THORLABS FW102C User manual

FW102C
Motorized Filter Wheel
User Guide
Rev D, May 15, 2013

Table of Contents
Chapter 1Warning Symbol Definitions..............................................................................................3
Chapter 2Safety....................................................................................................................................4
Chapter 3Description...........................................................................................................................5
3.1.Features ...........................................................................................................................5
3.2.New Design......................................................................................................................5
3.3.Shipping Inventory..........................................................................................................6
Chapter 4Basic Operation...................................................................................................................7
4.1.Changing and Removing the Filters..............................................................................7
4.2.Mounting..........................................................................................................................7
4.3.Power................................................................................................................................7
4.4.Aperture ...........................................................................................................................8
4.5.Manual Control................................................................................................................8
4.6.External Trigger...............................................................................................................8
Chapter 5Software Control..................................................................................................................9
5.1.Application Software Operation.....................................................................................9
5.1.1.Minimum PC Requirements ..................................................................................................9
5.2.Command Line Interface ................................................................................................9
5.2.1.Command Structure ..............................................................................................................9
5.2.2.Query Structure.....................................................................................................................9
5.2.3.Keywords (Commands and Queries)..................................................................................10
5.3.ActiveX Control .............................................................................................................11
Chapter 6Trouble Shooting and Maintenance................................................................................12
6.1.Removing the Filter Holder ..........................................................................................12
Chapter 7Specifications.....................................................................................................................13
7.1.Performance ..................................................................................................................13
7.2.Electrical ........................................................................................................................13
7.3.Physical characteristics and Interface........................................................................13
Chapter 8Mechanical Drawings.........................................................................................................14
Chapter 9Regulatory...........................................................................................................................15
9.1.Waste Treatment is Your Own Responsibility............................................................15
9.2.Ecological Background ................................................................................................15
Chapter 10Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts..........................................................................................16

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 1: Warning Symbol Definitions
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 3
Chapter 1 Warning Symbol Definitions
Below is a list of warning symbols you may encounter in this manual or on your device.
Symbol Description
Direct Current
Alternating Current
Both Direct and Alternating Current
Earth Ground Terminal
Protective Conductor Terminal
Frame or Chassis Terminal
Equipotentiality
On (Supply)
Off (Supply)
In Position of a Bi-Stable Push Control
Out Position of a Bi-Stable Push Control
Caution: Risk of Electric Shock
Caution: Hot Surface
Caution: Risk of Danger
Warning: Laser Radiation
Caution: Spinning Blades May Cause Harm

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 2: Safety
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 4
Chapter 2 Safety
All statements regarding safety of operation and technical data in this instruction manual will only apply when the
unit is operated correctly.

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 3: Description
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 5
Chapter 3 Description
The FW102C is a high-precision, motor-driven filter wheel used for a host of applications, including color CCD
photography, fluorescence microscopy, and photometry.
The unit consists of a control unit, a filter wheel housing, and a removable Ø4" filter wheel. The filter wheel
accommodates up to six Ø1" filters or optics. Filter selection can be made manually from the push button controls
on the display panel or remotely from a USB 2.0 interface, a serial port, or a TTL level active low (BNC) input. The
FW102C contains an active display to indicate the selected filter and two separate aperture openings at the top of
unit and at 210° degrees (See the drawing on Page 14).
The FW102C is designed to ensure an accuracy of greater than ±1°. The FW102C easily mounts to our lens tube
systems and optical instruments via two SM1 (1.035"-40) threaded mounts. Adapters are available to interface to
other popular camera, microscope, and telescope thread sizes. The filter wheel is also compatible with Thorlabs’
30 mm cage systems, each port has the required four 4-40 tapped holes to mount the cage rods. The FW102C
also features #8 and M6 tapped holes for mounting to steel posts. Two 1/4"-20 and M6 tapped holes allow the
filter wheel to be mounted to a plate. The flexible mounting system makes the FW102C ideal for both instrument
and laboratory applications.
The device comes with a CD-ROM that contains a WindowsTM -based, standalone application program. In
addition, an OCX is provided to allow easy integrated instrumentation software development. Sample code is
provided for LabVIEWTM and C++ code development. The filter wheel can also be controlled via a set of
command line prompts using terminal server software, allowing users to create scripts in their own programs.
The unit is powered via a 12 VDC input (converter supplied with unit).
3.1. Features
•Automated Computer Control Capability (Application Software Provided)
•Holds Six ∅1” Filters
•External Trigger In (Increment Control)
•External Trigger Out (Provisioned from Software)
•Bidirectional Controls
•700 ms Typical Access Time
•Selectable Aperture Openings at 0°and 210°
•Dimmable Display
3.2. New Design
The FW102C features a new, more robust design compared to the older FW102B. The filter wheel is turned using
a powerful and reliable stepper motor and worm gear. This design will provide millions of wheel changes over its
life time.
ATTENTION
Due to play in the gears, some noise can be heard during operation and when moving or shaking
the device. There are virtually no small parts that can come loose inside the device. This noise is
normal and not indicative of a problem.
! !

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 3: Description
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 6
3.3. Shipping Inventory
The FW102C is shipped with the following:
Part Description Quantity
Controller with Filter Housing 1
FW102C Filter Wheel 1
12 V DC Converter 1
Power Cord 1
USB Cable 1
SM1CP2 End Cap 2
SM1RR Retaining Ring 6
Figure 1 Filter Wheel System

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 4: Basic Operation
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 7
Chapter 4 Basic Operation
The following sections describe the basic operation of the motorized filter wheel and application software.
4.1. Changing and Removing the Filters
WARNING
Prior to changing filters, ensure that the power is off and the unit is
disconnected from the DC source.
The filters can be changed by first removing the filter wheel cover, which is held in place with a single
thumbscrew. Filters can then be inserted into the desired locations. The filters are secured to the wheel via
SM1RR-1CT retaining rings, which are included with the unit. For easy access, the entire filter wheel can be lifted
out of the filter wheel housing. Please note that the rear edge of the threaded filter holes contain a retaining lip
that secures one edge of a Ø1" filter. Some filters with a Ø25 mm may need to be mounted between two SM1RR-
1CT retaining rings.
When replacing the filter wheel in the housing, slip the wheel over the shaft and turn slightly to allow the gears to
mesh. Replace the cover and tighten the thumb screw. It is not necessary to return the wheel to any particular
orientation, since the unit will reorient automatically when the power is turned on.
4.2. Mounting
The base of the unit contains an array of mounting holes for attaching to steel posts or directly to other mounting
plates. See Figure 2 below for whole sizes and locations.
Figure 2 Filter Wheel Mounting Holes
The filter wheel cover contains SM1 threads for attaching lens tubes or for mounting the unit directly to cameras,
microscopes, and telescopes. The filter wheel can be attached directly to Thorlabs’ 30 mm cage systems via four
4-40 tapped holes that surround each port.
4.3. Power
The unit comes with an AC wall adapter to supply 12 VDC to the unit. Plug the 2.1 mm plug from the AC adapter
into the DC input jack on the unit. The ON/OFF (0/1) switch is located on the side of the unit. Upon power up, the
unit will display the filter number that is located at the selected aperture. If the wheel is not located at a valid
location, it will rotate to the closest valid position.
2X M6 X 1.0" - 6H 0.319" (8.10 mm)
2 X 1/4"-20 UNC 0.312" (7.92 mm)
(25.40
mm)
1.00"
(25.40
mm)
1.00"
(50.80
mm)
2.00"
M4 X 0.7" - 6H 0.312" (7.92 mm)
8-32 UNC 0.328" (8.33 mm)
(3.18 mm)
0.13"

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 4: Basic Operation
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 8
4.4. Aperture
The unit has two aperture locations labeled “A” and “B” for the 0°and 120°positions, respectively (see Figure 3
below). The A/B switch on the side of the unit selects the aperture.
Figure 3 Filter Wheel Apertures
4.5. Manual Control
Pushing the ▲/ ▼arrow buttons on the top of the unit will adjust the filter location. The arrows indicate the
direction of the wheel’s rotation, and the display will indicate the filter selection. The display brightness can be
adjusted using a small screwdriver at the hole marked DIM.
4.6. External Trigger
The unit may be remotely triggered to advance to the next position. This is done by applying an active low pulse
to the BNC trigger input. The input is TTL compatible and should not exceed 5 V. Because the input is internally
pulled up, the trigger will operate with a passive connection to ground. The trigger mode defaults on power up to
an input mode. Software provisioning can, however, change the trigger mode to an output mode. In the output
mode, the unit generates an active high 10 ms pulse (TTL level) to indicate that the wheel has completed its
rotation to the selected position. This pulse may be used to activate other equipment. The trigger can be changed
to the output mode from the application software or by sending the command “Trig=1” over the USB interface.
SM1 (Ø1.035"-40)
Thread 0.15" Deep
2 Places Both Sides
(29.46
mm)
1.16"
(25.52
mm)
1.00"
210°
0°
(14.73
mm)
0.58"

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 5: Software Control
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 9
Chapter 5 Software Control
5.1. Application Software Operation
The FW102C comes with a CD-ROM that contains application software to control the unit using USB 2.0, or
RS232, from a PC. (See Thorlabs Motorized Filter Wheel Software Manual).
5.1.1. Minimum PC Requirements
The application program requires a minimum of a Pentium-class machine running Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP,
Vista, or Windows 7.
5.2. Command Line Interface
The FW102C can also be controlled by a command line language through the USB or RS232 ports. This is
offered to enable operation through a terminal interface or for those who may want to write their own program to
control the wheel. Prior to running the command line interface, the unit should be powered, and a USB or RS232
cable should be connected between the FW102C and the host. The terminal emulator should be configured as
follows:
Parameter Setting
Baud Rate 115.2 K Bits per Second
Data Bits 8
Parity None
Stop Bits 1
Flow Control None
If the connection is correct, you will see the following message after pushing the Enter key:
Command error CMD_NOT_DEFINED
This message will be followed immediately by the prompt:
>
The basic structure of the interface is a keyword followed by either an equals sign “=” or a question mark “?”. The
“=” or “?” will determine if the string is a command or a query. All strings (commands and queries) must be
terminated by a carriage return (CR) or pressing the ENTER key on the computer.
5.2.1. Command Structure
Keyword = argument (CR)
Here, keyword defines the function, and argument is a numerical value followed by a carriage return (CR).
5.2.2. Query Structure
Keyword? (CR)
Keyword defines the function, and the question mark (?) indicates a query. The string is terminated with a
carriage return (CR). Exceptions to this and unique shortcut keys are given in the table on page xxx.
The prompt symbol “>” will appear on power-up and after a command is accepted by the FW102C and indicates
that the FW102C is ready to receive another command line.

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 5: Software Control
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 10
5.2.3. Keywords (Commands and Queries)
The following table describes all of the available commands and queries:
Command Syntax Description
Get ID *idn? Returns the model number and firmware version
Set Position pos=n Moves the wheel to filter position n
Set Position Count pcount=n Sets the wheel type where n is 6 or 12
Get Position Count pcount=? Returns the wheel type
Set Trigger Mode trig=0 Sets the external trigger to the input mode
trig=1 Sets the external trigger to the output mode
Get Trigger Mode Trig? Returns the trigger mode
Set Speed Mode speed=0 Sets the move profile to slow speed
speed=1 Sets the move profile to high speed
Get Speed Mode speed? Returns the move profile mode
Set Sensor Mode sensors=0 Sensors turn off when wheel is idle to eliminate stray light
sensors=1 Sensors remain active
Get Sensor Mode sensors? Returns the sensor mode
Set Baud Rate baud=0 Sets the baud rate to 9600
baud=1 Sets the baud rate to 115200
Get Baud Rate baud? Returns the baud rate where 0 = 9600 and 1 = 115200
Save Settings save This will save all the settings as default on power up
aAll commands and queries are in lower case letters.
If the keyword, format, or argument are incorrect or out of range, the unit will return an error string.
In addition to the commands given above, there is also special functionality added to the arrow keys of the
computer’s keyboard:
Key Description
Up Arrow Increments the filter position by 1
Down Arrow Decrements the filter position by 1

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 5: Software Control
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 11
5.3. ActiveX Control
An ActiveX control, FW102.ocx, is installed with the software. This feature can also be used to control the wheel
from an environment that supports ActiveX. The methods and properties supported by the ActiveX control are
described below:
Methods Description
AboutBox Displays a dialog box with information about Thorlabs
SelectComPort Displays a dialog box to select the com port that the filter wheel is connected to
SelectBaudRate Displays a dialog box to select the desired baud rate for communications
ShowDialog Displays a dialog box to control the filter wheel
OpenPort Opens the com port
ClosePort Closes the com port
IncrementPosition Advances the wheel one position clockwise
DecrementPosition Advances the wheel one position counterclockwise
SaveCalibrationData Saves the current motor parameters
GetCommands Lists the available commands
Properties Description
ID Gets the product name and firmware version of the filter wheel
ComPort Sets/Gets the com port for communications with the filter wheel
BaudRate Sets/Gets the baud rate for communications with the filter wheel
PortOpen Gets the status of the com port
Position Gets/Sets the current filter position
MaxVelocity Gets/Sets the maximum velocity
Acceleration Gets/Sets the acceleration rate
PositionCount Gets/Sets the number of filter position in the wheel
SensorsAlwaysOn Gets/Sets a flag to indicate if optical sensors should remain on after move
TriggerType Gets/Sets trigger mode to input or output
MinVelocity Gets/Sets the minimum velocity
CalibrationPassword Sets the calibration password for saving motor parameters
ElapsedTime Gets the time last move took in milliseconds
StatusWord Gets the result of the last move
SpeedProfile Gets/Sets the current speed profile

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Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 7: Specifications
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 13
Chapter 7 Specifications
7.1. Performance
Parameter Min Typical Max
Access Time (Adjacent Locations) - 900 ms -
Access Time (Other Locations) - 2500 ms -
Accuracy / Repeatability -
±
0.5°±1°
Expected Cycles 1.5 x 10
6
- -
7.2. Electrical
Parameter Min Typical Max
BNC Input Trigger
Max Rate - - 0.5 pulses/sec
Minimum Pulse Width 1.0 ms - -
BNC Input Triggera
Input High 3.3 V 4.5 V 5.3 V
Input Low 0.3 V 0.0 V 1.0 V
BNC Output Trigger
Output Pulse Width 9.0 ms 10.0 ms 11.0 ms
Output High
b
2.5 V (1 KΩ) 3.3 V (1.95 KΩ) 5.0 V (Hi Z)
Output Lowa 0.0 V 0.0 V 1.0 V
Power (DC Input, 1 A) 11.75 VDC 12 VDC 12.25 VDC
Operating Temperature 0 °C - 60 °C
aThe BNC input trigger is an active low input. The input has an internal 1 KΩinput resistor. Grounding the center conductor of
the jack will activate the trigger.
bWhen operating as an output, the unit output driver is configured in series with a 1 KΩresistor.
7.3. Physical characteristics and Interface
Parameter Description
Trigger Jack BNC Female
Power Jack Male 2.1 MM
USB Connector Mini B
Mounting (2) 1/4"-20, 8-32, (2) M6, M4, (2) SM1 Thread
Filter Diameter 1" (25.4 mm)
Max Planar Filter Width 0.25" (6.35 mm)
Dimensions (L x W x H) 5.44" x 1.85" x 4.39"
(138 mm x 47 mm x 112 mm)
Weight (Without Power Supply) 1.65 lbs. (0.75 kg)

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 8: Mechanical Drawings
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 14
Chapter 8 Mechanical Drawings
SM1 (Ø1.035"-40)
Thread 0.15"
Deep
2 Places Both Sides
(Ø56.36
mm)
Ø2.22"
(29.46
mm)
1.16"
(25.52
mm)
1.00"
(70.14
mm)
2.76"
(14.73
mm)
0.58" (130.78 mm)
5.15"
(135.41 mm)
5.33"
2X M6 X 1.0" - 6H 0.319" (8.10 mm)
(18.67
mm)
0.74"
2X 1/4"-20 UNC 0.312" (7.92 mm)
(25
mm)
0.98"
(25.40
mm)
1.00"
(25.40
mm)
1.00"
(50.80
mm)
2.00"
M4 X 0.7" - 6H 0.312" (7.92 mm)
8 X4-40 UNC 0.100" (2.54 mm)
For 30 mm Cage Plate
(90.39 mm)
3.56"
(50
mm)
1.97"
(25
mm)
0.98"
8-32 UNC 0.328" (8.33 mm)
(3.18 mm)
0.13"
(15.56 mm)
0.61"
(31.12 mm)
1.23"
(10.80 mm)
0.43"
In/Out Trigger
Serial Port
USB Port
Power
Front
Side
Bottom

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 9: Regulatory
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 15
Chapter 9 Regulatory
As required by the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) of the European Community and
the corresponding national laws, Thorlabs offers all end users in the EC the possibility to return “end of life” units
without incurring disposal charges.
•This offer is valid for Thorlabs electrical and electronic equipment:
•Sold after August 13, 2005
•Marked correspondingly with the crossed out “wheelie bin” logo (see right)
•Sold to a company or institute within the EC
•Currently owned by a company or institute within the EC
•Still complete, not disassembled and not contaminated
As the WEEE directive applies to self-contained operational electrical and electronic products, this end of life take
back service does not refer to other Thorlabs products, such as:
•Pure OEM products, that means assemblies to be built into a unit by the user (e. g. OEM laser driver
cards)
•Components
•Mechanics and optics
•Left over parts of units disassembled by the user (PCB’s, housings etc.).
If you wish to return a Thorlabs unit for waste recovery, please contact Thorlabs or your nearest dealer for further
information.
9.1. Waste Treatment is Your Own Responsibility
If you do not return an “end of life” unit to Thorlabs, you must hand it to a company specialized in waste recovery.
Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site.
9.2. Ecological Background
It is well known that WEEE pollutes the environment by releasing toxic products during decomposition. The aim of
the European RoHS directive is to reduce the content of toxic substances in electronic products in the future.
The intent of the WEEE directive is to enforce the recycling of WEEE. A controlled recycling of end of life products
will thereby avoid negative impacts on the environment.
Wheelie Bin Logo

Motorized Filter Wheel Chapter 10: Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts
Rev D, May 15, 2013 Page 16
Chapter 10 Thorlabs Worldwide Contacts
For technical support or sales inquiries, please visit us at www.thorlabs.com/contact for our most up-to-
date contact information.
USA, Canada, and South America
Thorlabs, Inc.
s[email protected]
[e-mail]
Europe
Thorlabs GmbH
[email protected]
France
Thorlabs SAS
[email protected]
Japan
Thorlabs Japan, Inc.
[email protected]
UK and Ireland
Thorlabs Ltd.
[email protected]
[e-mail]
Scandinavia
Thorlabs Sweden AB
[email protected]
Brazil
Thorlabs Vendas de Fotônicos Ltda.
[email protected]
China
Thorlabs China
[email protected]

www.thorlabs.com