Operating Procedure for th 71-205 LS Stage Control

To be able to access the stage control, you must first select the 71-205 LS in the General Hardware Properties dialog box.

Select the System dialog box and the Stage Control command.

WARNINGS:

Great care must be taken during the operation of this stage. Careless operation can easily result in damage to the stage and/or vacuum system components. If you consider that the stage mechanism is sensitive, common sense dictates that you must observe every motion carefully, and THINK before clicking a stage control button and entering position parameter values. Loading and unloading the platen are especially critical. Carefully and conservatively setting the stage limits will also help ensure that less-experienced operators cannot make mistakes.

Differences between the LS and LS-7

Most of the controls for the standard LS an LS-7 stage operate the same. However, there is one important difference: The control for the LS-7 does not adjust all parameters at once, they must be set individually. This is noted in the various topics below.

Stage Motion

The stage may be moved by either adjusting a particular position parameter individually, or selecting one of the preset positions. The preset position selection will adjust all position parameters accordingly.

Each of the stage motion parameters (X, Y, Z, Tilt, and Rotate) may be adjusted individually in two ways.


(1) By selecting the "Adjust" button next to the parameter, the stage will track the indicated position as you scroll it with the up/down arrows. This generally is the safest method for moving the stage when the platen is close to objects (x-ray source, analyzer nose, etc.) in the chamber. However, it takes much longer to move long distances.

(2) By typing in the desired parameter position(s), then clicking on "Set" for one particular position parameter, or "Set All" for all position parameters simultaneously. the stage will move directly to that position. This is the fastest method for moving to a custom position, but is also the most dangerous if the typed value(s) was inappropriate considering any obstacles in that motion path.

LS-7 When controlling the LS-7, there is no "Set All" option

The stage may also be moved to one of four preset positions. Three (Dock, Load, and Home) may be reset by the operator and the fourth (Bake) is set to a redefined position and cannot be reset. They are described as follows:

Preset Positions

  1. "Dock" - puts the stage in position for sliding the platen on or off of the stage itself from the intro chamber.

  2. "Load" - raises the stage slightly from the "Dock" position so that the intro ribbon may be disengaged

  3. "Home" - a user defined position, usually used to move back to a particular area currently under analysis. This position may be redefined whenever desired.

  4. "Bakeout" - moves the stage to the position where all tensioning springs are "de-energized". The stage must be moved to this position before removing the motors, such as just before a bakeout.

When moving the stage with obstacles nearby and you are unsure of the clearances, watch and be ready to click on the "Stop" button to halt the motion of the stage.

LS-7 When controlling the LS-7, the Dock, Load, Home, and Bakeout controls set the parameters in the edit fields to the appropriate preset values, however the stage is not moved. You must now set the parameters individually.

To reset the "Dock", "Load" or "Home" positions, simply move to the desired stage position that you wish to reset it to, then click on the "Reset (position)" button. It would be a very good idea to note the original settings of "Dock" and "Load" before resetting them, so that you can return to them if problems arise later with the new reset position.

In all cases, stage movements are limited by the limits set for a particular platen type. It is up to the user to set the limits (this is discussed in more detail below).

Transferring the platen

  1. To transfer the platen from the intro chamber to the stage:

a) Set the stage to the "Dock" position.

b) Extend the intro ribbon until the platen is docked on the stage. The proper position can be felt by the engaging of a detent on the stage. The platen will extend out both ends of the stage by equal distances.

c) Carefully, select the "Load" position. This will increase the Z axis slightly so that the ribbon can release.

d) Withdraw the intro ribbon.

  1. To transfer the platen from the stage to the intro chamber:

a) Set the stage to the "Dock" position.

b) Extend the intro ribbon until it engages the platen.

c) Start to withdraw the ribbon. The platen should follow.

d) Continue until the platen is in the intro chamber.

After changing the platen type, click the "Set Platen Type…" button from the main stage control dialog to select the type of platen being installed. When done, If you have not previously set limits for this platen, click the "Set Limits…" button to adjust the limits for all parameters.

Setting Limits

AugerScan provides a means for you to set limits on each of the stage movement parameters to help ensure that the stage is operated within a range that will minimize the chance of collision.

After selecting the appropriate platen type, click the "Set Limits…" button to bring up the Limits dialog. From here, you can enter the limits three ways: by typing in or scrolling to the desired value, by setting a parameter to the current stage location, or by setting all the parameters to the current stage position.

Normally, you would type the limit values in only if you have already recorded appropriate limits for the selected platen. Otherwise, you would use the main stage control dialog to move the stage to a desired location for the lower or upper limits, then open the Limits dialog, and click "Set all to Current Stage Position" for either the lower or upper limit. Make the limits as conservative as possible to prevent collisions.

Unlocking Limits

If you need to move the stage outside the limits choose the "Unlock Limits" check box in the main Stage Control dialog. This may be necessary, for example, before changing the limits for a particular platen.

Also, note that you may choose to set the limits so that the loading/unloading or bakeout positions are not accessible during normal usage. In this case, you would select "Unlock Limits" before moving to one of these preset positions.

Operating Cautions and Hints

  1. Always watch the platen and stage carefully through the view ports during transfers.

    1. If the platen stops moving, or disengages the ribbon during the withdrawal, before the completion of the transfer, attempt to move the platen back to the original position. Then make a slight adjustment to one of the position parameters (with the Adjust feature) and try again.

    2. Be very cautious when making adjustments to the position parameters when the ribbon is extended to the platen and/or the platen is half on/off the stage. Make only slight adjustments!

    3. Set conservative limits so operators have a warning if trying to adjust a stage parameter that may cause a collision.