Chapter 2
Overview and Setup
2.1
Introduction
The OptoDCDriver is a very compact single channel DC servo controller and driver
designed to operate with a variety of DC brushed motors up to 5V operation equipped
with encoder feedback. This driver unit (a direct replacement for the DCX-MC110B
controller modules featured in earlier editions of the Thorlabs catalogue) contains a
full embedded controller and driver circuit that can be operated with and without a PC.
Although compact in footprint, this unit offers a fully featured motion control capability
including velocity profile settings, limit switch handling, “on the fly” changes in motor
speed and direction for more advanced operation, control over the closed loop PID
parameters and adjustment of settings such as lead screw pitch and gearbox ratio
allowing support for many different actuator configurations.
When used with the extensive range of Thorlabs DC motorized opto-mechanical
products, many of these parameters are automatically set to allow “out of the box”
operation with no further tuning required.
The OptoDCDriver has been specifically designed as a member of the APT controller
family. The APT family includes a range of high specification motor and piezo
controllers (both in bench top and rack based formats) specifically aimed at high
resolution positioning applications. By inheriting much of the functionality developed
for these high end variants, the OptoDCDriver is built on a flexible and powerful
motion control capability with full and complete software support. It is perfectly
feasible to mix operation of the OptoDCDriver with any other member of the APT
controller family through the same unified software interfaces, both graphical and
programmable. For the first time, positioning and motion control applications
deploying any of the complete range of Thorlabs motorized/piezo actuated nano-
positioning and opto-mechanical hardware is easily achieved in minimum time via a
common PC software platform.
Fig. 2.1 OptoDC Servo Motor Driver
