Hexapod Control, Controllers for 6-Axis Stewart Platforms; Six-Axis Positioning Stage Controller; Motion Control Stage, Parallel Kinematics control

Control of 6-Axis Hexapod Platforms / Stewart Platforms

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Control of 6 Axis Parallel Kinematics Positioners (Hexapod Control)
All PI 6-Axis Hexapod Stewart Platforms positioning systems come with high-performance digital motion controllers and software. Simulation tools to verify workspace and loads on individual legs dependent on mounting orientation is also included.

Two more motion axes are also available, for example to run actuators, rotation stages or other linear positioners.

Randomized Pivot Point
PI's Hexapod controllers allow the user to control the pivot point by software with one simple command. That point can be anywhere inside or outside the space of the hexapod positioner. The cartesian coordinates of any position and any orientation can be entered directly and the vectorized motion controller makes sure the specified target will be reached travelling along a smooth path.



State-of-the-Art Interfaces for Hexapod Controllers TCP/IP Ethernet Industry standard (Allows remote access via the internet) Keyboard Monitor Manual Control Pad RS-232 (25m short connection) RS-422 (optional, for up to 1.4 km long distance) Analog Input (optional) Optical Input (optional) GPIB with measurement equipment (optional) Software Components / External Control Library files for Windows and Linux Operating Systems / DLLs LabView VI’s full set PIMikroMove™ program integration Additional scan routines Additional auto alignment routines (e.g. photonics alingment & test equipment) Worldwide remote control via ethernet Flight Simulator Interface with Demo Software Command Set / Operating Systems / Libraries The native command set comprises about 40 commands and is is compatible to PI's General Command Set and includes extremely fast scan and align routines for different alignment tasks. All Hexapod controllers come with a complete software package for Windows and Linux operating systems. Alternatively, they can be run in stand-alone mode with an optional integrated key pad and monitor or by means of an external keyboard and monitor Custom software can communicate by ASCII strings, or, more conveniently, through included library files (Windows DLLs, Linux libraries) or LabVIEW drivers. Most controllers can be upgraded with optical boards for alignment of IR and Visible light sources. PIMikroMove™ Software See and control all connected controllers and mechanical axes in one window HostMacros: create command sequences for connected controllers and run them on the host PC, can be called recursivly Position Pad: control 2 axes with mouse and joystick 3D visualisation of connected hexapod geometry Analog input visualisation Hex_GCS_DLL Allows controlling one or more PI Hexapod controllers connected to a host PC Is available for the following operating systems: Windows 2000, XP and Vista Linux operating systems Sample program with open source code Supports all functions available in firmware Very convenient for programming in C, C++, VB, C#… LabVIEW Drivers Including GUI programs such as terminal applications, configuration software, full scanning routines with graphical representation etc. Online help window for each VI Compatible with PI's General Command LabVIEW Driver Set Graphical representation of a tripod positioner and its work space. More Information on PI Software Tools		Standard Hexapod Controller 9” rack, 2 additional Motor Axis (e.g. for linear actuators), 6 additional slots for options. Monitor and keypad optional. Control / Software PI Hexapods come with ample software support, including a simulation tool to verify workspace and loads on individual struts dependent on mounting orientation. Included software allows easy scan and automated alignment of fiber optics components, etc. Hexapod control and 3D visualisation of connected hexapod geometry with included PIMikroMove™ Software. Simulation software allows the graphical off-line configuration and simulation of the hexapod in the customer environment. It offers full functionality for creation, modeling, simulation, rendering and playback of hexapod configurations to predict and avoid interference with possible obstacles in the work space.

User Defined Pivot Point

PI Hexapod controllers allow the user to set a pivot point anywhere in space. It is important to have a fixed pivot point as the center of rotation especially in photonics alignment & packaging applications. Furthermore, the cartesian coordinates of any position and any orientation can be entered directly and the specified target will be reached after travel along a smooth path.

Hexapod Coordinates

Platform in INI position (XYZ axes

shown displaced to reduce clutter)

Platform at a position (x, y, z) and

U=1-; U axis is always parallel to X.

Platform at INI position

Platform position of (x, y, z), U=10

and V=10; note direction of the V

axis, always parallel to plane of

platform.

Platform in INI position

Platform position (x, y, z). U=10

V=-10and W=10; note direction of

the W axis, always normal to platform.



Hexapod Options & Accessories

Optical Metrology Boards / Power Meters The controllers for the F-206, M-840 and M-850 Hexapod systems can be equipped/retrofitted with the following photometer cards: F-206.VVU (2-channel, visual) and F-206.iiU (2-channel, IR). For higher performance optical measurements there's the NIST traceable F-361 High-Speed Integrating Sphere Optical Power Meter. PIMotion&Vision™—Integration of Vision System and Motion Control PIMotion&Vision™ offers an integrated solution for difficult tasks such as automated positioning of optics, semi-conductor wafers, microsystems technology MEMS fabrication or alignment and scanning of samples under a microscope. The advantage is one consistent software interface for both motion and vision, based on National Instruments LabVIEW + IMAQ Vision, offering a general coordinate system and flexible modules like AutoFocus, FindCorner, AlignEdges for easy handling of a complex system. Interactive 6-Axis Manual Control Pad Upgrade The F-206.MC6 manual control pad facilitates system setup and testing procedures. It consists of a board that plugs into the Hexapod controller and a control pad with six digital "potentiometer" knobs (one for each degree of freedom). The manual pad works seamlessly with the Hexapod software, and allows programmable step sizes of 0.1 µm to 500 µm (linear) and 0.0001 to 0.5deg (angular) per step. Computer commanded steps can be intermixed with manual positioning input maintaining the true position inside the position registers of the Hexapod controller. The control pad comes with a 3 m cable. A 3 m extension cable is available as part number C-815.MC6. F-206.NCU Rapid NanoAlign Upgrade For applications where alignment with nanometer-range resolution is required, or where rapid mapping of the entire cross-section of a component in as short a time as possible is desired, the F-206.NCU Rapid NanoAlign upgrade is recommended. It consists of the P-611.3SF XYZ piezo-drive NanoCube® (see link) and the E-760 controller board (see link), which is installed in the F-206 controller. The F-206.MCU manual control pad facilitates system setup and testing procedures. It permits independent motion in all degrees of freedom with programmable step size. F-206.NCU Rapid NanoAlign Upgrade consists of the P-611 NanoCube® piezo nanopositioner and the E-760 controller card.		Most controllers can be upgraded with optical boards for alignment of IR and Visible light sources. F-361 Optical Power Meter. High-Speed Integrating Sphere Optical Power Meter

Custom Hexapod Controllers

In addition to the standard hexapod controllers / software packages, PI has also designed a number of controllers for customer specific applications.

For NEXLINE®- Non-Magnetic Piezo Motor Hexapod

Ultra-High Vacuum Hexapod Controller, real time operating system, 20MB trace memory 100Mb/s Ethernet

Custom Compact Hexapod Controller (DC Servo), Case: 10.5x3.5x10”

Controller for Ultra-High Load Hexapod (1 ton+), AC- motor driver support, brake support, incremental sensor and absolute incremental sensor on second interface

High-Altitude Hexapod Controller, requires no fan, compact flash operating system, rack mounting flanges


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