THORLABS DDS300 (01) PDF MANUAL

Warning:

• 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 absorbent tissue. Do not allow spilled fluid to enter the internal mechanism.
• When bolting the stage to the work surface and when fixing a load to the top platform, high tightening torque of the attachment bolts can result in an increased resistive force on the moving platform. This in turn can lead to degraded performance and may require the PID parameters to be adjusted. As a general guide, 70 N·cm is a recommended nominal torque when tightening the attachment bolts.
• The motor controller must be switched OFF before the stages are plugged in or unplugged. Failure to switch the controller off may result in damage to either the controller, the stage, or both.
• When running custom move sequences, or under fault conditions, the stage may move unexpectedly. Operators should take care when working inside the moving envelope of the stage.
• 3-phase brushless DC motors are commutated electronically. On power up, the position of the coil housing 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) may make a slight buzzing noise and move slightly. Phase initialization can only take place if the motor can move unobstructed during this time. Before powering up the BBD controller, ensure that the stage movement is unobstructed.

The safety of any system incorporating this equipment is the responsibility of the person performing the installation.

Note:

• During handling or shipping, the moving platform must be constrained to avoid damage to the bearings.
• Retain the packing in which the unit was shipped, for use in future transportation.
• Two handles are shipped with the unit to assist in handling. These handles should be fitted to the center hole at either end of the stage. The handles require a minimum of three turns to ensure safe load bearing of the product.

Caution:

• Once removed from its packaging, the stage can be easily damaged by mishandling. The unit should only be handled by its base, not by any attachments to the moving platform.

Warning: Operation outside the following environmental limits may adversely affect operator safety.

• Location: Indoor use only
• Maximum altitude: 2000 m
• Temperature range: 5 to 40°C (41 to 104°F)
• 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. The unit must not be used in an explosive environment.

Warning: The stage is not suitable for mounting in a vertical (Z-axis) configuration.

Caution:

• The performance of the stage could be affected if the mounting surface is not flat to within 200 µm. Care should be taken when bolting the stage to the worksurface, to ensure that the base does not warp, which could cause stiffness to be experienced in the bearing rails. Shims should be fitted as necessary.
• When mounting the stage close to other equipment, ensure that the travel of the moving platform is not obstructed. If equipment mounted on the moving platform is driven against a solid object, damage to the internal mechanism could occur. The range of travel is 300 mm (11.81″).
• When considering the stage movement in the proximity of other objects or equipment, ensure that movement of cables connected to the moving carriage is not impeded.
• When bolting the stage to the work surface and when fixing a load to the top platform, high tightening torque of the attachment bolts can result in an increased resistive force on the moving platform. This in turn can lead to degraded performance and may require the PID parameters to be adjusted. As a general guide, 70 N·cm is a recommended nominal torque when tightening the attachment bolts.
• High drag forces can adversely affect phase initialization, homing, positioning accuracy and general reliability. Take care to minimize drag caused by attachments to the moving platform (cables, tubing, electrical wiring), especially when the stage is changing direction.
• Ensure that any devices and components attached to the moving platform are securely fastened. Incorrectly attached components could come loose when the stage is operated.

The DDS300 stage is mounted to the work surface by four M6 x 25 mm (1/4″-20 x 1″) screws. The mounting holes are accessed from the top of the stage. Using a diagonal pattern, tighten the mounting bolts.
Caution: The performance of the stage could be affected if the mounting surface is not flat. Care should be taken when bolting the stage to the worksurface, to ensure that the base plate does not warp, which could cause stiffness to be experienced in the bearing rails. Shims should be fitted as necessary. After mounting the stage to the work surface, if any increased resistance is experienced when moving the top platform, the likely cause is over tightening/torquing of the mounting bolts. As a general guide, 70 N·cm is a recommended nominal torque when tightening the attachment bolts. Please contact tech support for more information.

The stage can also be mounted on its side, using two AP90RL(/M) brackets. Using a diagonal pattern, tighten the mounting bolts. The cable exit will be on the right-hand side in this configuration.

Caution: The D-Type shell of the motor connector houses an ID chip which could be damaged if the plug is opened. The encoder connector houses circuitry which could be easily damaged by static discharge. Under no circumstances should these plugs be opened or removed (e.g. to facilitate cable routing).

The stage must be driven by a Thorlabs BBD series (BBD30x or BBD10x for legacy APT) and RBD201 controllers.

Connect the motor leads (round 8-Pin DIN Connector) to the MOTOR DRIVE connectors on the controller, and the encoder feedback leads (D-type connector) to the FEEDBACK connectors. Ensure that the motor drive and feedback leads for each motor are connected to the correct channel.
Warning: The motor controller must be switched OFF before the stages are plugged in or unplugged.

Pin	Function	Pin	Function
1	Motor Phase V	5	Stage ID
2	GND	6	GND
3	Thermistor (not used)	7	Motor Phase W
4	Motor Phase U	8	Enable

Pin	Function	Pin	Function
1	Not Used	9	GND
2	GND	10	Limit Switch +
3	Not Used	11	Limit Switch –
4	Enc Index –	12	Enc Index +
5	QB –	13	QB +
6	QA –	14	QA +
7	+5 V	15	Not Used
8	-5 V

Caution: Thorlabs often releases updated firmware. We recommend all users download the latest version of Kinesis software and use the included firmware update utility. Failure to do this could result in stages not being recognized by the latest controllers.
1. Make electrical connections as detailed previously. Remember the controller must be OFF when connecting/disconnecting. 2. Move the moving platform a few times over its full range of travel to overcome any storage resistance, then position the moving platform near its central position. 3. Warning: Ensure the stage movement is unobstructed before powering up. On power up, the stage may move slightly during phase initialization. 4. Power up the controller and wait for 10 seconds until the Channel Enable LEDs start flashing. 5. Home the stage: * If a joystick control (MJC001) is being used, press and hold the ‘High/Low’ button for 2 seconds, then release to home the stage. When homing is complete, the green LED stops flashing. * If no joystick is being used, run the software utility (Kinesis or APT) and click the ‘Home’ button on each GUI panel. When homing is complete, the Channel Enable LEDs stop flashing. 6. The stage can now be moved using the joystick, GUI panel, or by setting commands via software. Refer to the BBD controller handbook and software help files for details.
Note: Homing is necessary because the stage’s absolute position is unknown at power-up. Homing moves the stage to find a reference marker on the encoder scale, resetting the position counter. The software then shows an absolute position value.

1. If not already running, start the Kinesis software (Start/Programs/Thorlabs/Kinesis/Kinesis). The server reads stage and controller information, and the GUI panel is displayed. 2. The stage is shipped with default parameter settings loaded via an EEPROM in the MOTOR DRIVE connector. These are tuned for loads up to 3.0 kg at speeds up to 100 mm/s. 3. Depending on the specific load, speed, and duty cycle, it may be necessary to optimize the Position PID loop settings for stability, lost motion, or incomplete moves. Click the Settings button, select the ‘Advanced’ tab. 4. Create a Custom Settings Group (see Kinesis helpfile) and adjust the PID settings (Proportional, Integral, Derivative) to fine-tune the control loop. 5. After changes, click the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ box, then ‘OK’ to save settings for future use, even without a PC. Caution: If settings are persisted and the stage is changed, further adjustment may be needed.

Refer to the handbook supplied with the BBD301 control unit for more details on PID settings.
Caution: Default PID values are optimized and stored within the stage, loaded on power up. Adjust only if problems like instability, lost motion, or incomplete moves occur. Normally, only minor adjustments are needed.
Fig. 4.3 in the PDF provides guidelines on recommended PID values for a given load when the top plate resistive force profile is 2 to 5 N. If the force is outside this range, contact Tech Support. When extracting values from the graph, note the scale in the legend box: Integral limit values are divided by 10, and derivative time values are multiplied by 100 on the graph.
Note: For a given load, a deviation of typically ±10% from the values in Fig. 4.3 may be necessary.

• If the stage struggles to reach the final position: increase the values in 5% increments until satisfactory performance is achieved.
• If the stage overshoots or is unstable during move: reduce the values in 5% decrements until satisfactory performance is achieved.

Please see the handbook supplied with the controller for more information on changing these settings.
Caution: For operation at temperatures outside the normal room temperature range (5 to 40°C), the PID parameters may require optimization.
Caution: In applications requiring high speed/acceleration or high loads, some heating of the stage may occur and dimensional stability may be affected, potentially reducing repeatability and accuracy. For critical applications, allow the stage temperature to reach a steady state before measurements, or reduce the load, acceleration, and duty cycle.

During operation, the stage can be stopped at any time by clicking the ‘Stop’ button on the Kinesis or APT GUI panel. Using this button does not remove power to the drive channel.

The drive channel is enabled and disabled by clicking the ‘Enable’/’Disable’ button on the GUI panel or the front panel of the controller unit. The green indicator is lit when the drive channel is enabled. Disabling the channel removes the drive power and allows the stage/actuator to be positioned manually.

Caution: The maximum velocity at which the encoder can operate is 400 mm/sec (approx. 400 mm/sec for legacy controllers). Above this speed, encoder pulses may be lost, causing an incorrect position readout. This renders normal operation impossible as motor commutation relies on encoder readings.
When controlled by the BBD/RBD controller, the maximum velocity is limited to safe values. However, if the output is disabled (controller connected and monitoring) and the stage is moved manually at high speeds (above 400 mm/sec), the limit can be exceeded. If the controller is then used to move the stage, the incorrect reading causes incorrect operation, often resulting in sudden uncontrolled moves. It’s important not to move the stage excessively quickly when moved manually.

The BBD/RBD controller has fault monitoring to detect lost encoder pulses. If this occurs:

• An error message is generated in the software.
• The controller must be powered down and re-started to re-establish correct phasing and commutation.
• If using an MJC001 joystick without a PC, the red LED on the joystick console lights up, and all operation is suspended until the controller is shut down and rebooted.

Repetitive movement over long periods can cause lubricant build-up, leading to uneven motion. Periodically, power down the stage and move the top platform from one end of travel to the other several times to redistribute the bearing lubricant.
The product is maintenance-free up to 5 million cycles. If problems occur, contact local Thorlabs tech support. After 5 million cycles, replacement of the internal flexible cable and relubrication of the bearing carriers is recommended. Contact local Thorlabs tech support for this service.
Warning: Prolonged and repeated contact with the lubricant used on the linear rail bearing may cause skin irritation. Wear gloves if such contact is likely.
Caution: The coating on the bearing rails is easily damaged/removed by solvents (e.g., paint thinners) or similar aggressive substances. Do not allow such substances to contact the bearing rail.

Caution:

• When packing the unit for shipping, use the original packing.
• If original packing is unavailable, use a strong box and surround the unit with at least 100 mm of shock-absorbent material.
• Crucially, the moving platform must be constrained to avoid damage during shipping.

If an unexpected obstruction is encountered, the control system interface software disables the current to the associated drive channel (which may or may not disable the channel itself). After removing the obstruction, the associated controller channel should first be disabled (to clear fault codes) and then re-enabled.

In the event of a breakdown or malfunction of the product, please contact Thorlabs Tech Support. Contact details are provided in Appendix C of the PDF.

Parameter	Value
Travel Range	300 mm (11.81″)
Max Speed	400 mm/s
Max Acceleration¹	10,000 mm/s²
Bidirectional Repeatability	±0.25 μm
Backlash²	N/A
Encoder Resolution	50 nm
Min Incremental Movement	100 nm
Horizontal Load Capacity³	10.0 kg (22.0 lb)
Absolute On-Axis Accuracy	±7.5 μm
Straightness/Flatness	±4.0μm
Pitch	±100 µRad
Yaw	±150 µRad
Continuous Motor Force	10.0 N
Peak Motor Force (2 sec)	20.0 N
Bearing Type	High Rigidity Recirculating Precision Linear Bearing
Limit Switches	Magnetic Sensor at Each End of Stage
Operating Temperature Range⁴	5 to 40°C (41 to 104°F)
Motor Type	Brushless DC Linear Motor
Cable Length	2.5 m (8.2′)
Dimensions (Mid Travel)	500 mm x 130 mm x 50 mm (19.69” x 5.12” x 1.97”)
Weight (Excluding Cables)	5.9 kg (12.98 lb)

Notes:

• All measurements were undertaken at 300 mm/s and 5,000 mm/s² for the maximum travel of 300 mm, at lab temperature 20 °C. The default tuning parameters can be changed to optimise settling times for specific loads.
• ¹ The acceleration should be set according to the load and is limited by the continuous motor force.
• ² The stage does not suffer from backlash because there is no leadscrew.
• ³ The controller default PID parameters are set for load up to 2.0 kg and may require adjustment for higher loads. At higher loads, the acceleration should be decreased. The acceleration is limited by the motor force.
• ⁴ For operation at temperatures outside normal room temperature, the PID parameters may require optimization.

Product Name	Part Number	Description
MJC001	MJC001	2-Axis Joystick Console (For remote operation, XY control, speed adjustment)
DDSA04(/M)	DDSA04(/M)	Adapter Plate for 62.5 mm Deck Height (To raise platform height for compatibility with 3-axis positioning stages)

1. The stage is shipped with default parameter settings suitable for most cases. PID adjustments might be needed depending on the application. 2. If not already running, start the APTUser utility (Start/Programs/Thorlabs/APT User/APT User). The APT server reads stage and controller info, displaying the GUI panel. 3. Default settings are loaded from the MOTOR DRIVE connector’s EEPROM, tuned for loads up to 3.0 kg at speeds up to 100 mm/s. 4. For PID adjustments (if needed for stability, lost motion, etc.), click the Settings button on the GUI, then select the ‘Advanced – Control Loop Settings’ tab. Adjust Proportional, Integral, and Derivative parameters. Refer to Fig A.3 for load-based guidelines (similar to Kinesis Fig 4.3). 5. To save changes, click the ‘Persist Settings to Hardware’ box, then ‘OK’. Caution: If settings are persisted and the stage is changed, further adjustment may be required.

The drive channel is enabled/disabled using the ‘Enable’ button on the GUI panel. The green indicator lights when enabled. Disabling removes drive power. During operation, click the ‘Stop’ button on the GUI panel to halt motion without removing drive power.

Caution: The maximum encoder velocity is approximately 400 mm/sec. Exceeding this (e.g., during manual movement with the controller disabled but monitoring) can cause lost encoder pulses and incorrect position readout, leading to potential uncontrolled moves if the stage is subsequently moved by the controller. The BBD10x controller limits velocity to safe values during controlled moves but cannot prevent errors from excessive manual speed.
The BBD controller has fault monitoring. If lost pulses occur, an error message is generated. The controller must be powered down and restarted. If using an MJC001 joystick without a PC, the red LED lights up, and operation halts until the controller is rebooted.

Thorlabs complies with the WEEE directive. End users in the EC may return “end of life” Annex I category electrical and electronic equipment sold after August 13, 2005, to Thorlabs without incurring disposal charges. Eligible units are marked with the crossed-out “wheelie bin” logo, were sold to and are currently owned by a company or institute within the EC, and are not disassembled or contaminated. Contact Thorlabs for return instructions. “End of life” units must be returned to Thorlabs or handed to a company specializing in waste recovery. Do not dispose of the unit in a litter bin or at a public waste disposal site.