protection. It behaves as +5V voltage source with 1 kOhm in series when the outputs is a logic HIGH, and 1 kOhm to ground when it is a logic LOW. The 1 kOhm resistor limits the current to 5 mA maximum for any load as long as the o utput is not connected to voltages outside the 0 V to +5 V range.

Fig. A.5 Trigger Output Schematic

50 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

10K

gnd

10K

User 0V (Pin 9)

Jog IN (Pin 2)

As this output is actively driven, it can be connected, for example, to an oscilloscope without a need for an external pull-up resistor. It can also be used to d rive most optocouplers.

A.1.4 Trigger Input The Trigger inputs are ekectrically identical to the digital inputs (i.e. a standard CMOS logic gate type with TTL compatible input levels and a built-in pull-up resistor, 10 kOhm to + 5V). They can be connected directly to mechanical switches, opencollector type outputs or most type of logic outputs.

Fig. A.6 Trigger Input Schematic (protection circuitry not shown)

Caution

The voltage applied to the trigger inputs must be within the range

0 V to 5.5 V DC, or damage to the outputs may occur.

A.1.5 Jog Inputs The jog inputs used in the controller are of the standard CMOS logic gate type with TTL compatible input levels and a built-in pull-up resistor (10 kOhm to +5V). They can be connected directly to mech anical switches, open-collector type outputs or most type of logic outputs.

Fig. A.7 Jog Input Schematic (protection circuitry not shown)

Appendix A

A.1.6 +5 Volt Supply A +5 V, 250 mA supply is provided for interfacing to external circuits that require a power source.

Caution

Do not exceed the 250 mA maximum output current. For applications

requiring higher currents an external power supply must be used.

A.2 Rear Panel HANDSET Connector

Provides connection to the MJC001 joystick. The pin functions are detailed in in Fig. A.8

Pin Description

1 RX (controller input)

2 Ground

3 Ground

4 +5V , 100 mA Supply for Joystick

5 TX (controller output)

6 Ground

Fig. A.8 HANDSET Connector Pin Identification

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

12345678

9101112131415

A.3 Rear Panel MOTOR DRIVE Connectors

The ‘MOTOR DRIVE ’ is a 15-Pin D-Type, Female connector that provides connection to the motors. The pin functions are detailed in Fig. A.9. In each case the signal must be referenced to the indicated return pin in order to be true.

Pin Description Return Pin Description Return

1 Encoder A +ve 9 CW Limit Stwitch 2 Encoder A -ve 10 CCW Limit Switch 3 Encoder B +ve 11 0V User 4 Encoder B -ve – 12 For Future Use 5 5V User – 13 For Future Use 6 For Future Use – 14 Motor Phase B + 7 Motor Phase B - – 15 Motor Phase A + 8 Motor Phase A - –

Fig. A.9 DRIVE CHANNEL Connector Pin Identification

A.4 Rear Panel INTERCONNECT Connector

A.4.1 Pin Identification The INTERCONNECT terminal is a male, 9 pin D-Type. It is intended for future use with RS232 communications but is not implemented at present. Serial communications must be achieved via a virtual Comms port - see Appendix B

Appendix B Using a Virtual Comm Port

When using the low level communications protocol messages to develop client applications outside of the APT software, communication with the device is facilitated by using a virtual comms port as follows:

1) Open the device manager by selecting Start/Control Panel/Device Manager/

2) Click ‘USB Ser ial Bus Controllers’ and select the APT USB Device to be configured, then right click and select ‘Properties’.

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

3) The ‘USB Device Properties’ window is displayed.

4) Select the ‘Advanced’ tab, and check the ‘Load VCP’ box.

5) Click OK, then power cycle the device being configured.

Appendix B

6) In the device manager, click ‘Ports (COM & LPT)’, and note the ‘APT USB Device Serial Port’ COM port number (e.g. COM3).

This COM port can then be used by the client application to communicate with the device using the low level protocol messages.

56 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Appendix C Preventive Maintenance

Shock Warning

The equipment contains no user servicable parts. There is a risk of severe

electrical shock if the equipment is operated with the covers removed.

Only personnel authorized by Thorlabs Ltd and trained in the

maintenance of this equipment should remove its covers or attempt any

repairs or adjustments. Maintenance is limited to safety testing and

cleaning as described in the following sections.

C.1 Safety Testing

PAT testing in accordance with local regulations, should be performed on a regular basis, (typically annually for an instrument in daily use).

Caution

The instrument contains a power supply filter. Insulation testing of the

power supply connector should be performed using a DC voltage.

C.2 Cleaning

Do not use any type of abrasive pad, scouring powder or solvent, e.g.

Warning

Disconnect the power supply before cleaning the unit.

Never allow water to get inside the case.

Do not saturate the unit.

alcohol or benzene.

Appendix D Specifications and Associated Parts

D.1 Specifications

Parameter Value

Input/Output

Motor Drive (15-Pin D-type Female)

Control IO (15-Pin D-type Female)

Resolution 2048 Microsteps per Full Step

Motor Power Up to 48 V/50 W (peak) Input Power Requirements

Voltage 85-264 VAC Power 200 W Fuse 3.15 A

Motor speeds Up to 3000 RPM (for 200 full step motor) Encoder feedback bandwidth 500,000 counts/sec General

2-Phase Bipolar Motor Drive Output

Differential Quadrature Encoder Interface

Forward, Reverse Limit Switch Inputs

Jog Forward

Jog Back

User Outputs/Inputs

Single - ended analog input (0-10 Volt)

Trigger In/Out

200 Step Motor - 409600 Microsteps per Rev

Housing Dimensions (W x D x H) 240 x 360 x 133 mm (9.5 x 14.2 x 5.2 in.) Instrument Weight 6.7 kg (14.75 lbs)

Compatible Motors

Peak Powers 15 to 50 W Average Power 25 W Maximum Step Angle Range 20° to 1.8° Coil Resistance (nominal) 4 to 15 Ω Coil Inductance (nominal) 4 to 15 mH Rated Phase Currents (nominal) 100 mA to 1 A

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

D.2 Associated Products

Product Name Part Number

Stepper Motor Actuator, 4mm travel DRV001 Stepper Motor Actuator, 25mm (1”) travel, trapezoidal leadscrew DRV013 Stepper Motor Actuator, 50mm (2”) travel, trapezoidal leadscrew DRV014 Stepper Motor Drive Cable (1.25 Metres) PAA 610 Stepper Motor Drive Cable (3.0 Metres) PAA 611

Appendix E Motor Control Method Summary

The 'Motor' ActiveX Control provides the functionality required for a client application to control one or more of the APT series of motor controller units.

To specify the particular controller being addressed, every unit is factory programmed with a unique 8-digit serial number. This serial number is key to the operation of the APT Server software and is used by t he Server to e numerate and communicate independently with multiple hardware units connected on the same USB bus. Th e serial number must be specified using the HWSerialNum property before an ActiveX control instance can communicate with the hardware unit. This can be done at design time or at run time. Note that the appearance of the ActiveX Control GUI (graphical user interface) will change to the required format when the serial number has been entered.

The Methods and Properties of the Motor ActiveX Control can be used to perform activities such as homing stages, absolute and relative moves, and changing velocity profile settings. A brief summary of ech method and property is given below, for more detailed information and individual parameter descriptiond please see the on-line help file supplied with the APT server.

Methods

CalibrateEnc Calibrates encoder equipped stage.

DeleteParamSet Deletes stored settings for specific controller.

DisableHWChannel Disables the drive output.

DoEvents Allows client application to process other activity.

EnableHWChannel Enables the drive output.

GetAbsMovePos Gets the absolute move position.

GetAbsMovePos_AbsPos Gets the absolute move position (returned by value).

GetBLashDist Gets the backlash distance.

GetBLashDist_BLashDist Gets the backlash distance (returned by value).

GetCtrlStarted Gets the ActiveX Control started flag.

GetDispMode Gets the GUI display mode.

GetEncCalibTableParams Gets the en coder calibration table parameters for

encoder equipped stages.

GetEncPosControlParams Gets the en coder position control pa rameters for

encoder equipped stages.

GetEncPosCorrectParams Gets the encoder position correction parameters for

GetHomeParams Gets the homing sequence parameters.

encoder equipped stages.

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

GetHomeParams_HomeVel Gets the homing velocity parame ter (returned by

value).

GetHomeParams_ZeroOffset Gets the homing zero offset parameter (returned by

value).

GetHWCommsOK Gets the hardware communications OK flag.

GetHWLimSwitches Gets the limit switch configuration settings.

GetJogMode Gets the jogging button operating modes.

GetJogMode_Mode Get the jogging button operating mode (returned by

value).

GetJogMode_StopMode Gets the jogging button stopping mode (returned by

value).

GetJogStepSize Gets the jogging step size.

GetJogStepSize_StepSize Gets the jogging step size (returned by value).

GetJogVelParams Gets the jogging velocity profile parameters.

GetJogVelParams_Accn Gets the jogging acceleration parameter (returned

by value).

GetJogVelParams_MaxVel Gets the j ogging maximum velocity parameter

(returned by value).

GetMotorParams Gets the motor gearing parameters.

GetParentHWInfo Gets the identification information of the host

controller.

GetPosition Gets the current motor position.

GetPosition_Position Gets the current motor position (returned by value).

GetPositionEx Gets the current motor position.

GetPositionEx_UncalibPosition Gets the current uncalibrated motor position

(returned by value).

GetPositionOffset Gets the motor position offset.

GetRelMoveDist Gets the relative move distance.

GetRelMoveDist_RelDist Gets the relative move distance (returned by

reference).

GetStageAxis Gets the stage type information associated with the

motor under control.

GetStageAxisInfo Gets the stage axis parameters.

GetStageAxisInfo_MaxPos Gets the stage maximum position (returned by

GetStageAxisInfo_MinPos Gets the stage minimum position (returned by

GetStatusBits_Bits Gets the contro ller status bits encoded in 32 bit

value).

integer (returned by value).

Appendix E

GetTriggerParams Gets the move triggering parameters.

GetVelParamLimits Gets the maximum velocity profile parameter limits.

GetVelParams Gets the velocity profile parameters.

GetVelParams_Accn Gets the move acceleration (returned by value).

GetVelParams_MaxVel Gets the mo ve maximum velocity (returned by

value).

Identify Identifies the controller by flashing unit LEDs.

LLGetDigIPs Gets digital input states encoded in 32 bit integer.

LLGetStatusBits Gets the controller status bi ts encoded in 32 bit

integer.

LLSetGetDigOPs Sets or Gets the user digital output bits encoded in

32 bit integer.

LoadParamSet Loads stored settings for specific controller.

MoveAbsolute Initiates an absolute move.

MoveAbsoluteEnc Initiates an absolute m ove with specified positions

for encoder equipped stages.

MoveAbsoluteEx Initiates an absoloute move with specified positions.

MoveAbsoluteRot Initiates an absolute m ove with specified positions

for rotary stages.

MoveHome Initiates a homing sequence.

MoveJog Initiates a jog move.

MoveRelative Initiates a relative move.

MoveRelativeEnc Initiates a relative move with specified distances for

encoder equipped stages.

MoveRelativeEx Initiates a relative move with specified distances.

MoveVelocity Initiates a move at constant velocity with no end

point.

SaveParamSet Saves settings for a specific controller.

SetAbsMovePos Sets the absolute move position.

SetBLashDist Sets the backlash distance.

SetChannelSwitch Sets the GUI channel switch position.

SetDispMode Sets the GUI display mode.

SetEncCalibTableParams Sets the encoder calibration table parameters for

SetEncPosControlParams Sets the encoder position control parameters fo r

SetEncPosCorrectParams Sets the encoder position correction parameters for

62 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

encoder equipped stages.

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

SetHomeParams Sets the homing sequence parameters.

SetHWLimSwitches Sets the limit switch configuration settings.

SetJogMode Sets the jogging button operating modes.

SetJogStepSize Sets the jogging step size.

SetJogVelParams Sets the jogging velocity profile parameters.

SetMotorParams Sets the motor gearing parameters.

SetPositionOffset Sets the motor position offset.

SetPotParams Sets the velocity control potentiometer parameters

(Cube drivers).

SetRelMoveDist Sets the relative move distance.

SetStageAxisInfo Sets the stage axis parameters.

SetTriggerParams Sets the move triggering parameters.

SetVelParams Sets the velocity profile parameters.

ShowSettingsDlg Display the GUI Settings panel.

StartCtrl Starts the ActiveX Control (start s communication

with controller)

StopCtrl Stops the ActiveX Control (stops co mmunication

with controller)

StopImmediate Stops a motor move immediately.

StopProfiled Stops a mo tor move in a p rofiled (decelleration)

manner.

Properties

APTHelp Specifies the help file that will be accessed when the

user presses the F1 key. If APTHelp is set to 'True', the main server helpfile MG17Base will be launched.

DisplayMode Allows the display mode of the virtual display panel

to be set/read.

HWSerialNum specifies the serial number of the hardware unit to

be associated with an ActiveX control instance.

Appendix F Stepper Motor Operation - Background

F.1 How A Stepper Motor Works

F.1.1 General Principle Thorlabs’ actuators use a stepper motor to drive a precision lead screw.

Stepper motors ope rate using the principle of magnetic attraction and repulsion to convert digital pulses into mechanical shaft rotation. The amount of rotation achieved is directly proportional to the number of input pulses generated and the spe ed is proportional to the frequency of these pulses. A basic stepper motor has a permanent magnet and/or an iron rotor, together with a stator. The torque required to rotate the stepper motor is generated by switching (commutating) the current in the stator coils as illustrated in Fig. F.1.

Fig. F.1 Simplified concept of stepper motor operation

Although only 4 stator poles are shown above, in reality there are numerous tooth-like poles on both the rotor and stator. The result is that positional increments (steps) of

1.8 degrees can be achieved by switching the coils (i.e. 200 steps per revolution). If the current through one coil is increased as it is decreased in another, the new rotor position is somewhere between the two coils and the step size is a defined fraction of a full step (microstep).

The size of the microstep depends on the resolution of the driver electronics. When used with the T horlabs BSC203 Stepper Motor Controller, the small est angular adjustment is 0.000879 degrees (i.e. 1.8/0.000879 = 2048 microsteps per full step), resulting in a resolution of 409,600 microsteps per revolution for a 200 full step motor.

In practise, the mechanical resolution achieved by the system may be coarser than a single microstep, primarily because there may be a small difference between the orientation of the magnetic field generated by the stator and the orientation in which the rotor comes to rest.

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

velocity

maximum velocity (v)

time

acceleration (slope) a

F.1.2 Positive and Negative Moves

Positive and negative are used to describe the direction of a move. A positive move

means a move from a smaller absolute position to a larger one, a negative move means the opposite.

In the case of a linear actuator, a positive move takes the platform of the stage further away from the motor.

In a rotational stage, a positive move turns the platform clockwise when viewed from above.

F.1.3 Velocity Profiles To prevent the motor from stalling, it must be ramped up gradually to its maximum velocity. Certain limits to velocity and acceleration result from the torque and speed limits of the motor, and the inertia and friction of the parts it drives.

The specific move profile created by the system depends on several factors, such as the profile mode and profile parameters presently selected, and other conditions such as whether a motion stop has been requested. The profile mode can be set to ‘Trapezoidal’ or ‘Bow Index’ as described in Section 5.3.1.

In a typical trapezoidal velocity profile, (see Fig. 5.4.), the stage is ramped at

acceleration ‘a’ to a maximum velocity ‘v’. As the destination is approached, the stage is decelerated at ‘a’ so that the fin al position is approached slowly in a controlled manner.

Fig. 6.2 Graph of a trapezoidal velocity profile

Appendix F

BI BI

-BI -BI

Velocity

12 3 4 56 7

A - acceleration D - deceleration V - velocity BI - bow index

The S-curve profile is a trapezoidal curve with an additional 'Bow Value' parameter,

which limits the rate of change of acceleration and smooths out the contours of the

motion profile. The Bow Value is applied in mm/s

and is derived from the Bow Index

field as follows:

Bow Value = 2

(Bow Index -1)

within the range 1 to 262144 (Bow Index 1 to 18).

Example

Fig. 6.3 Typical S-Curve Profile

Note

The higher the Bow Index, then the shorter the BI phases of the curve, and the steeper the acceleration and deceleration phases. High values of Bow

Index may cause a move to overshoot.

F.2 Positioning a Stage

F.2.1 General Whenever a command is received to move a stage, the movement is sp ecified in motion units, (e.g. mil limetres). This motion unit valu e is conve rted to microstep s before it is sent to the stage. If operating the unit by the front panel (local mode) this

66 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Rotary stageL i ne ar sta ge

Da tu m s w i t c h

-ve limit switch

+ve limit switch (or stop)

conversion is performed in ternally by the controller. If op erating via a PC (re mote mode) then the conversion is performed by the APT software.

Each motor in the system has an associated electronic counter in the controller, which keeps a record of the net number of microsteps moved. If a re quest is received to report the position, the value of this counter is converted back into motion units.

F.2.2 Home position When the system is powered up, the position counters in the controller are all set to zero and consequently, the system has no way of knowing the position of the stage in relation to any physical datum.

A datum can be established by sending all the motors to their ‘Home’ positions. The ‘Home’ position is set during manufacture and is determined by driving the motor until the negative limit switch is reached and then driving positively a fixed distance (zero offset). When at th e Home p osition, the counters are reset to zero there by establishing a fixed datum that can be found even after the system has been switched off.

See Section 4.3. for details on performing a Home move.

F.2.3 Limit Switches A linear stage moves b etween two stops, and movement outside these limits is physically impossible. Linear stages can include stages that control the ang le of a platform within a certain ra nge, although the movement of the platform is not really linear but angular. Rotary stages can rotate indefinitely, like a wheel.

Linear and rotary sta ges both contain microswitches that detect certain positions of the stage, but they differ in the way these switches are used.

All linear stages have a –ve limit switch, to prevent the stage from accidentally being moved too far in the –ve direction. Once this switch is activated, movement stops. The switch also provides a physical datum used to find the Home position. Some linear stages and actuators also have a +ve limit switch, whereas others rely on a physical stop to halt the motion in the positive direction. A rotary stage has only one switch, used to provide a datum so that the Home position can be found. Movement is allowed right through the switch position in either direction.

Fig. F.4 Stage limit switches

Appendix F

Tr av e l

Min. position (zero)

(home)

Max. p osition

Offse t

-ve limit switch

SW positive limitSW negative limit

F.2.4 Minimum and Maximum Positions These positions are dependent upon the stage or actuator to which the motors are fitted, and are defined as the minimum and maximum useful positions of the stage relative to the ‘Home’ position - see Fig. F.5.

The distance from the Minimum position to the Maximum position is the ‘useful travel’ of the stage. It is often the case that the Minimum position is zero. The Home and Minimum positions then coincide, with movement always occurring on the positive side of the Home position.

Rotary stages have effectively no limit s of travel. The Minimum and Maximum positions are conventionally set to 0 and 360 degrees respectively. When the position of a rotary stage is requested, the answer will be reported as a number between 0 and 360 degrees, measured in the positive direction from the Home position.

Fig. F.5 Minimum and Maximum Positions

F.2.5 Power Saving The current needed to hold a motor in a fixed position is much smaller than the current needed to move it, and it is advantageous to reduce the current through a stationary motor in order to reduce heating. Although this heating does not harm th e motor or stage, it is often un desirable because it can cause thermal movements through expansion of the metal of the stage.

For this reason, power saving is implemented by default from the software drivers.

When a motor is moving, the ‘Move Power’ is applied. When a motor is stationary, the ‘Rest Power’ i s applied. See ‘Phase Powers’ in Section 5.3.3. for more de tails on these power settings.

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Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

negative move

positive mo ve

10mm 20mm

posi tio n

F.3 Error Correction

F.3.1 Backlash correction

The term backlash refers to the tendency of the stage to reach a different position

depending on the direction of approach.

Backlash can be overcome by always making the last portion of a move in the same direction, conventionally the positive direction. Consider the situation in Fig. 6.6, a

positive move, from 10 to 20 mm, is carried out as one simpl e move, whereas a negative move, from 20 to 10 mm, first causes the stage to oversho ot the target

position and then move positively through a small amount.

Fig. 6.6 Backlash correction

The controller has this type of ‘backlash correction’ enabled as its defau lt mode of operation, but it can be overridden if the overshoot part of the move is unacceptable for a particular application.

See Chapter 5 (PC Operation) for details on setting the backlash correction.

Appendix G Regulatory

G.1 Declarations Of Conformity

G.1.1 For Customers in Europe This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the EC Directives 2004/108/EC ‘EMC Directive’ and 2006/95/EC ‘Low Voltage Directive’.

Compliance was demonstrated by conformance to the following specifications which have been listed in the Official Journal of the European Communities:

Safety EN61010-1: 2010 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and laboratory use.

EMC EN61326-1: 2006 Electrical equ ipment for measurement, control and laboratory use - EMC requirements.

G.1.2 For Customers In The USA This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the li mits for a Class A digital device, persuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the company could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

G.2

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

G.2.1 Compliance As required by the Waste El ectrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive of the European Community and the corresponding national laws, we offer all end users in the EC the possibility to return "end of life" units without incurring disposal charges.

This offer is valid for electrical and electronic equipment

• sold after August 13th 2005

• marked correspondingly with the crossed out "wheelie bin" logo (see Fig. 1)

• sold to a company or institute within the EC

• currently owned by a company or institute within the EC

• still complete, not disassembled and not contaminated

(WEEE)

Directive

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Fig. 7.1 Crossed out "wheelie bin" symbol

As the WEEE directive applies to self contained operational electrical and electronic products, this "end of life" take back service does not refer to other products, such as

• pure OEM products, that means assemblies to be built into a unit by the user (e. g.

OEM laser driver cards)

• components

• mechanics and optics

• left over parts of units disassembled by the user (PCB's, housings etc.).

If you wish to return a unit for waste recovery, please contact Thorlabs or your nearest dealer for further information.

G.2.2 Waste treatment on your own responsibility If you do not return an "end of life" unit to the company, you must hand it to a company specialized in waste recovery. Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site.

G.2.3 Ecological background It is we ll known that WEEE p ollutes the environment by re leasing toxic p roducts during decomposition. The aim of the European RoHS dire ctive is to redu ce the content of toxic substances in electronic products in the future.

The intent of the W EEE directive is to enforce the recycling of WEEE. A controlled recycling of end of life pro ducts will thereby avoid negative impacts on the environment.

Appendix G

7.3 CE Certificates

72 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Appendix G

74 HA0278T Rev H Dec 2016

Two-, and Three-Channel Stepper Motor Controller

Appendix H Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts

USA, Canada, and South America

Thorlabs, Inc. 56 Sparta Ave Newton, NJ 07860 USA Tel: 973-579-7227 Fax: 973-300-3600 www.thorlabs.com www.thorlabs.us (West Coast) email: feedback@thorlabs.com Support: techsupport@thorlabs.com

Europe

Thorlabs GmbH Hans-Böckler-Str. 6 85221 Dachau Germany Tel: +49-(0)8131-5956-0 Fax: +49-(0)8131-5956-99 www.thorlabs.de email: Europe@thorlabs.com

UK and Ireland

Thorlabs Ltd. 1 Saint Thomas Place, Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 4EX Great Britain Tel: +44 (0)1353-654440 Fax: +44 (0)1353-654444 www.thorlabs.de email: sales.uk@thorlabs.com Support: techsupport.uk@thorlabs.com

France

Thorlabs SAS 109, rue des Côtes 78600 Maisons-Laffitte France Tel: +33 (0) 970 444 844 Fax: +33 (0) 811 381 748 www.thorlabs.de email: sales.fr@thorlabs.com

Scandinavia

Thorlabs Sweden AB Box 141 94 400 20 Göteborg Sweden Tel: +46-31-733-30-00 Fax: +46-31-703-40-45 www.thorlabs.de email: scandinavia@thorlabs.com

Japan

Thorlabs Japan Inc. 3-6-3, Kitamachi, Nerima-ku, Tokyo 179-0081 Japan Tel: +81-3-6915-7701 Fax: +81-3-6915-7716 www.thorlabs.co.jp email: sales@thorlabs.jp

China

Thorlabs China Oasis Middlering Centre 3 Building 712 Room 915 Zhen Bei Road Shanghai China Tel: +86 (0)21-32513486 Fax: +86 (0)21-32513480 www.thorlabs.com email: chinasales@thorlabs.com

Brazil

Thorlabs Vendas de Fotônicos Ltda. Rua Riachuelo, 171 São Carlos, SP 13560-110 Brazil Tel: +55-16-3413 7062 Fax: +55-16-3413 7064 www.thorlabs.com Email: brasil@thorlabs.com

Thorlabs Inc. 56 Sparta Ave Newton, NJ07860 USA Tel: +1 973 579 7227 Fax: +1 973 300 3600 www.thorlabs.com

Thorlabs Ltd. Saint Thomas Place, Ely Cambridgeshire CB7 4EX, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1353 654440 Fax: +44 (0) 1353 654444 www.thorlabs.com

THORLABS BSC202, BSC203 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual