Micronix MMC-10 Series User manual

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Contents
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................. 2
1.1 Product Description.......................................................................................................... 2
1.2 Features ............................................................................................................................ 2
2. Quick Start.............................................................................................................................. 2
2.1 Inventory .......................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Quick Start: Connecting Your Motion Device................................................................. 4
2.3 Getting Your Target PC Ready........................................................................................ 6
2.4 Quick Start: Using the Micronix Motion Controller Platform......................................... 7
2.5 Motion With and Without Encoders .............................................................................. 15
3. Frequently Asked Questions................................................................................................. 15
4. Trouble Shooting .................................................................................................................. 15
5. Technical Information........................................................................................................... 17
5.1 MMC-10 Specifications................................................................................................. 17
5.2 Serial Port Setup............................................................................................................. 17
5.3 RJ11 RS485 Bus ............................................................................................................ 17
6. Operation............................................................................................................................... 18
6.1 Axis Addressing............................................................................................................. 18
6.2 Feedback Control ........................................................................................................... 18
6.3 MLN, MLP, and User Defined References.................................................................... 19
7. Commands ............................................................................................................................ 19
7.1 Command Line Syntax................................................................................................... 19
7.2 Command Line Format .................................................................................................. 20
7.3 Global Commands.......................................................................................................... 20
7.4 Multiple Parameters ....................................................................................................... 20
7.5 Synchronous Move......................................................................................................... 20
7.6 Internal Programming .................................................................................................... 21
7.7 Terminating Characters.................................................................................................. 21
7.8 Summary of Commands................................................................................................. 22
7.9 Command Descriptions.................................................................................................. 24
8. Pin Outs................................................................................................................................. 88

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1. Introduction
This document is a quick start guide to be used to get the MMC-10 and accompanying stages
connected and functional.
1.1 Product Description
The MMC-10 is a low cost two phase piezo motor controller/driver designed to be
used as a standalone single axis unit or interconnected for multi-axis functionality.
1. 12V to 36V DC in (24V Nominal, peak current draw 0.5A)
2. USB Connector
3. Intermodular/RS-485 Input
4. Intermodular/RS-485 Output
5. Motor/Encoder
6. LED Addressing Indicator 2
a. Orange –Stage is Unaddressed
b. Green –Stage has an address and is ready
7. LED Error Indicator 1
a. Red –An error has occurred
1.2 Features
•Integrated controller/driver for MICRONIX USA stick-slip piezo motors
•Ultra-compact design
•Open loop/closed loop operation
•Closed loop resolution dependent on the encoder
2. Quick Start

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2.1 Inventory
We will begin the setup process by making sure all the components we will need are
accounted for. With every MMC-10 controller, the following should be included:
Package Contents:
1. MMC-10 Controller
2. 24V Power Supply
3. Power Cable
4. 6’ USB Cable
5. User Manual
6. Supplemental CD
7. RJ-11 Daisy Chain Cable (Optional)
1
2
3
4
5
6

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2.2 Quick Start: Connecting Your Motion Device.
Now that we have confirmed we have everything we need; we can get the
controller and stages set up.
1. Connect MMC-10 to Motion Devices:
Each stage to be used with an MMC-10 will
have a male DSUB15 HD connector
attached to it. Plug this into the
motor/encoder plug on the MMC-10 unit.
This connector will connect the motor to the
drive circuitry of the controller, and on
closed loop stages will additionally serve to
relay the encoder data back to the
controller (Pinout available in manual
appendix).
2. Connect MMC-10 to Computer:
Connect the mini USB connector on the
MMC-10 unit to your pc using the included
6’ USB cable.

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3. (Optional) Connect MMC-10 units together
The MMC-10 has both an in and an out jack for RS-485 communication. This
jack also distributes power and is responsible for addressing in situations where
the auto address function is
used. Connect the output of
one MMC-10 to the input of
another to daisy chain multiple
MMC-10 controllers together,
sharing power and a
communication bus (Pinout
available in manual appendix).
Axes will be addressed in the
order they are connected, a
unit who’s “in” jack is
connected to another units
“out” jack will have an address
one higher than the unit it is
daisy chained to, starting with 1.
4. Connect MMC-10 to Power
Now that everything is connected,
power on the device by plugging in
the 24V power supply. At this point,
the upper LED should be lit green.

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Micronix MCP GUI
2.3 Getting Your Target PC Ready
There are a number of ways to control Micronix controllers, but let’s start by setting
up the Micronix MCP user interface on your PC.
1. Install
a. To install the Micronix motion controller platform double click the
setup.exe file on the supplied CD or downloaded from
http://www.micronixusa.com/motion/support/softwares.cfm and
follow the on screen instructions.
b. If the on-screen instructions do not take you all the way through the
installation process, see the Troubleshooting section on page 15 of this
manual.
2. Run
a. Open the start menu (Windows 7/Vista) or the Start screen (Windows
8/10)
b. Open the ‘all programs’ tab (Windows 7/Vista) or use the down arrow
to navigate to the Apps screen (Windows 8/10)
c. Open the Micronix folder (Windows 7/Vista) or navigate to the Micronix
section of the Apps screen by scrolling sideways (Windows 8/10)
d. Run the Micronix MCP program.

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2.4 Quick Start: Using the Micronix Motion Controller Platform
Now that we have connected a stage to a controller, and a controller to a PC, it’s time to
tie it all together. Your PC should automatically recognize the device plugged into it (your
controller) as a com port with the following specs:
By default, Micronix devices will appear as “COM 4”. If this com port is already occupied,
it will appear as the next available com port. If there is uncertainty about which COM port
your Micronix device is occupying, or if you are unable to communicate with your Micronix
device via com port, skip to the troubleshooting section on page 15 of this manual for help
resolving this issue.
With a com port identified, it is time to connect to the MMC-10 using the Micronix MCP
program installed in section 2.2.
1. Port Control
a. Select the COM port associated with your MMC-10 device
b. Click the Open Port button to connect to the MMC-10
i. This button should change giving you the
option to close the port
c. The Port field should change to indicate the Port is Open.
d. You will see the progress bar fill and the adjacent field change with
information regarding the query process as the program
initializes. You are now ready to start moving a stage with your
MMC-10.
e. The Axis selector will allow you to switch control between
different axes, if multiple axes are being used.
Port Control section of Micronix MCP software

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Terminal section of Micronix MCP software
2. Commands
a. Command –This field allows you to interface with your MMC-10 through manual
terminal commands. For more about Commands see section 7 of the reference
Manual.
i. Enter your command in the blank field
ii. This button appends a ‘?’ on the end
of the command making it a read function
iii. This button sends the command to
the MMC-10
b. Command List –This is a list of commands available
to the MMC-10. Clicking any list item will send the 3
character command to the Command box with
the preceding axis number.

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c. Response
i. Terminal –This field shows the responses from the MMC-10.
1. The clear button will delete all entries in the Terminal
ii. Response –Responses to user queries are displayed here.
1. The clear button will delete all entries in the Response terminal.
iii. Information - This field will show some information about the selected
command from the command list along with an example

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3. Motion –This section allows you to control movement with an easy to use user interface
a. Position
i. Zero - This button will set the current
position to zero for both the
calculated and encoder reading.
ii. Calc –This is the calculated position
based on the number of steps taken
(value in millimeters)
iii. Enc –This is the position as read by
the encoder assuming one is
attached (value in millimeters). If no
encoder is attached, this value reads 0.000000.
b. Motion –This section allows you to control the movement of a stage attached
to your MMC-10
i. Target Pos 1 –This field shows
the target for an absolute move
that will be executed upon
pressing the adjacent ‘GO’
button
ii. Target Pos 2 –This field shows
the target for an absolute move
that will be executed upon
pressing the adjacent ‘GO’ button
iii. Increment –This field indicates the amount of displacement a relative
move will travel upon pressing one of the adjacent ‘<’,’>’ buttons.
iv. STOP –This button will execute an Emergency Stop Command.
Motion section of Micronix MCP software

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c. Motion Parameters –This section dictates some parameters for how a
movement function is executed.
i. Vel –This field indicates the controllers
current set velocity
ii. Accel –This field indicates the controllers
current set value for acceleration
iii. Decel –This field indicates the controllers
current set value for deceleration
d. Test
i. Max Position –Set this value to the
desired upper limit of travel
ii. Min Position - Set this value to the
desired lower limit of travel
iii. Random –If set the controller will send
random movements. If left unset, the
stage will run from the Max Position to
the Min Position as defined above.
iv. START –This will either execute the
random movements between limits or
the limit to limit run.
v. Position –This column is the start
position for the move that is occurring.
vi. Dest –This column is the destination
position for the move that is currently
occurring.
vii. Time –This column indicates the time
at which each move occurred.

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System section of Micronix MCP software
4. System
b. Axes –This field will show the stages attached to
the program along with associated axis number
c. Parameters –Upon opening the port as discussed
above, the MMC-10 MCP will populate the
following fields.
i. Max Velocity –Maximum allowed Velocity
ii. Max Acceleration –Maximum
Allowed Acceleration
iii. Jog Acceleration –Setting for
Jog Acceleration
iv. –Travel Limit –The soft travel
limit in the negative direction.
The controller will not allow the
stage to be moved outside this
limit
v. + Travel Limit –The soft travel
limit in the positive direction.
The controller will not allow the
stage to be moved outside this
limit
vi. Step Resolution –Steps per
micron resolution
vii. Enc Resolution –Microns per encoder count

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d. Encoder Polarity –This setting allows the user to flip
positive and negative directions for the Encoder.
e. Motor Polarity –This setting allows the user to flip
positive and negative directions for the Motor.
f. Display Units –This setting allows switching
between linear units (mm) and rotary units
(degrees).
g. Axis –This is a special command that needs to be
unlocked in the settings menu (Settings Menu ->
Advanced Tab -> Unlock Axis Select). This field is
associated with the ANR command and allows you to
reset the axis number for the current selected axis.
h. Run On Start –Here you can select which program you
would like the stage to execute upon start up. For more
on internal programs, see page 20 of this manual.
i. Control - This frame allows you to change options regarding feedback
control
i. Loop –Here you can choose between 4 different modes of control
1. Open Loop –This mode does not take encoder position
into account.
2. Clean Open Loop –This mode
also does not take encoder
position into account but
maintains a consistent pitch.
3. Open Loop Close deceleration –
This operation will run in clean
open loop mode and then read
from the encoder to correct its
position at the end of travel (Not
a constant velocity move).
4. Close Loop –This mode will constantly poll the encoder
and make corrections to achieve the target trajectory
(Constant velocity).

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ii. Deadband –This setting changes the
amount of error the closed loop control
mode will allow before trying to
reposition.
iii. Time Out –This setting allows you to
change the amount of time a closed
loop operation will search until it times
out.
j. Startup Parameters –This field will populate with
the saved startup information for the selected
axis
k. Error
i. Clear –This button will clear
all error codes
ii. Request –This button will
dump all error codes to the
above terminal
l. PID Parameters - this field allows you
to change the parameters for closed
loop operation
i. Kp –Proportional Gain
ii. Ki –Integral Gain
iii. Kd –Differential Gain
m. Store Parameters –This will allow you to save the
settings you have entered as a file. This will allow you
to restore these parameters in the future if necessary.
n. Firmware –This Field indicates the Firmware version
installed in the MMC-10 controller

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2.5 Motion With and Without Encoders
Open Loop
If you have an open loop system (No Encoder), after opening the port from
part 2.3-1 you can test movement by entering a value in the increment field and
press either of the buttons. Be sure that the value is within the confines of
the travel limits. The stage should move and you should see the Calc field change.
Closed Loop
If you have a closed loop system (Attached Encoder), after opening the port
from part 2.3-1, ensure that the controller is in closed loop on the system page
(section 2.3-4h.). Then in the motion section enter a value in the increment field and
press either of the buttons. Be sure that the value is within the confines of
the travel limits. The stage should move and you should see the Calc and Enc fields
change and end at the same value.
3. Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my stage continuously running in one direction when set to closed loop (nFBK2, nFBK3)?
Most likely your encoder polarity is backwards. Use the nEPL? command to query the current
setting and then if it is 1 send nEPL0 if it is 0 send nEPL1.
How do I get my settings like velocity, acceleration, and limits to remain when I power down the
controller?
Use the nSAV command. This command writes all current settings to non-volatile RAM which will
allow them to persist between power cycles. If you would like to revert to the factory settings
simply use the nDEF command to revert the controller to its default parameters. (Note: to have
these persist between power cycles don’t forget to run the nSAV command)
What do the red and green LEDs mean?
The top LED is an address indicator. At startup it will flash from Red (unaddressed) to orange
(currently being addressed) to Green (addressed and ready for commands). The bottom LED is
an error indicator. When an error occurs, the LED will illuminate red. Use the nERR? command to
read all errors. By default, this LED will be off.
Why are the responses to my query commands coming back with garbage characters?
The communication bus for the MMC-10 is half-duplexed. It is important to ensure that you do
not send commands when there are responses coming back from the MMC-10. Also, please
ensure that the end of line character is a \r. If you sent \r\n a response will be sent at the same
time as the \n is on the bus and will cause bus contention.
4. Trouble Shooting
Difficulty Installing the Micronix Motion Control Platform
To run the Micronix MCP software, you will need the .NET Framework 4.0 or higher to already be
installed on the target computer. If the target computer has Windows 7 or later installed and is
current on all updates, .NET 4.0 should already be installed. If the target computer does not
have .NET 4.0 or you are unsure if the target computer has the .NET Framework 4.0, follow these
steps:

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a. Navigate to the support section of the Micronix Website at
http://www.micronixusa.com/motion/support/softwares.cfm
b. Download the file labeled DOT_NET Installation.
c. Run the application and follow the on screen instructions.
d. Return to section 2.2 and follow instructions. If you are still encountering problems,
contact Micronix support.
My MMC-10 is not being recognized as a com port by my system.
In some cases, due to a variety of factors, controllers will not be recognized as Com ports. Here
are steps to take to resolve this issue.
1. Make sure the device is powered on and the top LED is lit green. If the top LED is not lit green,
or if power is connected but no LEDs are lit, contact Micronix support.
2. Make sure the USB port the controller is plugged in to is functional. Try to plug the MMC-10 into
another USB port, or if using a USB hub try plugging the unit directly into the PC USB port. Try
another device like a thumb drive in the USB port and make sure it connects.
3. If the controller is powered on and plugged in to a functional USB port, but is still not being
recognized, try installing the Com Port drivers located at
http://www.micronixusa.com/motion/support/softwares.cfm
and restarting your computer. If this does not solve the problem, please contact Micronix
Support.
4. If the com port is recognized, but the Micronix Motion Control Platform is unable to
communicate with it, double check the setting of the port. To do this, open the control panel in
Microsoft windows and navigate to the device manager. Locate the com port associated with
the MMC unit (if there are multiple com ports open, unplug and replug the unit and look for the
com port that responds). Right click the com port associated with the MMC unit and select
“Properties” from the menu that appears. On the “Port Settings” tab, make sure the following
values are set.
Software Parameter
Setting
Baud Rate
Data Bits
38400
8
Stop Bits
1
Parity
No
Handshake
No
Difficulty Identifying the Correct Com Port
In some cases, in which a large number of com ports are being used or com ports are tied up by
the system, it may be difficult to identify which com port is associated with which device. The
Micronix MCP programs drop down menu will display the most recently connected com port on
the bottom of the list. As such, an easy way to identify a device is to power cycle it, it should
now be the last listed com port.

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5. Technical Information
5.1 MMC-10 Specifications
Parameter
Description
Motor Type
Stick-slip piezo motors
Interface
USB 2.0 compliant/RS-485
Commands
ASCII Commands
Trajectory Mode
Trapezoidal velocity profile
Servo Clock
10 kHz
* Each axis requires 0.5A at peak usage. A up the individual axis power
requirements to determine the power supply amperage requirement.
5.2 Serial Port Setup
Below are the virtual RS-232 configuration settings necessary for correct
communication setup:
Software Parameter
Setting
Data Bits
8
Stop Bits
1
Parity
No
Handshake
No
Baud rate
38400
5.3 RJ11 RS485 Bus
The RS485 Intermodular RJ11 connector connects directly to the same Serial bus as the
FTDI interface above. In addition to being an RS-485 line, this connector also distributes
power and is responsible for addressing in situations where the auto address function is
being used. MMC-10 units can be connected in a daisy chain fashion, with the RS-485
Out of one unit plugging in to the RS-485 In of the next unit as shown in section 2.3 of this
manual. When daisy chaining, keep in mind that each unit has a peak current draw of
0.5A, so the number of daisy chained units is limited by the current rating of the power
supply being used.

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6. Operation
6.1 Axis Addressing
Auto Addressing is the default method of assigning axis numbers on start up.
Controllers are automatically assigned axis numbers on every power up, starting
with axis 1 and increasing consecutively until reaching axis 99.
Manual axis numbers may be assigned to a unique controller using the ANR
Command. This overrides Auto Addressing, as the controller stores the axis number
until reassigned or reset back to Auto Addressing. In the case of having a mix of
manually assigned and auto addressed controllers, the Auto Addressed axis
numbers increase consecutively after each manually assigned axis in the stack. For
example; in a stack of 5 controllers with the third controller manually assigned to
axis 10, the axis numbers will read: 1, 2, 10, 11, 12
If two controllers are accidentally assigned the same axis number, use a global
command to reset all controllers back to Auto Addressing.
6.2 Feedback Control
The MMC-10 has four different movement modes of operation. When executing a move
command, the controller will drive a stage differently when set to different modes. The
FBK command is used to switch between these modes.
The first mode (nFBK0) is a traditional Open Loop. It follows a standard trapezoidal
velocity characteristic. It bases the transition between acceleration, constant velocity
and deceleration on the resolution settings (nREZx) or the distance it travels in one pulse.
This is entirely theoretical and does not guarantee a set trajectory or end point.
The second mode (nFBK1) is also open loop, however this one does not follow the
standard trapezoidal velocity set by the user. Instead, it rounds off the velocity to an
even number of servo clocks per transition. This causes the motor to sound much cleaner
than the previous mode. However, it does sacrifice accuracy.
The third mode (nFBK2) is a version of closed loop; meaning it takes position data from an
attached encoder and uses it to ensure that it stops at the desired position. In this mode
the controller runs in the second open loop mode (nFBK1) until it reaches the
deceleration point. At this point it constantly reads from encoder and corrects its position
to arrive at the correct position. This, unlike the first two modes can guarantee position
within the specified deadband (DBN Command). However, this mode cannot guarantee
a known trajectory.
The fourth mode (nFBK3) is a more traditional closed loop. The controller will constantly try
to achieve an ideal trapezoidal velocity characteristic. Like the previous mode it too
can guarantee position final within the specified deadband.

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6.3 MLN, MLP, and User Defined References
The move to limit negative (MLN) and moves to limit positive (MLP) commands both
require the attached stage to have an encoder and will move the stage to end of travel
in their respective directions. The orientation of positive versus negative limits can be
changed using the limit direction (LDR) command. In addition, a user created reference
point can be created by moving to a limit, moving out of said limit the desired amount,
and then using the zero (ZRO) command to set both the calculated and encoder
positions to the value 0.000000mm. To return to this reference point, the user need only
use the move to absolute (MVA) command and move to the location 0.000000mm. See
Programming Example 3 of the Internal Programming section of this manual (Page 91)
for detailed instructions on creating a routine that runs on startup and automatically
creates this reference point.
7. Commands
7.1 Command Line Syntax
There are three components to every command prompt. The first is the “Axis
Number” which designates which controller, or axis, will receive the command. If
the “Axis Number” is 0, then the command will be sent globally to all connected
controllers. It is possible to connect up to 99 controllers; therefore the “Axis Number”
will be an integer value from 0 through 99.
The second component is the “Command”, which is always comprised of three
letters. Each command is outlined, along with its corresponding parameters, in the
Command Description section 5.9 of this manual.
The third and final component is the “Parameter”. This portion is command
dependent, meaning that the parameter value will change depending on the
specific requirements of the “Command”. Where applicable, a question mark (?)
may be substituted to initiate a read operation which will return information
regarding the particular command. There may be up to three separate parameters
for a particular command, each parameter value is separated by a comma (,).
All white space (blank spaces) are ignored in the command format. The following
are examples of equivalent commands:
4TRM13,45
4 TRM 13, 45