Technical Reference
Manual-XPM3m Revision Date: August 2014
After the ‘rail out’ function has been tested, the ‘rail in’ function check out should be greatly reduced. Activate the
‘rail in’ function in the Oven Operation Program (this is assuming you have already logged into the software as
previously described). The part of the auto rail circuit which can be a problem is the ‘rail in’ limit switch. The test
procedure for these components would be the same as described for the ‘rail out’ circuit.
Rail Position Encoder
The final check out procedure is to verify that the rail position encoder feedback signal is being received and
processed by the computer.
A rotary quadrature encoder has a minimum of 2 sets of lines on a circular shaped disk instead of only one set on a
single ended encoder. One set of lines is 90 degrees out of phase with the other to allow the rotation direction of a
shaft to be determined. There is an optical decoder and output signal for each set of lines designated as output
channel A and output channel B. The rotation direction of a quadrature encoder is determined by monitoring which
output channel signal is ahead of or leading the other.
The rail width adjust on the XPM3m uses a 250 pulse per revolution quadrature encoder mounted on the end of a
lead screw. The lead screw is a ¾-10 acme screw, which translates to 10 turns to move a rail one-inch or 2.54 cm
of travel.
The two axis rail controller board E3152001 utilizes a quadrature counter for the auto rail option. On the E3152001
two axis controller a quadrature counter IC must be installed by inserting a HCTL-2016 device into a separate 16 pin
DIP socket for each of the 2 possible auto rail axes to be controlled. U6 is the quadrature counter location for the
first axis and U7 is the quadrature counter location for the second axis. On the next generation E3152010 two axis
controller two quadrature counters are part of the base board through a single surface mount device. This was due
to the HCTL-2016 being obsoleted and discontinued by the manufacturer Agilent technologies.
E3152001A Existing two axis rail control board.
U6 and U7 are only installed for auto rail options.
