THORLABS BPC201 User manual

BPC201
Benchtop Piezo Controller
User Guide

2
Contents
Chapter 1 Safety ..............................................................................................4
1.1 Safety Information ...................................................................................4
1.2 General Warnings ...................................................................................4
Chapter 2 Overview ........................................................................................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) ......................................................................... 10
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
3.3.2 Fuses ............................................................................................................... 14
3.3.3 Powering Down The Unit ................................................................................. 14
3.3.4 Rear Panel Connections .................................................................................. 15
3.4 Front Panel Controls and Indicators .....................................................16
3.5 Button Operation ...................................................................................17
3.5.1 Resolution Button ............................................................................................. 17
3.5.2 Zero Button ...................................................................................................... 17
3.6 Control Potentiometer Operation ..........................................................18
3.6.1 Moving the Piezo using the ‘Control’ Potentiometer ........................................ 18
3.7 Adjusting the Display Brightness ..........................................................18
3.7.1 Connecting The Hardware ............................................................................... 19
3.8 Verifying Software Operation ................................................................19
3.8.1 Initial Setup ...................................................................................................... 19
Continued...

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
Chapter 4 PC Operation - Tutorial ............................................................. 21
4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................21
4.2 Using the APT User Utility ....................................................................21
4.3 Setting the Position Sensor Zero ..........................................................23
4.4 Moving the Piezo ..................................................................................24
4.4.1 Entering the piezo position ............................................................................... 24
4.4.2 Moving the Piezo using the ‘Output’ control ..................................................... 25
4.4.3 Jogging the Piezos ........................................................................................... 25
4.5 Using the Controller as a Piezo Amplifier .............................................26
4.6 Thermal Shutdown ...............................................................................27
4.7 Using the Controller with a Force Sensor .............................................27
4.8 Creating a Simulated Configuration Using APT Config ........................29
Chapter 5 Software Reference .................................................................... 32
5.1 GUI Panel .............................................................................................32
5.2 Settings Panel ......................................................................................34
5.2.1 General tab. ..................................................................................................... 34
5.2.2 Force Sensing tab ............................................................................................ 35
5.2.3 Setting the Position Sensor Zero ..................................................................... 35
5.2.4 Choice of Display Mode ................................................................................... 35
5.2.5 Detection of Range of Travel ........................................................................... 36
Appendices
Appendix A Rear Panel Connector Pinout Detail ...................................... 37
Appendix B Preventive Maintenance ......................................................... 43
Appendix C Specifications and Associated Parts .................................... 44
Appendix D Piezo Control Method Summary............................................. 46
Appendix E Regulatory ............................................................................... 52
Appendix F Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts ................................................ 55

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Chapter 1 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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Chapter 2 Overview
2.1 Introduction
This controller is designed for use in critical alignment applications where nanometer
level motion control is required. These high power units deliver up to 75V/500mA per
channel and are compatible with all piezo-actuated nanopositioning actuators &
stages in the Thorlabs range.
The unit combines the latest highspeed digital signal processors (DSP) with low-noise
analog electronics and ActiveX® software technology for effortless single-axis
motion. Additional axes can be driven by connecting one or more benchtop units via
a standard USB hub.
Manual controls are located on the front face of the unit to allow manual adjustment
of the piezo position using the digitally encoded adjustment pot. The display is easy
to read and can be set to show either applied voltage or position in microns. Open or
closed loop control and zeroing of the piezo can also be selected from the front panel.
Fig. 2.1 APT Single Channel Piezo Controller (BPC201)
The APT piezo controller is supplied with a full suite of software support tools. An
intuitive graphical instrument panel allows immediate control and visualization of the
operation of the piezo controller, and any other controllers that are installed in the
system. See Section 2.2. for a full description of the APT system software.
The APT piezo unit operation is fully configurable (parameterized) with key settings
exposed through the associated graphical interface panel. Open or closed loop
operating modes can be selected 'on the fly', and in both modes the display can be

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Chapter 2
changed to show drive voltage or position (in microns). In the closed loop operation
mode, both the P & I (proportional and integral) components of the feedback control
loop can be altered to adjust the servoloop response. For convenience and ease of
use, adjustment of manykey parameters is possible through direct interaction with the
graphical panel. For example, the output drive voltage or position can be adjusted by
rotating a "software-panel" control knob (see the tutorial in Chapter 4 for further
details). Note that all such settings and parameters are also accessible through the
ActiveX programmable interfaces which allow the user to build automated alignment
routines. See Section 2.2. for a full description of the APT system software and
background on the advantages of the ActiveX Control technology.
The key innovation of the APT range of controllers and associated mechanical
products is the ease and speed with which complete automated alignment systems
can be engineered at both the hardware and software level. All controllers in the APT
range are equipped with USB connectivity. The 'multi-drop' USB bus allows multiple
APT units to be connected to a single controller PC using commerical USB hubs and
cables. When planning an alignment application, simply add up the number and type
of drive channels required and connect together the associated number of APT
controllers. In the remainder of this handbook, the Tutorial section (Chapter 4)
provides a good initial understanding on using the unit, and the reference section
(Chapter 5) covers all operating modes and parameters in detail.

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
2.2 APT PC Software Overview
2.2.1 Introduction
As a member of the APT range of controllers, the BPC201 piezo controller shares
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 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
piezo 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 4) and in the
APTUser online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTUser utility.

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Single-Channel Piezo 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 only be
made 'off-line' before running the APT software. These settings have global effect;
such as switching between simulator and real operating mode and incorporation of
calibration data.
The APTConfig utility is provided as a convenient means for making these system
wide settings and adjustments. Full details on using APTConfig are provided in the
online help supplied with the utility.
Use of the APT Config utility is covered in the PC tutorial (Chapter 4) and in the
APTConfig online help file, accessed via the F1 key when using the APTConfig utility.

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Chapter 2
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 BPC201
piezo controller. Software applications that use ActiveX Controls are often referred to
as 'client applications'. Based on ActiveX interfacing technology, 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 a Piezo Drive Card fitted to a BPC201 APT
piezo controller unit (one panel is displayed for each channel (card) fitted).
This Control provides a complete user graphical instrument panel to allow the Piezo
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 Piezo control 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 piezo travel). 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

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
associated Piezo Control to move to a particular position, progress is monitored
automatically by changing position readout on the graphical interface, without the
need for further programming intervention.
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. 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 (available from the
Windows Start menu), 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 pages included on the software installation 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 any problems wheninstalling software, contactThorlabson
[phone] and ask for Technical Support.

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Single-Channel Piezo 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.
Caution
In applications requiring the highest level of accuracy and repeatability,
it is recommended that the controller unit is powered up approximately
30 minutes before use, in order to allow the internal temperature to
stabilize.

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Chapter 3
3.3 Electrical Installation
3.3.1 Connecting To The Supply
3.3.2 Fuses
Two T 2A/250V a.c. antisurge ceramic fuses are located on the back panel, one for
the live feed and one for the neutral.
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.
3.3.3 Powering Down The Unit
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
Warning
The controller may cause drive voltage spikes on power down. In applications
requiring the highest sensitivity, the piezo drive voltage should be set to zero,
and the HV cable disconnected before the unit is powered down.

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
3.3.4 Rear Panel Connections
Fig. 3.1 Rear panel connections
RS232/HANDSET - Provides connection for a remote handset (PHS101) or serial
port communication - see Section A.3. for further details.
USER I/O - The User I/O connector exposes a number of internal electrical signals.
For convenience, a number of logic inputs and outputs are included, thereby
eliminating the need for extra PC based IO hardware. Using the APT support
software, these user programmable logic lines can be deployed in applications
requiring control of external devices such a relays, light sources and other auxillairy
equipment. - see Section A.2. for further details.
USB - USB port for system communications.
EXT IN (+) and EXT IN (-) (BNC connector) – These differential inputs can be used to
control the position of the piezo actuator from an external source, where ±11.74 V
gives maximum piezo displacement. The input impedence is 20kΩ load. Polarity is
selected in the Settings panel (see Section 5.2.) or in software by calling the Piezo
SetIPSource method (see the APTServer helpfile available from the Windows ‘Start’
menu). The difference between the two signals is amplified internally before being
routed to the HV OUT connector. The differential nature of these inputs can be useful
in some applications, as they reject unwanted common mode signals. Although they
are differential, these inputs can also be used in single-ended mode. In this
Note
The USB cable length should be no more than 3 metres unless a powered
USB hub is being used.
!
USB USER IO
EXT IN (-) EXT IN (+) PIEZO IN
RS232
HANDSET
HV OUT
FUSES F1 and F2
T2A
ANTISURGE CERAMIC
85 - 264 VAC
47 - 63Hz 150VA
TRIG IN TRIG OUT

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Chapter 3
configuration, the +ve input can be considered as non-inverting and the -ve input as
inverting. The unused input can simply be left unconnected.
PIEZO IN – For use with piezo actuators with feedback capability. This connector
receives the signal from the position sensor (strain gauge) of the piezo actuator to
provide the feedback for the control loop - see Section A.1. for pin out details.
HV OUT (SMC connector) – 0 to 75V, 0 to 500mA. Provides the drive signal to the
piezo actuator.
TRIG IN – These inputs can be connected directly to mechanical switches, open-
collector type outputs or most type of logic outputs to facilitate an input trigger - see
Section A.2.5. for further details.
TRIG OUT – These outputs can be connected to an oscilloscope, and can also be
used to drive most optocouplers - see Section A.2.4. for further details.
3.4 Front Panel Controls and Indicators
The front panel controls of the BPC201 piezo controller allow the unit to be operated
as a standalone unit, without the need to connect to a PC.
Fig. 3.2 Front panel controls and indicators
Digital Display – Shows the voltage applied to the piezo actuator/stack or the
position (in microns).
Note
The main digital display will flash when the ‘Ident’ button is clicked on the
APT Software GUI panel - see Section 5.1. for further details.
apt Piezo Controller
Zero Open/Closed Loop Resolution
Control
Modes
Volts/Microns
Microns Zeroed Closed

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
Microns LED – Indicates that the display is showing the piezo position in microns. If
the LED is not lit, the display is showing the output voltage in Volts.
Zeroed LED – Indicates that the piezo has been zeroed. This LED flashes during the
zeroing operation.
Closed LED – Indicates that the unit is operating in Closed Loop mode. If the LED is
not lit, the unit is operating in open loop.
Volts/Microns Button – Selects either Volts or Microns to be displayed.
Open/Closed Loop Button – Selects Open or Closed Loop mode.
Zero Button – Initiates the zeroing routine - see Section 3.5.2.
Control Potentiometer – Used to adjust the voltage applied to the piezo actuator/
stack.
Resolution Button – Toggles the ‘Control’ potentiometer between ‘Coarse’ and
‘Fine’ adjustment and ‘Parked’ mode - see Section 3.5.1.
3.5 Button Operation
3.5.1 Resolution Button
The resolution button cycles the behaviour of the Control potentiometer between
‘Coarse’ and ‘Fine’ adjustment, and ‘Parked’ mode.
In ‘Coarse’ mode, one revolution of the pot varies the output by a factor of 10 greater
than in ‘Fine’ mode. In ‘Open loop’ mode, the full 75V range corresponds to about 12
turns of the pot in ‘Coarse’ mode. In ‘Parked’ mode, the ‘Control’ potentiometer is
disabled, and turning it has no effect.
At power up, the resolution defaults to ‘Coarse’.
3.5.2 Zero Button
The position sensor is a strain gauge fitted to the piezo actuator. Due to limitations in
manufacture, the strain gauge may give a small signal when the actuator is at zero
position with zero volts applied. This ‘offset’ signal must be removed before the
position attained by a specific applied voltage and the position attained by a
corresponding specified distance can be rationalized.
Note
The ‘Zero’ and ‘Open/Closed Loop’ buttons perform the same function as
their respective equivalents on the software GUI panel. If a control PC is
connected, pressing these buttons has the same effect as pressing the
correspondingGUI button. Similarly, the ‘Zeroed’ and ‘Closed’ LEDs
correspond to the virtual button lights on the GUI.
The ‘Volts/Microns’ button is similar in function to the ‘Volts’ button on
the GUI but it operates independently. For example, it is possible to
display microns on the GUI but volts on the front panel

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Chapter 3
Each actuator has a unique offset value. Therefore the offset should be adjusted
whenever an actuator is replaced. Temperature and prolonged use can affect the
performance of the strain gauge and therefore the offset value. It is good practice to
adjust the offset value whenever the unit is powered up.
To adjust the offset zero:
1) Click the ‘Zero’ button. Notice that the ‘Zeroed’ led flashes to indicate that zeroing
is in progress and the displayed position counts down towards zero (but may not
reach zero).
2) When the zeroing move has been completed, the ‘Zeroed’ LED is lit.
3.6 Control Potentiometer Operation
The ‘Control’ potentiometer is an infinite turn encoder, used to adjust and set the
voltage or position output as displayed in the main digital display. To increase the
drive voltage, turn the potentiometer clockwise - once the maximum voltage (75V) is
attained, subsequent clockwise turns do not effect the output, however the voltage
decreases immediately the control is turned anticlockwise. Similarly, once the voltage
has been decreased to 0V, subsequent anticlockwise turns do not effect the output,
but the voltage increases immediately the control is turned clockwise.
If the channel is in closed loop mode (set using the 'closed loop' button on the panel)
then this control can be used to adjust position output. If open loop mode is selected
(using the 'open loop' button) then the control is used to adjust the voltage output.
3.6.1 Moving the Piezo using the ‘Control’ Potentiometer
1) Press the ‘Open/Closed Loop’ button until the ‘Closed’ LED is lit. The unit is now
in Closed Loop mode.
2) Press the ‘Volts/Microns’ button until the ‘Microns’ LED is lit. The display now
shows the piezo position in microns.
3) Rotate the ‘Control‘ potentiometer clockwise. Notice how the position display
increments to show the increasing piezo position.
4) Rotate the ‘Output’ control anticlockwise. Notice how the position display
decrements to show the decreasing piezo position.
5) Press the ‘Volts/Microns’ button until the ‘Microns’ LED is extinguished. Notice
how the display changes to show the voltage associated with the current piezo
position.
3.7 Adjusting the Display Brightness
The display brightness can be adjusted in relation to the ambient light conditions.
To adjust the brightness:
1) Press and hold the Resolution button and turn the Control potentiometer.

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Single-Channel Piezo Controller
3.7.1 Connecting The Hardware
1) Connect the piezo actuator to the Controller unit.
2) Connect the Controller unit to the power supply and switch ‘ON’.
3) Connect the Controller unit to your PC.
4) 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) Run the APTUser utility
Start/All Programs/Thorlabs/APT/APT User.
6) Your APT Piezo Controller is now ready for use.
See the Getting Started Guide supplied with the controller or Chapter 4 of this
manual, for a brief tutorial on operation of the unit.
3.8 Verifying Software Operation
3.8.1 Initial Setup
1) Install the APT software as detailed in Section 3.1.
Connect the controller to the actuators (see Section 3.3.4.) and the PC, then switch
ON. Wait approximately 5 seconds for the system to settle.
2) Run the APTUser utility and check that the Graphical User Interface (GUI) panel
appears and is active.
Fig. 3.3 Gui panel showing jog and ident buttons
Note
The USB cable should be no more than 3 metres in length. Communication
lengths in excess of 3 metres can be achieved by using a powered USB hub).
Caution
In applications requiring the highest level of accuracy and repeatability, it
is recommended that the controller unit is powered up approximately 30
minutes before use, in order to allow the internal temperature to stabilize.

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Chapter 3
3) Click the ‘Ident’ button. The associated channel LED on the front panel of the
controller flashes. This is useful in multi-channel systems for identifying which
channel is associated with which GUI.
4) Click the jog buttons on the GUI panel to move the piezo or axis connected to the
controller. The position display for the associated GUI should increment and
decrement accordingly.
Follow the tutorial described in Chapter 4 for further guidance on basic 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 and testing. 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 4.8. or the
APTConfig helpfile for detailed instructions.