14
Chapter 4
Operation
4.1
General
The stages are connected to the controller via 2 flying leads terminated in D-type
connectors (FEEDBACK) and 2 leads terminated in round 8-Pin DIN Connectors
(MOTOR DRIVE).
For a complete tutorial on using the stage, see the manual supplied with the BBD
series controller. Basic steps in controlling the stage are as follows:
1) Make electrical connections as detailed in Section 3.3.
2) Manually position the moving platform to be around its central position in both axes.
3) Power up the BBD controller and wait until the Channel Enable LEDs start flashing
(~3s).
4) If a joystick control is being used, press and hold the ‘High/Low’ button for 2
seconds, then release to home the stage. When homing is complete, the green
LED stops flashing.
5) If no joystick is being used, run the APTUser utility and click the ‘Home’ button on
each GUI panel. When homing is complete, the Channel Enable LEDs stop
flashing.
Caution
The MLS203 stages can be driven only by the Thorlabs BBD10x series
Brushless DC Motor Controllers. For full compatibility, the controller
should have Firmware version 1.0.1 or higher. The Firmware version is
displayed in brackets, in the top right hand corner of the GUI panel for the
Motor ActiveX control.
Warning
The motor controller must be switched OFF before the stages are
plugged in or unplugged. Failure to switch the controller off may result in
damage to either the controller, the stage, or both.
Warning
3-phase brushless DC motors are commutated electronically, i.e. the
controller drives the coils with a precisely controlled waveform, that
depends on the position of the rotor (or, with linear motors, the position
of the coil housing). On power up, the position of the coil housing is not
known. The controller establishes this by energising the coils and
measuring the resulting movement. This is why on power up, the stage
(motor) may make a slight buzzing noise and move about randomly for a
few seconds. Phase initialisation can only take place if the motor can
move unobstructed during this time. Before powering up the BBD
controller at item (2), ensure that the stage movement is unobstructed.
