Parker MX80L linear motor + arduino, working prototype

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kotenok
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Parker MX80L linear motor + arduino, working prototype

Post by kotenok »

So, some months ago I got Parker MX80L linear stage with VIX250IH drive and wish to make focus stacking set up out of it.
A couple of weeks ago I found related topic on this site and I think it could be useful to share some results I got now.
The prototype is not finished yet and I didn't got what I exactly like to get out of it, but somehow it work.
Sorry, it's quite messy for the moment:

Image

I was interested to use MX80L because of the possibility to have micron resolution without backlash, and high dynamic characteristics.

So basically system consist of MX80L motor, VIX250IH drive, Arduino Nano based controller which sending the direction and step pulses to VIX250IH drive.

Software for the VIH250IH drive was taken from this site:
http://www.everythingbends.com/2017/04/ ... rives.html
with minor modification.

Adruino program is self written.

I am hardware person rather than software so for the beginning I decided to stay away from touch panels etc and prefer to use simple thumb-wheel switches and push buttons for controlling.

right and left buttons allow to move camera forward and backward to set the initial position, central button for start/stop.
Left thumb-wheels allow to set number of steps in a stack (0-999), right thumb-wheels to set pitch in microns (0-9,999).

Video of test can be seen here:

https://youtu.be/mDmAt-DHPYc

pitch 100 micron, 5 steps, 3 seconds delay between movements.
Blue LED connected instead of camera remote, just for test, hopefully later I'll replace it with LANC control of the camera.

So basically it work but I still have to work on the speed. Seems right now it's limited by Arduino controller with AccelStepper library and does not exceed 4000 steps per second. So I'll look either for faster library for stepper motors or for another controller (or for both)

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ray_parkhurst
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

Wow, that's a bigger job than I'd want to take on! Looks like you're nearly there.

What is the technology used in the Parker stage? Is it a planar stepper like an Electroglas?

kotenok
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Post by kotenok »

It's linear servo, yes, look similar to the linear stepper but of course it has 3-phase coils and much larger pitch between poles.
See tear down of one of them in the same great blog : http://www.everythingbends.com/2018/01/ ... build.html

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ray_parkhurst
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Post by ray_parkhurst »

Cool! Thanks for the link as I have never seen one of these taken apart before.

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Post by ChrisR »

Very nice stage. What's the objective - looks like a black Mitutoyo!
Chris R

kotenok
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Post by kotenok »

No, that's HLB5 plan apo:
https://www.shibuya-opt.co.jp/eng/o_lens.html
I was looking for 5-10x objective with working distance more than 40 mm, and this the only one I found (OK, I know about QUESTARs but they not always available under $1K on the ebay while this lenses where in stock and price quite affordable).

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Post by ChrisR »

Prices look good, I wonder who makes them, Shibuya don't claim to. :?
"Shibuya Optics deals with various objective lenses."
Chris R

kotenok
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Post by kotenok »

Don't really know the manufacturer :(
Namely the order i did on this site: http://www.mobilityjapan.com/o_lens.html
they were very friendly and even open PayPal account especially for my order.

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