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DNA Engine & DNA Engine Tetrad Operations Manual
Meet the DNA Engine Tetrad
The DNA Engine Tetrad harnesses four DNA Engines in a single com-
pact machine. Four Alpha units of any type can be loaded into the DNA
Engine Tetrad base, one unit into each “quadrant” of the base. The same
factory-installed and custom protocols can be run on the DNA Engine
Tetrad as on the DNA Engine. Programs can be run independently on
any one Alpha unit or simultaneously on all of them.
The DNA Engine Tetrad’s control panel
is nearly identical to that of the DNA En-
gine. Additional features include a
«
Power
» key and an array of lights indi-
cating the selection status of the blocks in
the base’s quadrants. There is an A and a
B light for each quadrant since each Al-
pha unit can contain up to two blocks. The
arrangement of the status indicator lights
matches the arrangement of the quadrants
in the base when the DNA Engine Tetrad
is viewed from above (fig. 12-1).
The DNA Engine Tetrad’s power supply has been placed in a separate
housing that is attached by cables to the base, which keeps the base com-
pact and makes it easier to use in robotics installations. The power sup-
ply uses MOSFET transistors to efficiently convert AC input power into
the high-current, low-voltage DC power that the Tetrad requires (see ap-
pendix D for a short explanation of this technology).
Up to 15 DNA Engine Tetrads and DNA Engines can be networked together,
in any combination, but a DNA Engine or a computer must serve as the
controller unit for the network. Networked DNA Engine Tetrads operate
like networked DNA Engines, with a few minor exceptions (explained be-
low). The Power Bonnet remote-controlled heated lid may also be used with
networked DNA Engine Tetrads if the controller is a computer.
Specifications
The DNA Engine Tetrad’s specifications are identical to those of the DNA
Engine except for weight and size (see chapter 2).
Quadr
ant 1
Quadr
ant 3
Quadr
ant 2
Quadr
ant 4
2B
3A
2A
3B
1B
1A
4A
4B
Back of Tetrad
Front of Tetrad
Figure 12-1
Layout of quadrants.
Summary of Contents for PTC-0200
Page 6: ...Part I The DNA Engine ...
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Page 105: ...Part II The DNA Engine Tetrad ...
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Page 117: ...Part III Accessories ...
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Page 125: ...13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 The Remote Alpha Dock System Figure 13 5 Flush mounting template ...
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