Zaber Technologies Inc. X Series User manual

Simplifying Motion Control www.zaber.com
ZABER TECHNOLOGIES
X-Series Device
Getting Started Guide

www.zaber.com
PRECAUTIONS 1
MAINTENANCE 2
RETURNS, WARRANTY, AND REPAIRS 2
COMMON TERMINOLOGY 3
QUICK SET-UP CHECKLIST 4
CONNECT 5
Peripherals 5
Daisy-chaining 5
Computer Connection: USB 6
Power Connection 6
Vacuum Devices 4
CONFIGURE 7
Zaber Console 7
COM Ports 7
Renumber 8
Peripheral IDs 8
Protocol 9
Contents
VERSION 2.0 PDF download: www.zaber.com/XSeriesGettingStarted.pdf
CONTROL 9
Software 9
Zaber Console 9
Programming Libraries 10
Resolution - Stepper & Servo Motors 10
I/Os & Triggers 12
Servo Device Tuning 12
Manual Knobs 18
Joystick 19
TROUBLESHOOTING 21
Firmware Update 21
Slipping and Stalling 21
Resetting to Factory Default 21
Indicators 22

1 ZABER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Getting Started Guide
Precautions
1. Zaber’s devices may produce enough force to cause personal
injury. Be careful to keep hair, body parts, jewelry, and clothing
from being caught in moving components. Pinch labels are
used on our devices to indicate areas of particular concern.
2. During continuous operation, a device’s motor may get hot.
Some models may reach 90°C or more (this is noted in the
manual and heat warning stickers are included on affected
surfaces). This is generally expected behaviour; take caution
when handling the motors of devices during or after operation.
Burnt smells or smoke are not expected during normal
operation; if encountered, discontinue operation and contact
Customer Support.
3. To reduce the risk of electrostatic damage, avoid touching the
electrical contacts of the data cables included with your device(s).
4. Before storing your device(s), retract any extended components
in order to keep them clean and to protect them from damage.
5. Do not expose device(s) to vibration or shock.
6. Do not expose device(s) to extreme conditions, such as
temperatures exceeding device ratings, radiation, and dusty or
humid environments.
7. Do not submerse device(s) in liquid.
8. Do not disassemble. Zaber devices do not contain
user-serviceable parts. Please contact Customer Support for
service and/or repairs.
9. Check the manual online for any additional precautions and
warnings related to your devices.

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Maintenance
Most of our positioners do not require regular maintenance. Lead
screws and rails do not need to be greased (unless otherwise
specied in the user manual). If a component is exposed to dust
or dirt, it should be gently wiped with isopropyl alcohol. We do
not recommend using stronger solvents, as they can damage
non-metal components. Please refer to our online manuals at
www.zaber.com/support for maintenance information on your
specic positioner.
Returns, Warranty, and Repairs
All of Zaber’s standard products (those that appear on our website)
are backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not
satised with your purchase for any reason, you may return the
item(s) in saleable and unmarked condition within 30 days of the
purchase date for a refund, less applicable shipping costs.
High vacuum (10-6 Torr) devices cannot be returned for refund
once they have been removed from their sealed packaging.
All standard products are warrantied against defects in
manufacture and design for one full year from the purchase date.
This warranty excludes products that have been misused,
modied, or disassembled by the customer. Misuse includes
operating the devices in abnormal conditions, such as in extreme
temperatures, in proximity of radiation or strong magnets, or in wet
environments. If you are not sure whether your conditions are
acceptable under our warranty, please contact Customer Support.
Aside from issues covered under warranty, we are also happy to
inspect any other problems that may arise, and we offer reasonably
priced repairs. Simply email [e-mail] for assistance.
Please refer to www.zaber.com/policies for more information
about our policies.

3 ZABER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Getting Started Guide
Common Terminology
Positioner
A motorized product with moving mechanics, such as a linear
stage, a rotational stage, or a stepper motor.
Peripheral
A positioner that includes a motor and mechanics but does not
include an integrated controller. Peripherals are designed for use
with Zaber’s motor controllers, but they can also be used with
compatible third-party motor drivers and controllers.
Device
A stand-alone controller or a positioner with an integrated
controller. Stand-alone controllers are designed for use with
Zaber’s peripherals, but they can also be used with compatible
third-party motors.
Joystick
A product that allows multi-axis manual input and push-button
input for positioners. Joysticks do not function as controllers;
instead, they are designed to communicate with Zaber’s motor
controllers when connected in series.
X-Series, A-Series, and T-Series
Devices that share common features, such as connectors,
protocols, and power. The series is indicated by the rst letter of the
device’s name. For example, the X-LSM025A model belongs to the
X-Series family. This guide specically relates to X-Series devices.
See an older version of the manual for setup instructions for
T-Series or A-Series devices at www.zaber.com/GettingStarted.pdf.
Closed-Loop and Servo Devices
For Zaber devices, closed-loop refers to any device where encoder
feedback is used to inform the trajectory of the controller. Servo
devices refer to a sub-set of these where encoder feedback is also
required for the driver. Servo devices include linear motor and
direct-drive stages.
Stepper motor devices with encoders use closed-loop control
but are not servo devices, as the driver controls stepping directly
without encoder feedback. Encoder feedback is still used to inform
the trajectory of the controller on these.
Servo devices require tuning of their control loop to get the best
performance (more on page 12). They also use encoder counts as
their unit of resolution, as opposed to stepper motors, which use
microsteps (more on page 10).

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Quick Set-up Checklist
Checklist Item Page
qCheck for and remove shipping guards or fasteners
(select devices) 4
qConnect to peripheral (if using a peripheral) 5
qConnect daisy-chain (if using multiple devices) 5
qConnect to computer 6
qConnect power 6
qInstall USB drivers (if using USB) 7
qInstall Zaber Console 7
qCongure communication (optional) 7
qMove device to home position with knob
to conrm set-up 18
qFine tune the servo control loop after mounting a load
(servo devices only) 12
Shipping Guards
Some devices include guards, such as plates, inserts,
covers, or fasteners, which prevent movement of devices
during shipping and limit potential damage from shock
loads. If they are present for a device, they will either be
clearly visible and intuitive to remove or clearly marked with
labels and instructions. Following those instructions, remove
any such components before powering the device. Read the
manual online for more details on shipping security features.
Vacuum Devices
While some of the information covered in this guide
applies to our vacuum compatible devices, please refer
to the online product manuals for detailed connection
recommendations or read our technical article on
“Considerations for Vacuum Applications”:
www.zaber.com/VacuumTechnicalArticle

5 ZABER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Getting Started Guide
Connect
Most systems will be quick and easy to connect with four steps. Our Quick Set-Up Tool also provides specic connection recommendations,
which you can nd here: www.zaber.com/QuickSetupTool
Connect Daisy-chain (if applicable)
Connect multiple devices in series to create
a chain. They will share power and a single
computer connection.
X-Series devices can be daisy-chained using an
M8 cable, such as the X-DC02.
*Drivers may be required if COM port does not appear. Download and installation instructions here: www.zaber.com/software
†Drivers are required. Download link and installation instructions can be found here: www.zaber.com/USB
Connect Peripherals (if applicable)
If using a stand-alone controller, plug it into the
motorized axis.
Depending on the controller and peripheral, the motor cable
may be an MC03 (DB-15 M-F), MC10T3 (DB15 to DB26), or
MC10 (DB26 M-F) cable. Cables are high-ex with specic
wire bundling; using cables from Zaber is recommended.

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Connect Power
Connect a power supply to a device in the chain
to power the whole chain.
Devices connect to a 24-48VDC power supply. The number
of devices you can power will depend on the combined draw
of the devices and the current capacity of the power supply.
Connect USB
Connect the rst controller (built into the device or stand-alone) to
your computer via USB using the cables included (if you ordered an
accessory kit).
X-Series devices can connect to a computer’s
USB port with an X-USBDC* cable.
Stand-alone controllers also have the option to
connect directly to a computer’s USB port with
a U-DC06†cable.

7 ZABER TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Getting Started Guide
Select COM port from Serial
Port dropdown menu
Configure
Zaber Console
Zaber Console is our free, open-source software. For initial
conguration of your device(s), we strongly suggest using Zaber
Console for its ease of use.
A download link and installation instructions are available online:
www.zaber.com/software/ZaberConsole
The following conguration sections are based on Zaber Console.
Please contact Customer Support if you would like to use any other
software. More information about Zaber Console and other software
options is included in the Control section (page 9) of this guide.
COM Ports
A COM port is a specic serial connection on a computer, such as
COM1 or COM3. When connected via USB, your computer should
create a virtual COM port that will be available only when the
device is connected. To start communication between computer
and device, select the appropriate COM port. If you are not sure
which to choose, please contact Customer Support.

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Protocol (ASCII) and baud rate (115200) shown in the Serial Port dropdown menu
Zaber Console will detect which devices are connected to that
port, and those devices will be displayed in the Device List if they
all share the same communication protocol and baud rate. The
protocol and baud rate of the found devices are shown in the Serial
Port menu.
Renumber
If multiple devices are connected in a daisy-chain, Zaber Console
will likely ask you if it can renumber the devices. This will set the
device numbers such that the one connected to the computer is
device 1, the next in the chain is device 2, and so on.
ZABER.COM
VSR20A-T3
SN: 12333 PID: 44456
Product name
Scannable QR code (directs
to Quick Set-up page):
www.zaber.com/QuickSetup
Peripheral or
device IDSerial number
Peripheral IDs
Stand alone Zaber controllers are designed to work easily with
Zaber peripherals. Peripherals with the Auto Detect feature,
identied by an “A” at the end of the model name, will be
automatically recodnized and congured by the controller.
If either your Zaber peripheral was purchased before June 2020, or
if the peripheral is a vacuum compatible one, enter the peripheral
ID (found on the label) in Zaber Console to congure initial
settings.