THORLABS BBD102 User manual

BBD102 and BBD103
Brushless DC Servo Controllers
User Guide

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Contents
Chapter 1 For Your Safety .............................................................................4
1.1 Safety Information .................................................................................. 4
1.2 General Warnings .................................................................................. 4
Chapter 2 Overview and Setup ..................................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 5
2.2 APT PC Software Overview ................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................7
2.2.2 APTUser Utility ...................................................................................................8
2.2.3 APT Config Utility ...............................................................................................9
2.2.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls) ...........................................................................9
2.2.5 Software Upgrades ...........................................................................................11
Chapter 3 Getting Started ............................................................................12
3.1 Installing APT Software ........................................................................ 12
3.2 Mechanical Installation ......................................................................... 13
3.2.1 Siting ................................................................................................................13
3.2.2 Environmental Conditions ................................................................................13
3.3 Electrical Installation ............................................................................. 14
3.3.1 Connecting To The Supply ...............................................................................14
3.4 Fuses .................................................................................................... 14
3.4.1 Rear Panel Connections ..................................................................................15
3.5 Front Panel Controls and Indicators .................................................... 16
3.6 Connecting The Hardware and Powering Up ....................................... 17
3.7 Verifying Software Operation ............................................................... 18
3.7.1 Initial Setup .......................................................................................................18
Continued...

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
Chapter 4 Operation - Tutorial ................................................................... 19
4.1 Introduction 1...........................................................................................9
4.2 Using the APT User Utility ....................................................................20
4.3 Homing Motors .....................................................................................21
4.4 Moving to an Absolute Position ............................................................22
4.5 Changing Motor Parameters ................................................................23
4.6 Jogging .................................................................................................24
4.7 Graphical Control Of Motor Positions (Point and Move) .......................25
4.8 Setting Move Sequences ......................................................................27
4.9 Using A Joystick Console .....................................................................30
4.10 External Triggering ...............................................................................31
4.11 Creating a Simulated Configuration Using APT Config ........................31
Chapter 5 Software Reference .................................................................... 35
5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................35
5.2 GUI Panel .............................................................................................35
5.3 Settings Panel ......................................................................................37
5.3.1 Moves/Jogs tab ................................................................................................ 37
5.3.2 Stage/Axis tab .................................................................................................. 41
5.3.3 Advanced - Control Loop SettingsTab ............................................................. 44
5.3.4 Advanced - Misc. Tab ...................................................................................... 48
5.4 Troubleshooting and Restoring Default Parameters ............................54
Appendices
Appendix A Rear Panel Connector Pinout Details .................................... 56
Appendix B Preventive Maintenance ......................................................... 65
Appendix C Specifications and Associated Parts .................................... 66
Appendix D Motor Control Method Summary ........................................... 67
Appendix E Regulatory ................................................................................ 73
Appendix F Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts ................................................ 75

4
Chapter 1 For Your Safety
1.1 Safety Information
For the continuing safety of the operators of this equipment, and the protection of the
equipment itself, the operator should take note of the Warnings, Cautions and Notes
throughout this handbook and, where visible, on the product itself.
The following safety symbols may be used throughout the handbook and on the
equipment itself.
1.2 General Warnings
Shock Warning
Given when there is a risk of injury from electrical shock.
Warning
Given when there is a risk of injury to users.
Caution
Given when there is a risk of damage to the product.
Note
Clarification of an instruction or additional information.
Warnings
If this equipment is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer, the
protection provided by the equipment may be impaired. In particular,
excessive moisture may impair operation.
Spillage of fluid, such as sample solutions, should be avoided. If spillage does
occur, clean up immediately using absorbant tissue. Do not allow spilled fluid
to enter the internal mechanism.

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
Chapter 2 Overview and Setup
2.1 Introduction
The BBD series Brushless DC Motor Controllers are ideal for motion control
applications demanding high speed (100s of mm/s) and high encoder resolution
(<100 nm) operation. These new controllers offer up to three channels of high-
precision motion control in a wide range of applications, and in particular in
microscopy sample manipulation when used along with our MLS203 dual axis
scanning stage. Designed using latest digital and analog techniques and with high-
bandwidth high-power servo control circuitry, these new controllers are capable of
driving a range of rotary and linear brushless 3-phase DC motors of up to 5 Amp peak
coil current.
Integrated into the apt family of products, it offers Thorlabs standard control and
programming interface, allowing easy integration into the customer’s own automated
motion control applications. These units are cable of being reprogrammed in-field,
allowing the option of upgrading the units with future firmware releases as soon as
new programming interfaces (such as microscopy standard command sets) are
added..
Fig. 2.1 APT Three Channel Brushless DC Servo Motor Controller (BBD103)

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Chapter 2
Operation of the BBD series brushless DC motor unit is fully configurable
(parameterized) with key settings (e.g. PID settings, min and max position values, and
limit switch operation) exposed through the associated graphical interface panels.
PID control loop values can be adjusted for a particular application, minimum and
maximum position values can be entered to suit different stages as required, and limit
switch configuration is accommodated through a flexible set of limit switch logic
settings. Moreover, relative and absolute moves can be initiated with move profiles
set using velocity profile parameters. Similarly, home sequences have a full set of
associated parameters that can be adjusted for a particular stage or actuator. For
simplicity of operation, the apt™ software incorporates pre-configured settings for
each of the Thorlabs stages and actuators, while still exposing all parameters
individually for use with other DC motor driven systems.
For convenience and ease of use, adjustment of many key parameters is possible
through direct interaction with the graphical panel. For example a move to the next
position can be initiated by clicking directly on the position display and entering a new
value (see the tutorial in Chapter for further details). Furthermore, all such settings
and parameters are also accessible through the ActiveX® programmable interfaces
for automated alignment sequences.
In the remainder of this handbook, the Tutorial section (Chapter ) provides a good
initial understanding on using the unit, and the reference sections (Chapter 5) covers
all operating modes and parameters in detail.

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
2.2 APT PC Software Overview
2.2.1 Introduction
As a member of the APT range of controllers, the BBD102 and BBD103 DC motor
controllers share many of the associated software benefits. This includes USB
connectivity (allowing multiple units to be used together on a single PC), fully featured
Graphical User Interface (GUI) panels, and extensive software function libraries for
custom application development.
The APT software suite supplied with all APT controllers, including the BBD102 and
BBD103 DC Servo controllers, provides a flexible and powerful PC based control
system both for users of the equipment, and software programmers aiming to
automate its operation.
For users, the APTUser (see Section 2.2.2.) and APTConfig (see Section 2.2.3.)
utilities allow full control of all settings and operating modes enabling complete ‘out-
of-box’ operation without the need to develop any further custom software. Both
utilities are built on top of a sophisticated, multi-threaded ActiveX ‘engine’ (called the
APT server) which provides all of the necessary APT system software services such
as generation of GUI panels, communications handling for multiple USB units, and
logging of all system activity to assist in hardware trouble shooting. It is this APT
server ‘engine’ that is used by software developers to allow the creation of advanced
automated positioning applications very rapidly and with great ease. The APT server
is described in more detail in Section 2.2.4.
Aside
ActiveX®, a Windows®-based, language-independent technology, allows a user
to quickly develop custom applications that automate the control of APT system
hardware units. Development environments supported by ActiveX® technology
include Visual Basic®, LabView™, Borland C++ Builder, Visual C++, Delphi™,
and many others. ActiveX® technology is also supported by .NET development
environments such as Visual Basic.NET and Visual C#.NET.
ActiveX controls are a specific form of ActiveX technology that provide both a user
interface and a programming interface. An ActiveX control is supplied for each
type of APT hardware unit to provide specific controller functionality to the
software developer. See Section 2.2.4. for further details.

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Chapter 2
2.2.2 APTUser Utility
The APTUser application allows the user to interact with a number of APT hardware
control units connected to the host PC. This program displays multiple graphical
instrument panels to allow multiple APT units to be controlled simultaneously.
All basic operating parameters can be altered and, similarly, all operations (such as
motor moves) can be initiated. Settings and parameter changes can be saved and
loaded to allow multiple operating configurations to be created and easily applied.
For many users, the APTUser application provides all of the functionality necessary
to operate the APT hardware without the need to develop any further custom
software. For those who do need to further customise and automate usage of the
controller (e.g. to implement a positioning algorithm), this application illustrates how
the rich functionality provided by the APT ActiveX server is exposed by a client
application.
Use of the APT User utility is covered in the PC tutorial (Chapter ) and in the APTUser
online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTUser utility.

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
2.2.3 APT Config Utility
There are many system parameters and configuration settings associated with the
operation of the APT Server. Most can be directly accessed using the various
graphical panels, however there are several system wide settings that can be made
'off-line' before running the APT software. These settings have global effect; such as
switching between simulator and real operating mode, and associating third party
mechanical stages to specific motor actuators.
If a BBD series controller is used with the MLS203 microscopy scanning stage, all
stage-associated settings are made automatically when the stage is connected to the
controller.
The APTConfig utility is provided as a convenient means for making these system
wide settings and adjustments for third party brushless DC motor driven stages. An
overview of APTConfig is provided in Section 2.2.3. Full details are contained in the
online help supplied with the utility.
2.2.4 APT Server (ActiveX Controls)
ActiveX Controls are re-usable compiled software components that supply both a
graphical user interface and a programmable interface. Many such Controls are
available for Windows applications development, providing a large range of re-usable
functionality. For example, there are Controls available that can be used to
manipulate image files, connect to the internet or simply provide user interface
components such as buttons and list boxes.
With the APT system, ActiveX Controls are deployed to allow direct control over (and
also reflect the status of) the range of electronic controller units, including the BBD102
and BBD103 DC motor controllers. Software applications that use ActiveX Controls
are often referred to as 'client applications'. Based on ActiveX interfacing technology,

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Chapter 2
an ActiveX Control is a language independent software component. Consequently
ActiveX Controls can be incorporated into a wide range of software development
environments for use by client application developers. Development environments
supported include Visual Basic, Labview, Visual C++, C++ Builder, HPVEE, Matlab,
VB.NET, C#.NET
and, via VBA, Microsoft Office applications such as Excel and Word.
Consider the ActiveX Control supplied for one channel of the BBD103 APT Brushless
DC Servo Controller unit.
This Control provides a complete user graphical instrument panel to allow the motor
unit to be manually operated, as well as a complete set of software functions (often
called methods) to allow all parameters to be set and motor operations to be
automated by a client application. The instrument panel reflects the current operating
state of the controller unit to which it is associated (e.g. such as motor position).
Updates to the panel take place automatically when a user (client) application is
making software calls into the same Control. For example, if a client application
instructs the associated DC motor Control to move a motor, the progress of that move
is reflected automatically by changing position readouts on the graphical interface,
without the need for further programming intervention.

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
The APT ActiveX Controls collection provides a rich set of graphical user panels and
programmable interfaces allowing users and client application developers to interact
seamlessly with the APT hardware. Each of the APT controllers has an associated
ActiveX Control and these are described fully in system online help or the handbooks
associated with the controllers. Note that the APTUser and APTConfig utilities take
advantage of and are built on top of the powerful functionality provided by the APT
ActiveX Server (as shown in Fig. 2.2).
Fig. 2.2 System Architecture Diagram
Refer to the main APT Software online help file, APTServer.hlp, for a complete
programmers guide and reference material on using the APT ActiveX Controls
collection. Additional software developer support is provided by the APT Support CD
supplied with every APT controller. This CD contains a complete range of tutorial
samples and coding hints and tips, together with handbooks for all the APT
controllers.
2.2.5 Software Upgrades
Thorlabs operate a policy of continuous product development and may issue software
upgrades as necessary.
Detailed instructions on installing upgrades are included on the APT Software
CD ROM.

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Chapter 3 Getting Started
3.1 Installing APT Software
DO NOT CONNECT THE CONTROLLER TO YOUR PC YET
1) Insert the CD into your PC.
2) The CD should run automatically. If your CD does not start, double click the file
‘autorun.exe’, found on the Software CD.
3) A Welcome dialogue screen is displayed. Before installing the software, you are
strongly advised to read the Installation Guide. Click the associated link.
4) Once you are familiar with the installation procedure, click the ‘Install APT
Software’ hyperlink displayed on the Welcome dialogue screen.
5) Follow the on-screen instructions - see the Installation Guide supplied for more
information.
Note
When operating via a PC, direct user interaction with the unit is
accomplished through intuitive graphical user interface panels (GUIs),
which expose all key operating parameters and modes. The user can
select multiple panel views displaying different information about a
particular hardware unit. The multitasking architecture ensures that the
graphical control panels always remain live, showing all current
hardware activity.
Caution
Some PCs may have been configured to restrict the users ability to load
software, and on these systems the software may not install/run. If you are
in any doubt about your rights to install/run software, please consult your
system administrator before attempting to install.
Ifyouexperience anyproblems wheninstalling software,contactThorlabson
[phone] and ask for Technical Support.

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
3.2 Mechanical Installation
3.2.1 Siting
The unit is designed to be mounted free standing on a shelf, benchtop or similar
surface.
3.2.2 Environmental Conditions
Location Indoor use only
Maximum altitude 2000 m
Temperature range 5oC to 40oC
Maximum Humidity Less than 80% RH (non-condensing) at 31°C
To ensure reliable operation the unit should not be exposed to corrosive agents or
excessive moisture, heat or dust.
If the unit has been stored at a low temperature or in an environment of high humidity,
it must be allowed to reach ambient conditions before being powered up.
Caution
When siting the unit, it should be positioned so as not to impede the
operation of the rear panel power supply switch.
Ensure that proper airflow is maintained to the rear of the unit.
Warning
Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect
operator safety.

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Chapter 3
3.3 Electrical Installation
3.3.1 Connecting To The Supply
3.4 Fuses
Two T 3.15A/250V a.c. antisurge ceramic fuses are located on the back panel, one
for the live feed and one for the neutral as follows:
When replacing fuses:
1) Switch off the power and disconnect the power cord before removing the fuse
cover.
2) Always replace broken fuses with a fuse of the same rating and type.
Shock Warning
The unit must be connected only to an earthed fused supply of 110 to
230V.
Use only power supply cables supplied by Thorlabs, other cables may not
be rated to the same current. The unit is shipped with appropriate power
cables for use in the UK, Europe and the USA. When shipped to other
territories the appropriate power plug must be fitted by the user. Cable
identification is as follows:
Brown Live
Blue Neutral
Green/Yellow Earth/Ground
Fuse Rating Type Fused Line
F1 T 3.15A ceramic; antisurge Live feed
F2 T 3.15A ceramic; antisurge Neutral feed

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
3.4.1 Rear Panel Connections
Fig. 3.1 Rear panel connections
CH ID - For channel selection when using the MJC001 joystick - see Section 4.9.
MOTOR DRIVE -Provides all phase current drive connections to the DC motor
actuators - see Section A.1.
FEEDBACK -Provides connection for the position encoder feedback signals - see
Section A.2.
USER I/O - The ‘USER I/O’ connector exposes a number of electrical signals useful
for external control and monitoring - see Section A.3. for more details.
USB - USB port for system communications.
HANDSET IN - Provides connection for the Thorlabs Joystick, MJC001.
INTERCONNECT - Allows several controllers to be ‘Daisychained’. The
INTERCONNECT terminal should be connected to the HANDSET IN connector on
the next unit in the chain.
TRIG IN – For Future Use.
TRIG OUT – For Future Use.
AUX I/O - The AUX I/O connector exposes a number of internal electrical signals. For
convenience, a number of logic inputs and outputs are included, thereby negating the
need for extra PC based IO hardware. Using the APT support software, these user
programmable logic lines can be deployed in applications requireing control of
external devices such a relays, light sources and other auxillairy equipment. - see
Section A.4. for further details.
Note
The USB cable length should be no more than 3 metres unless a powered
USB hub is being used.
USB
CH1 ID CH2 ID CH3 ID
85 - 264 VAC
47 - 63Hz
250VA
FUSES
F1 and F2
T3.15A
ANTISURGE
CERAMIC
HANDSET IN AUX I/OINTERCONNECT TRIG OUTTRIG IN
!
CH1 FEEDBACK
CH1 MOTOR DRIVE CH2 MOTOR DRIVE CH3 MOTOR DRIVE
CH1 USER IO
CH2 FEEDBACK
CH2 USER IO
CH3 FEEDBACK
CH3 USER IO

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Chapter 3
3.5 Front Panel Controls and Indicators
Fig. 3.2 Front panel controls and indicators
Power LED – Indicates that power is applied to the unit.
Enable button – Used to enable/disable channel functionality. The associated LED
is lit when the channel is enabled. Disabling the channel allows the motor actuator to
be operated manually.
Note. On BBD102 units, the Channel 3 LED is not used. It becomes active if a third
channel is added later by fitting an additional DC driver card. Contact your Thorlabs
representative for more information.
CHANNEL ENABLE
1
2
3
Power apt Brushless Servo Controller

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2- and 3--Channel Brushless DC Servo Controller
3.6 Connecting The Hardware and Powering Up
1) Install the APT Software - see Section 3.1.
2) Connect the stage to the Controller unit.
3) Connect the Controller unit to your PC.
4) Connect the Controller unit to the power supply and switch ‘ON’.
WindowsTM should detect the new hardware. Wait while WindowsTM installs the
drivers for the new hardware - see the Getting Started guide for more information
5) Wait until the Channel Enable LEDs stop flashing (~3s). This indicates that phase
initialisation is complete.
6) Run the APTUser utility and click the ‘Home’ button on each GUI panel. When
homing is complete, the Channel Enable LEDs on the controller front panel stop
flashing.
7) The stage can now be moved using the GUI panel, or by sending commands to
move each axis by relative and absolute amounts – see the helpfile supplied with
the APT server for more information.
8) See the Getting Started Guide supplied with the controller, or Chapter of this
manual, for a brief tutorial on operation of the unit.
Note
The USB cable length should be no more than 3 metres unless a powered
USB hub is being used.
Note
3-phase brushless DC motors are commutated electronically, i.e. the
controller drives the coils with a precisely controller 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 rotor 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) makes a
slight buzzing noise and moves about slightly for a few seconds. Phase
initialisation can only take place if the motor can move unobstructed
during this time.

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Chapter 3
3.7 Verifying Software Operation
3.7.1 Initial Setup
The APT Software should be installed (Section 3.1.) and the power up procedure
performed (Section 3.6.) before software operation can be verified.
1) Run the APTUser utility and check that the Graphical User Interface (GUI) panels
appear and are active (one panel for each channel of operation).
Fig. 3.3 Gui panel showing jog and ident buttons
2) Click the ‘Ident’ button. The LED on the front panel of the controller flashes. This
is useful in multi-channel systems for identifying which driver unit is associated
with which GUI.
3) Click the jog buttons on the GUI panel and check that the motor or axis connected
to the controller moves. The position display for the associated GUI should
increment and decrement accordingly.
Follow the tutorial steps described in Chapter for further verification of operation.
Note
The 'APT Config' utility can be used to set up simulated hardware
configurations and place the APT Server into simulator mode. In this way it
is possible to create any number and type of simulated (virtual) hardware
units in order to emulate a set of real hardware. This is a particularly useful
feature, designed as an aid to application program development andtesting.
Any number of 'virtual' control units are combined to build a model of the
real system, which can then be used to test the application software offline.
If using real hardware, ensure that Simulator Mode is disabled. If using a
simulated setup, enable Simulator Mode and set up a ‘Simulated
Configuration’ - see Section 4.11. or the APTConfig helpfile for detailed
instructions.

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Chapter 4 Operation - Tutorial
4.1 Introduction
The following brief tutorial guides the user through a typical series of moves and
parameter adjustments performed using the PC based APT software. It assumes that
the unit is electrically connected as shown in Section 3.4.1. that the APT Software is
already installed - see Section 3.1. and that the stage being driven is the Thorlabs
MLS203 microscopy scanning stage.
Warning
The APTServer includes built in safety features which prevent the user from
performing a move before the actuators being driven have been ‘homed’. If a
custom software application, which operates outside of the APTServer, is
being used to position the actuator, then these safety features will not be
implemented. In this case, it is the responsibility of the user to home the
motors before performing any further moves. Failure to home the motors will
cause an error in positional information which could result in damage to the
unit and possible injury to personnel operating the equipment.
Caution
The maximum velocity at which the encoder can operate is approximately
400 mm/sec. Above this speed, encoder pulses may be lost and, as a
result, the position readout becomes incorrect. This renders normal
operation impossible because phase commutation of the motor is also
based on the encoder reading.
When the stage is controlled by the BBD101 controller, the maximum
velocity is limited to safe values. However, if the output is disabled (with
the controller connected and monitoring the position) and the stage is
moved manually at high speeds, it is possible to exceed this limit. If the
BBD101 controller is subsequently used again to move the stage, the
incorrect encoder reading will cause incorrect operation, often resulting
in sudden uncontrolled moves. It is therefore important not to move the
stage excessively quickly when it is moved manually.
The BBD controller has fault monitoring to detect the loss of encoder
pulses. If this fault occurs, an error message will be generated and the
controller must be powered down and re-started so that correct phasing
and commutation can be established.
If this fault occurs when the stage is being controlled via the MJC001
joystick, in the absence of a PC, the red LED on the joystick console is lit,
and all operation is suspended until the controller is shut down and
rebooted.

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Chapter 4
4.2 Using the APT User Utility
The APT User.exe application allows the user to interact with any number of APT
hardware control units connected to the PC USB Bus (or simulated via the APTConfig
utility). This program allows multiple graphical instrument panels to be displayed so
that multiple APT units can be controlled. All basic operating parameters can be set
through this program, and all basic operations (such as motor moves) can be initiated.
Hardware configurations and parameter settings can be saved to a file, which
simplifies system set up whenever APT User is run up.
Fig. 4.1 Typical APT User Screen
1) Run the APT User program - Start/All Programs/Thorlabs/APT User/APT User.