PolarisMotionControlCatalog

Motion Control System
Catalog
TM
Committed to
Advanced Motion Control

At Polaris Motion we are a team of highly skilled engineers and technologists who
are committed to helping customers achieve their goals and successes.
Ourengineeringprofessionalshavedecadesofcombinedexperienceinmotioncontrol,
digital signal processing, power electronics, analog and digital electronics, firmware
andHMIsoftwaredevelopment.Weareeagertoemploytheseskillstosolvecustomer
problems.
Polaris is our advanced off-the-shelf motion control platform. Motion control
applications can be realized by using Polaris hardware components which include
the controller, drives, digital I/O, analog I/O, other Polaris devices and extensive
motion control software which includes function libraries, executables and graphical
user interfaces.
Custom applications may require
modifications to our hardware,
firmware or software. Often,
completely new features are needed.
Our company excels in working
closely with customers to
understand their requirements and
deliver the customization needed.
Our excellent project management guarantees timely delivery of results.
A Team Committed to Customers
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TM
©Precision MicroDynamics, Inc.,Tel. 250-382-7249,Toll Free 866-548-5639, sales@pmdi.com, www.pmdi.com

AEROSPACE & AUTOMOTIVE
Double precision computations enable higher
resolution and accuracy. Mercury Gbit/s motion
network substantially increases data collection
and hardware in-the-loop performance.
SINGLE POINT DIAMOND MACHINETOOLS
Superior sub-nanometer form and finish are
achieved using intelligent G-code processing,
superior limited jerk and PVT profiles. Custom
servo loops for air bearings, hydrostatic bearings
and spindle bearings are easily implemented.
LASER MICRO MACHINING
Fast, high order servo algorithms enable wide
bandwidth actuators to reach full potential. Ultra
precise timing synchronization of servo and Galvo
motion with lasers is achieved using fast digital
logic.
SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING
Advanced control algorithms provide quick
settling time and on-the-fly retargeting for higher
chip processing throughput. Ultra fast position
and force control for die and wire bonding.
WAFER STEPPING AND SCANNING
Accurate laser scale interpolation, advanced
multi-axis feedback controllers and pico-second
timing synchronization make it possible to control
the most demanding nanometer capable wafer
stepper and scanning equipment.
ROBOTICS
Easily implement inverse and forward kinematics
in the Polaris controller which uses an Intel
processor and Linux operating system. Custom
robotics path planning algorithms are easily
computed.
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Our motion controllers and drives serve some of the most advanced industrial applications in
the world from aerospace, automotive, data storage, medical, military, optics, semiconductor,
single point diamond machine tools, to laser material processing, and robotics. Within each
industry, we provide high end enabling features.
Industries Served
Medical Positioning Robot: Courtesy Johns Hopkins University

ThePolarisMotionControlSystem
CNC & GENERAL MOTION CONTROL
DOUBLE FLOAT CALCULATIONS
100kHz SERVO RATE
NANOSECOND NETWORK
SYNCHRONIZATION
Gbit/s REAL-TIME MOTION NETWORK
HIGH LEVEL OF USABILITY
TOTAL SETPOINT RATE 400,000/s
The core components of a Polaris system are the Polaris controller and the
Polaris drives.The controller and drives are connected using PMDi’s Gbit/s
real time motion control network Mercury™.The Polaris controller uses an
Intel processor running Linux and real time digital logic to manage all the
motion, data acquisition and networking tasks. A Polaris motion controller has
four Mercury ports. A Polaris drive is a network device. It provides power to
the actuator, computes its own servo loop, and responds to the controller. A
dedicated processor in each drive makes higher order feedback filters possible.
Servo rates as high as 100 kHz may be achieved. Other Polaris components
include digital I/O, analog I/O, and pulse & direction modules.
Performance Motion
The Polaris motion controller features
advanced path planning including G-code
processing, cubic splines, PVT profiles,
and jerk control. Example setpoint rates
are 50kHz for a system having 8 drives.
The Polaris controller and drives perform
double floating point calculations for the
highest resolution and dynamic range of
any motion control system in the industry.
The servo loop executes in the drive
where the loop rate is guaranteed. Polaris
drives are used to control demanding
actuators, including brushed and brush-
less dc motors, voice coil actuators and
Galvoscanner motors.
Polaris drives offer high-speed, high-
precision synchronization of servos and
Galvos with laser and camera triggers.
Powerful Computing
The Polaris motion controller connects
to a machine HMI over Ethernet. Gigabit
Ethernet is supported with a high
bandwidth data transfer mechanism.
The controller has a large permanent
memory which can be used to store motion
programs, G-code files, configuration
files and for data logging.The controller
manages all real time motion and real time
networking tasks with its powerful Intel
processor and fast digital logic.
Customization
Polaris’software is customizable, allowing
users to create their own motion control
processes, C programs and user defined
G-codes. Custom path planning algorithms
may be implemented, as well as custom
kinematics. Our advanced Servo Processing
Unit (SPU) provides customers freedom to
develop their own custom servo loops and
digital filters.
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TM

Real-Time Network Technology
Polaris uses Mercury , our high speed communication
technology between the controller and drives. Data is
transferred at Gigabit per second speeds with zero data loss.
Mercury uses synchronous, asynchronous and streaming data
transmission. Sharing data among devices make multi-input,
multi-output (MIMO) control possible. Mercury technology
allows Polaris to achieve the highest control and data
acquisition rates in the industry.
Easy To Use Software
Polaris software makes advanced motion control easy. Several
components make up the software suite: Polaris motion
server, Polaris motion libraries, Polaris communication and
MotionTools.
MotionTools™ is a GUI that runs on the client PC. It has an axis
configuration utility, a real time oscilloscope, functions for
automatic commutation of brushless dc motors, servo loop
implementation and more. It can be used to edit, compile and
transfer motion scripts and G-code part files to the controller.
ThePolariscommunication makes communication between
the client HMI PC and Polaris controller easy. Using Polaris
communication, customers can build their own HMIs. Polaris
communication optimizes the speed of data transfer between
the client HMI PC and Polaris controller for fast motion
command execution, script calls and wide bandwidth data
collection.
PolarisServer runs on the controller under Linux and consists of
communication and motion control components.This is where
the path planner, motion scripts and processes are executed
and where the G-code files are parsed.The motion control
interface library and G-code library are located here.
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HMI Computer
Polaris
Controller
Polaris Drives
Mercury™ Gbit/s
Motion Network
Polaris Drives

Polaris Controller
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MOTION CONTROL COMPUTER USING AN INTEL PROCESSOR
The Polaris controller is a computer designed for real time
motion control. It uses an Intel Atom™ or Intel Core™ i7
processor.The controller communicates to a client PC through
Ethernet. A large solid state drive is used for non-volatile data
storage. Four Mercury network ports provide a connection to
remotely located amplifier drives. Linux is the operating system
used by the Polaris controller.
DETERMINISTIC REALTIME MOTION CONTROL
The Intel processor connects directly to PMDi’s proprietary logic
to make real time motion control and networking possible.The
proprietary logic sends a periodic hardware interrupt to Linux,
which causes an interrupt subroutine (ISR) to execute and run
to completion.The interrupt interval (typ. 200 microseconds)
may be set. On every cycle of the ISR, the path planner sends
an array of position, velocity and acceleration setpoints to the
MotionTools Customer HMI
Polaris Communication Protocols
Motion Scripts
Programming
Interface
Polaris
Server
Utility
(PSU)
Path
Planner
Path Engine
MCI GCI
Interrupt Subroutine (ISR)
Mercury Communication Network
Ethernet
Polaris controller system architecture
Orange: Runs in the controller under Linux
Blue: Runs on the client computer
ISR.The hardware logic transfers the setpoints from the ISR to
the Polaris amplifier drives via Mercury. Simultaneously, data is
communicated from the drives back to the controller through
the same mechanism. In this manner real time motion control
and data acquisition is realized.
PATH PLANNING
The Polaris path planner is responsible for generating single
axis asynchronous and multi axis synchronous moves.The
path planner uses limited jerk path profiles for smooth motion.
The setpoints that are generated by the path planner are
sent to the setpoint buffer in the ISR on each cycle for further
distribution to the remotely located Polaris amplifier drives.
PATH ENGINE
The path engine is responsible for parsing G-code lines and
files and for executing G-code paramacro programs. Custom
G-codes and M-codes may be implemented using C-language
callouts.The path engine manages the MCI library for
additional motion control functionality.
MOTION SCRIPTS
“C”motion scripts and programs can be created by using the
Polaris’motion control interface library (MCI) and G-code
interface library (GCI).The programs are written in C and are
compiled and built with the C-compiler. Motion scripts can be
used for custom homing routines and other motion processes.
The coordination of machine vision and lasers with motion
sequences is another example where a custom motion script
may be useful. For high speed data acquisition and system
status reporting, Polaris Server Utility (PSU) library functions
are used. By using the MCI, GCI and PSU libraries and by
writing custom C programs, the full potential of a Polaris
motion controller can be realized.
Polaris
Motion
Controller

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CPU • 1.6GHz Intel Atom
• 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
Operating System • Optimized Debian Linux
Solid State Drive • 2048 MB
Dynamic Memory • 1024 MB
Ethernet • 10/100/1000 Mbits
Mercury™ Network • Four RJ45 connectors
• RealTime Communication
Technology
Setpoint Rate • Maximum system setpoint transfer
rate 400,000 per second.
• One Setpoint defined as double
position, float velocity, & float
acceleration
• Example 8 axes at 50,000
setpoints/s
• Example 32 axes at 12,500
setpoints/s
Embedded Compiler • GNU C Compiler
Motion Software • Polaris Server
Libraries • Motion Control Interface Library
(MCI)
• G-code Interface Library (GCI)
• Polaris Server Utility (PSU)
RealTime Process • Interrupt subroutine guaranteed
to run to completion at settable
hardware rate, i.e. 5kHz
Controller Firmware • Upgradable over Ethernet
File System • Accessible through IDE
Power Input • 24V, 0.6A
Dimensions (mm) • 220 x 144 x 61
MRBOT radio translucent pneumatic medical robot. Courtesy
Johns Hopkins University.
CUSTOM PATH PLANNING
The standard Polaris path planner handles asynchronous
moves, synchronous multi-axis moves and it implements
limited jerk position time profiles. Sometimes, customers
wish to implement their own path planners that may use
adaptive planning techniques or other dynamic constructs.
For these cases, the standard Polaris path planner may be
replaced by the customer’s algorithms.
FORWARD AND INVERSE KINEMATICS
Machines whose axes are all normal to one another use a
Cartesian coordinate system and coordinate transformations
are not needed.The path planner can be used directly. Many
machines and robots, however, have wrists and other non-
Cartesian kinematic geometries. For these machines, Polaris
provides a framework where Cartesian and joint variables
may be managed and kinematic transformations may be
applied.
CREATING AN HMI ONTHE CLIENT PC
The Polaris controller can run standalone. On power up the
controller boots and the motion programs start executing.
However, most applications use a PC client that runs an HMI.
For these applications, we have Polaris communication.
Polaris communication supports MicrosoftVisual Studio
and C++ Builder underWindows, QT Creator for Linux and
a web-based communication interface is also supported.
Polaris communication is used for managing remote network
connections, transferring files, monitoring remote values and
for calling remote motion programs located on the Polaris
controller.

Polaris drives are available
in 200 and 400VDC PWM and
±48 and ±75VDC linear models.
Polaris drives may be used for single
phase and three phase dc motors,
including linear BLDC motors, direct
drive rotary motors, Galvo motors,
voice coil actuators and spindle motors.
FEEDBACK CONTROL
Polaris drives receive setpoints from a Polaris controller over
the Mercury™ motion control network.The drives can consume
setpoints at a rate as high as 50,000 per second, and the
servo loop may run as high as 100kHz. Each drive has a Servo
Processing Unit (SPU) that is responsible for computing its servo
loop and executes in double floating point math. A standard
PIDVAFF loop is provided, which includes the ability to insert
additional lowpass and notch filters in the feedback path, and
the output.
CUSTOMIZATION
Customers may implement their own servo loops by using the
Polaris SPU assembler. MIMO servo loops can be implemented
since Mercury supports peer-to-peer register sharing. A standard
dual axis servo is provided that eliminates cross coupled
dynamics for gantries. Customers can design their own MIMO
servo loops for more complex mechanical configurations.
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Polaris Drives LASER AND MACHINEVISIONTRIGGERING
In some applications such as CNC laser material processing, on
the fly triggering of lasers is required. For these applications
Polaris supports position based triggering of a high speed
digital output based on position along a path.
Mercury™ Real Time
Network
Mercury™ is Precision MicroDynamics’real time motion
control network.The register space of Mercury™ supports
up to 8,188 network devices and each network chain has a
1 Gbit/s capacity. Mercury has some powerful features, that
together, create a scalable high performance motion control
system capable of any motion control application.
SYNCHRONIZATION
Mercury synchronizes data acquisition and control among
all drives in the network. A sync signal is generated at a
configurable period, a typical value being 20 microseconds.
The downstream and upstream timing of the sync signal
is measured at each device and the clock in each device is
adjusted to guarantee synchronization within 8ns among
the devices. Pre-defined network device registers are shared
automatically without controller intervention.The shared
registers are defined by the Polaris controller at startup.
Subsequently, the devices share their specified registers with
each other on each network sync.This method of device
synchronization is useful for MIMO applications such as dual
motor gantry control.
ASYNCHRONOUS ACCESS
The asynchronous data access is used to read and write data
from network devices at arbitrary times.Typical asynchronous
data includes digital input or output states, position compare
state, or an analog input value.
HIGHTHROUGHPUT
In the current controller configuration, up to 400,000
setpoints/s can be sent from the controller to the drives.
Simultaneously, an equal quantity of measured data such
as actual positions and motor currents can be sent from
the drives to the controller. Mercury is able to facilitate data
Servo Processing Unit (SPU)

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HMI Computer
Polaris
Controller
Polaris Drives
Mercury™ Gbit/s Motion Network
Mercury Motion Control Network
transfer of 50,000 setpoints per second per axis for eight axes;
12,500 setpoints/s for 32 axes and so forth.
STREAMING SUPPORT
Data streaming is supported and is used to stream files across
the network. Drive firmware can be sent from the controller to
each drive in the network that needs updating.
Polaris Software
Package
The Polaris software package consists of libraries, utilities,
applications, examples and graphical user interfaces which
are used to create a motion control application.
EasyTo Use
The Polaris software package includes components
used for machine setup, actuator tuning, application
development and Polaris CNC Operator Interface (Polaris
CNC Oi).
PolarisServer runs on the controller. It is used for
communicating with the hardware, path planning,
interfacing with Motion Control Interface (MCI) Library
, G-code Interface (GCI) Library, and Polaris Server
Utility(PSU) Library.
PolarisIDE is based on QT Creator. It is a fully featured
integrated development environment used for creating
and modifying C and C++ user scripts.
PolarisCommunication is a rich Library used for creating
custom HMIs and user interfaces on a client computer.
It connects and communicates to Polaris Server over
Ethernet.
MotionTools is a user interface used for setting up and
tuning a machine, plotting data, and running user
programs.
PolarisCNCOi is a full featured graphical CNC Operator
Interface used for interacting with a machine operator,
managing and executing G-code files.
Polaris Server
Polaris Server is the software running on the controller. It
communicates with the Polaris controller hardware and
remotely located Mercury devices, runs the path planning,
and interfaces with the G-code Library, Motion Control
Interface Library, and Polaris Server Utility Interface Library.
Polaris Server runs under Linux. It is robust, reliable
and feature rich. A number of common processes run
automatically while allowing full control over the system

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through C and C++ user programs. A vast amount of system
information is collected and made available as feedback to
the user, and automatic responses to events on the Mercury
network may be programmed.
Polaris Server may run in several useful auxiliary modes. In
simulation mode, the pathplanner generates path points and
setpoints without servoing actual servomotors and moving
a machine.This is a fast mode to test whether trajectories
are as expected.There is also PolarisVirtual Machine. Here a
programmer may develop an entire application, including HMI,
without any real hardware. PolarisVirtual Machine is useful
if a developer wishes to increase productivity and continue
development while out of the office.
MOTION CONTROL INTERFACE (MCI)
LIBRARY
The Motion Control Interface Library is a comprehensive
collection of C and C++ functions used to develop the motion
control behavior of a machine.
MCI provides functions for single axis asynchronous moves,
multi-axis synchronous moves, position-velocty-time path
definitions, changing destination position and velocities on the
fly, automatic focus, handwheel control, joystick control, multi-
axis encoder compensation, axis homing routines, setting PID
filter gains, configuring sinusoidal commutation, detecting
software and hardware limits of a machine and much more.
MCI makes development for a high performance machine easy.
MotionControlInterfaceLibrary
• Asynchronous motion
• Coordinated motion
Wafer Inspection Machine. CourtesyView Micro Metrology
POLARIS SERVER UTILITY (PSU)
LIBRARY
The Polaris Server Utilities Library provides the interface to
interact with internal Polaris system components.This includes
updating firmware, reading registers from the Mercury
network and high speed data streaming. It also provides
information on startup status and current status that can be
used to control the flow of user scripts.
PolarisServerUtilityLibraryModules
• Device Register Access
• Firmware Update
• High Speed Data Acquisition
• System Status
• WatchdogTimer
• WorkerThread Management
Polaris server utility functions have useful system features.The
watchdog timer can be set, the connection status of Mercury™
devices can be determined, Mercury™ communication failures
can be identified, the physical location of a Mercury™ device
can be determined, load percentage of the Mercury™ network
communication can be computed, percent servo load can be
obtained for individual drives. Operating system parameters
such as RAM and CPU usage as well as CPU temperature can
be obtained.There are PSU functions that provide version
numbers for the Polaris Image, Linux Kernel and PCIe driver.
• Trigonometric trajectories
• Cubic splines
• Excitation signals for plant identification
• Digital IO
• Error and event handling
• Homing
• Phasing and servo
• Buffered compare
• Encoder compensation
• Bi-variate Position accuracy compensation
• Gantry control
• Autofocus, handwheel, joystick
• F-Theta lens distortion correction

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POLARIS INTEGRATED
DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT
QT Creator is a free open source Integrated Development
Environment (IDE) for C/C++ program development under
Linux. PMDi provides a QT distribution that has the plug-
ins needed to access the Polaris controller. QT runs on a
development PC. Motion control user script source files
located on a Polaris controller are accessed remotely. QT
Creator provides access to all user C and C++ scripts located
on the controller and it provides the ability to create, edit and
compile scripts. Motion control projects consisting of dozens
of C/C++ source code files can be built using QT Creator.
POLARIS COMMUNICATION LIBRARY
Polaris Communication is a rich library used for connecting
customer HMIs and user interfaces to a Polaris controller's
software over Ethernet. A customer uses Polaris
Communication to createWindows and Linux based machine
HMI. MotionTools™, PMDi’s software GUI for setting up and
tuning a machine, uses Polaris Communication components.
A number of interfaces are provided, including classes for
connecting to Polaris Server, transferring files, calling remote
scripts and monitoring remote values.
• Detects any Polaris controller on the network
• Allows transfer of files to and from Polaris controller
• Creates a“keep-alive”mechanism that reports status of
Polaris Server
• Creates a client for calling remote functions inside Polaris
Server
• Creates a client for monitoring remote values
• Values can be registers on Polaris devices or variables in
Polaris Server
QT Integrated Development Environment
G-CODE INTERFACE (GCI) LIBRARY
The Polaris G-code interface library and associated run time
processes help a CNC machine achieve its full potential. A
variety of machine types can take advantage of GCI, including
single point diamond turning machines, multi-axis ultra-
precision grinding machines, drum lathes, CNC laser material
processing machines, waterjet machines, precision milling
machines, fly cutters, multi-head routers, plasma cutters
and more.The Polaris G-code parser has a large throughput
exceeding 5,000 G-code blocks per second.
G-CodeInterfaceLibraryModules
• Initialize, pause, shutdown
• Linear and circular interpolation
• Error handling
• Tool length compensation
• Cutter compensation
• Line number
• Feedrate
• Paramacro
• File handling
• Manual data input
• Feedrate override
• Velocity look ahead
• Merging small lines with arc segments
• Infinite field of view (IFOV)
Polaris G-code is not only fast but also delivers the precision
and accuracy required by the world’s best machines.
Subnanometer form and finish has been achieved using
Polaris G-code combined with advanced Polaris drive control
technology. Polaris G-code has some features of note.
PAUSE AND RESUME MOTION
Motion can be paused during a move. Motion stops as
soon as possible at the commanded acceleration rate. If the
acceleration is not sufficient to stop during the current path
segment, the pause happens over the following segments,
taking as many as required to stop.Then it is possible to
resume the motion. If the machine is jogged away from the
paused point, it will be moved back into place.
MERGING SHORT LINES
Many CAD programs approximate curves with short line
segments. Polaris’control process analyzes these line segments
and joins them with curves for smoother motion.

CUTTER COMPENSATION
Cutter compensation adjusts the path described in the G-code
file by the radius of the cutting tool. It is also used to make
path adjustments due to tool change or tool wear.
POSITION VELOCITYTIME (PVT) SPLINES
For the smoothest part finish possible, Polaris CNC Library
provides functions for Position-Velocity-Time spline curve
generation. All computations are performed using double
precision math.
Cutter
Compensation
Tool Path
CutterTool
Part Surface
PVTSplines
PulsedLaser
Triggering
Ultra Precision Grinding Machine: Courtesy Ametek Precitech
[ ] Grouping - ( ) is supported via .ini file switch
* / Multiply Divide
+ - Add Subtract
& | ^ Bitwise And, Or, Xor
AND Logical And
OR Logical Or
XOR Logical Xor
SIN Sine, in degrees
COS Cosine, in degrees
TAN Tangent, in degrees
ASIN Arc Sine, returns degrees
ACOS Arc Cosine, returns degrees
ATAN ArcTangent, returns degrees
LN Natural Logarithm
EXP Exponential, e^x
SQRT Square Root
ABS AbsoluteValue
INT Integer Part, rounds to integer floor
ROUND Integer Part, rounds to integer ceiling
FIX Rounds to next lower integer
FUP Rounds to next higher integer
LASERTRIGGERING
Material processing using pulsed lasers has become more
important in recent years. Polaris G-code software now offers
synchronization of output pulses with motion along a path.
FASTTOOL SERVO
Fast tool servo functions that run as high as 100,000 set-
points per second are tightly integrated both in software and
hardware with the slower axes for synchronization and total
system integration.
PARAMACRO OPTICS SURFACE DESIGN
Operators are free to design any optics surface they can
imagine using inline math paramacros. See the table below for
a list of math functions supported
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G00 RapidTraverse Positioning
G01 Linear Interpolation
G02 / G03 Arc Clockwise / Arc Counter Clockwise
G04 Dwell
G05 PositionVelocityTime Spline
G17 / G18 / G19 Plane Selection
G20 / G21 Inch / Metric Programming
G28 / G30 Return to Preset Positions
G33 Threading
G40 / G41 / G42 Cutter Compensation
G49 ClearTool length Offset
G53 to G59 Work Coordinate Systems
G70 / G71 Inch / Metric programming
G90 / G91 Absolute / Relative Dimension Input
G92 Preset Position
G72 Circular Interpolation Clockwise (3D)
G73 Circular Interpolation Counter Clockwise (3D)
G74 Cancel Multi Quadrant Circular Interpolation
G75 Multi Quadrant Circular Interpolation
G90 Absolute Dimension Input
G91 Relative Dimension Input
G92 Preset Position
G108 Enable Path Merging
M00 Pause
M02 End Program
M03 Primary Spindle Clockwise
M04 Primary Spindle Counter Clockwise
M05 Primary Spindle Stop
M07 Coolant On (Mist)
M08 Coolant On (Flood)
M09 Coolant Off
M20 to M25 SynchronousTriggering
M30 End of Data
M33 Secondary Spindle Clockwise
M34 Secondary Spindle Counter Clockwise
M35 Secondary Spindle Stop
M60 Pulse On DemandTriggering or Fixed PitchTriggering
M61 End Pulse On DemandTriggering or Fixed PitchTriggering
M110 Infinite Field ofView Mode On
M111 Infinite Field ofView Mode Off
M954-M959 Set Current Position to Offsets forWCS 1-6
SAMPLE OF G AND M CODES
SUPPORTED
Lens Array Created by FastTool Servo Process:
Courtesy Ametek Precitech
A Polaris motion system synchronizes multi-axis motion
with pulse laser firing to tolerances of nanoseconds and
nanometers.
An integrated Polaris system for laser applications controls
stage motion and Galvo motion synchronously. Polaris
drives are optimized for both long stroke BLDC motors and
for high bandwidth Galvo motors. Manufacturing is made
easy with standard G-Code part programs.
Polaris capabilities for laser manufacturing include:
F-theta lens calibration; stage, Galvoscanner and laser
synchronization with ease of use made possible with Polaris
CNC operator interface and machine setup software.
POLARIS CNC G-CODE FOR LASER
BASED MICRO MANUFACTURING
Fixed Pitch LaserTriggering: M60
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Galvoscanners are very fast devices, deflecting and focusing
a laser source for cutting, marking, drilling, resurfacing or
ablation of a material. However, their field of view (FOV) is
limited to less than 100mm most of the time and often to less
than 50mm.
In many applications the work piece is larger than the
Galvoscanner FOV. A solution is to move the Galvoscanner
assembly with a stage to a number of stationary locations
until the entire part is machined.
However, this is slow and each processed area must be
"stitched" together, leading to "stitching errors" where the
Galvoscanner package with F-Theta lens. Machine vision for
calibration, inspection and quality control.
Pulse on Demand LaserTriggering: M60
borders from one area to another are misaligned.
A Polaris system employs advanced algorithms to
move a Galvoscanner continuously and smoothly
with a stage.The stage and Galvoscanner motions are
accurately synchronized, thus greatly reducing stitching
errors. Furthermore throughput increases because
stop-start motion sequences are eliminated.
Precise on/off control of a laser source coordinated with
motion trajectories is a must for the creation of accurate
laser micro machined parts. Polaris solves this with
detailed timing designs executed in high speed digital
logic with timing control into the nanoseconds.
Many different triggering and timing schemes are
offered to handle a wide range of lasers.
25 micron laser etching on aluminum.
Sharp corners with no gaps or overlaps
made possible with superior model
based Galvo motor tuning and infinite
field of view (IFOV) algorithm.
Precision Laser Etching on
Aluminum
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400
200
Lens Distortion in X Direction
0
Y
-200
-400400
200
X
0
-200
-10
10
5
0
-5
-400
DistortioninX
The optical path from laser source to the work piece is
invariably distorted. Polaris provides software to compensate
for these distortions.The Galvoscanner creates a grid of fiducial
marks which are measured with a machine vision system.The
experimental data is passed to an algorithm that generates the
correction matrix.
The combination of stage, Galvo and laser synchronization
combined with optical calibration and easy to use software
gives what is needed in a control system to create a high
precision laser material processing platform. Many applications
are supported using materials such as glass, metals, polymers
and crystals.
Polaris provides a comprehensive list of technologies to help
deliver desired laser manufacturing outcomes.
APPLICATION AREAS
• Flat panel display patterning
• Solar cell scribing
• Micro-optics
• Inkjet nozzle drilling
ControllerPolaris CNC Operator Interface
Laser
Gx, Gy
Z
Y
X1, X2
3Ø PWM
Drives for
BLDC Motors
1Ø Linear
Drives for Galvo
Motors
PWM Drive
for BLDC Motor &
Linear Drive for
Voice Coil
• Fuel injection nozzle drilling
• Micro laser sintering
• Pulsed laser ablation direct write
• PCB marking
• Surface texturing
• Ceramic and diamond cutting
• 2D and 3D hermetic welding
• Laser micromachining
• Semiconductor trimming and repair
Motion Control Architecture for a Laser CNC Machine
Spline Surface Fitting for F-Theta Lens Distortion Calibration
15

MOTIONTOOLS™
MotionTools™ is aWindows application that connects
to a Polaris controller over Ethernet. It is used to set
up and tune a machine. MotionTools can also be
used to run motion programs and G-Code files.
StatusDisplay
The status tab describes the devices attached to the
Mercury™ network. Devices supported are actuator
drives, analog I/O, digital I/O and pulse & direction
modules.
• Lists all connected or configured devices
• Mercury™ Location & Device Number
• Device Features Available
OperatorInterface
The Operator tab allows the user to perform tasks
related to operating the machine
• Auto-phasing actuators
• Hall table generator
• Homing actuators
• Running G-Code files
• Configuring and using Buffered Compare
TuningInterface
TheTuning tab allows a user to tune the Polaris
system, typically to minimize the position error
• Graphical interface for PIDVAFF tuning
• List interface for custom SPU feedback filters
• Ability to backup and store servo parameters
OscilloscopeInterface
The Scope window provides a graphical feedback
mechanism which can be used with the tuning tab
to tune a Polaris amplifier.
• Fully featured scope
• Data rates up to 50kHz per channel
• Ability to save data to file
• Triggering
DigitalI/OInterface
• Activate digital outputs
• Display state of digital inputs
MotionTools™Window showingTuning Interface and RealTime Oscilloscope
OperatorTab Showing Device Status, Phasing, Home, Jog, G-code and Buffered
Compare Functions
File Management Interface for Copying Files to Polaris Server
16

Polaris CNC Operator Interface
The Polaris CNC Operator Interface provides a standard
experience for operating a CNC machine running industry
standard G-Code. Support is offered for mills, lathes, grinders,
flat bed cutting machines, and laser CNC machines with and
without Galvoscanners. Some of the standard features of
Polaris CNC Oi include:
• 9 Axes of CNC Control: XYZABCUVW
• G-Code File Management
• Cutting and Simulation Modes
• Manual Data Input (MDI)
• Cycle Start, Stop and Feedhold
• Feedrate Override
• Spindle Speed Override
• Handwheel Interface
• Multi-Axis Jogging Interface
• Infinite Field ofView (IFOV) Mode
• Multi Axis Position Readout
• AxesVelocity Readout
• SpindleVelocity Readout
• Current Line Number Display
• Modal Status Display
• Homing and Overtravel Limits
• AutomaticTool Changing
• AutomaticTool Length Calibration
• Analog and Laser Probes
• Material Height Sensing
• Interface Designed forTouch Centric Operation
• Interface to Hardware orTouch Screen Buttons
• Interface Easily Modified, Customized and Extended
• WideVariety of GraphicalWidgets Available
Polaris CNC Operator Interface
17

18
Polaris Drives Specifications
200VDC PWM
Drive
400VDC
PWM Drive
±48VDC
Linear Drive
±75VDC
Linear Drive
Type PWM PWM Linear Linear
PWM Frequencies (kHz) 20, 40, 80 20, 40, 80 NA
Current Output, Continuous (A) 13.5 (15)* 6 (15)* See SOA See SOA
Current Output, Peak 30 (3 sec) 30 (3sec) See SOA See SOA
Power, Peak (W) NA NA 96 900 (See SOA)
Power, Continuous (W) NA NA 96 400
Phases 3 or 1 3 or 1 1 3 or 1
Motor BusVoltage (VDC) 24 - to -180 24 - to - 380 ±24, ±36, ±48 ±75
Halls A, B, C NA A, B, C
Minimum Load Inductance 2mH* 2mH* NA
Dimensions (mm) 248x57x152 248x61x152 248x57x152 248x101x152
Weight (Kg) 1.4 1.4 1.4 2.4
Communication Mercury
Control Supply +24V
Synchronization 8ns Among all Mercury Devices
Gen Purpose Digital I/O 2 Opto-isolated Digital Inputs, 2 opto-Isolated Digital Outputs
High Speed Digital I/O 2TTL Digital Inputs, 2TTL Digital Outputs
Dedicated Digital I/O Limit +, Limit -, Home, Emergency
Optional Analog Input One 16-bit Analog input, 0-10V Single-Ended or +/-10V Differential
Optional Analog Output One 16-bit Analog Output, 0-10V or +/-10V Single-Ended
Incremental Encoder Options TTL, Sin/Cos,TTL plus Sin/Cos, Scanlab Digital Encoder
Absolute Encoder Options ENDAT2.1, ENDAT2.2, BiSS,Tamagawa, Absolute Current Encoder
MotorThermal Input TTL
Motor Brake Output One 24V, 1.8 Amp Output (3Amps)
Feedback Loop, including current,
velocity and position
Settable 2-to-100 kHz
Variable Number Format Double Precision Floating Point IEEE754
Emission Enable and laserTrigger
Output
High Speed Digital Outputs are Used
High Speed Encoder Capture Standard Encoder Index Pulse is Used
Simulated Encoder Output Optional
TTL Encoder Input Frequency 60MHz
Sin/Cos Encoder Input Frequency 1 MHz
Sin/Cos Multiplier Factor Up to 16,384X
OperatingTemperature (degC) 0 to 55
StorageTemperature (degC) -10 to 80
Shunt See Power Supplies
* Maximum current output is dependent on minimum load inductance and heat sinking. Maximum continuous
current output up to 15Amps is possible with custom heat sinking.
200VDC PWM Drive
±48VDC Linear Drive
400VDC PWM Drive
±75VDC Linear Drive

19
24 In / 8 Out
Digital I/O Module
GP-01
32 In / 32 Out
Digital I/O Module
GP-03
Digital Inputs 24 32
Digital Outputs 8 32
Power Supply +24V, 120mA
Digital Input Logic High (V) 8 to 30
Digital Input Logic Low (V) -0.7 to 5
Digital Input Propagation Delay (µs) 10
Opto Isolated Yes
Digital Output Supply (V) 3 to 48
Digital Output Current / Contact (mA) 32
Digital Output Propagation Delay (ms) 1
Opto Isolated Yes
Dimensions (mm) 274x38x152
Weight (Kg) 0.5
Digital I/O Specifications
4 In / 4 Out
Analog I/O Module
GP-02
Analog Inputs 4
Input Ranges (V) ±10, ±5, 0 to 10
Resolution (Bits) 16
Input Current / Channel (mA) 1.2
Analog Outputs 4
Output Ranges (V) ±10, ±5, 0 to 10
Resolution (Bits) 16
Output Current / Channel (mA) 23
Weight (Kg) 0.6
Analog I/O Specifications
24 In / 8 Out
Digital I/O Module
32 In / 32 Out
Digital I/O Module
4 In / 4 Out
Analog I/O Module

120VAC Power Supply
PS-120
240VAC Power Supply
PS-240
Nominal AC InputVoltage (VAC) 120 240
PhaseType Single Single
Maximum AC InputVoltage (VAC) 131 276
Continuous Output Power (W) 4250 8500
Peak Output Power (W) 8500 17000
Nominal DC Bus Output (V) 170 340
Polaris Drive Compatibility 200VDC PWM Drive 400VDC PWM Drive
Shunt Regulator Activation (V) 185 390
Shunt Power (W) 6845 7605
Shunt Duty Cycle Limiter 4%
Peak DC Output Current (A) 50
Continuous DC Output Current (A) 25
Weight (Kg) 1.7
Power Supplies Specifications
120VAC and 240VAC
Power Supply
Polaris Motion Controller
CNT
Supply Power +24V, 600mA
PC Communication 10/100/1000 Ethernet One Port
Embedded CPU Intel Atom 1.6GHz
or
Intel i7 2.66GHz
Solid State Memory (MB) 2048
Dynamic Memory (MB) 1024
Digital I/O 2 Inputs/ 2 Outputs, Opto-Isolated
Watch Dog 1 Digital Output
Operating System Optimized Debian Linux
Motion Control Software Polaris Server
Total Maximum Setpoint Rate (1/s) 400,000
Mercury RealTime Motion Network 4 Ports
Maximum Number of Mercury Devices 124
Weight (Kg) 1.1
StorageTemperature -10 to 80
Polaris Motion Controller Specifications
Polaris
Motion Controller
20

4 Channel Pulse Direction Module
PD4A
Number of Axes 4
Pulse Output (Pulse, Dir) or (CW, CCW)
Drive Enable Drive Enable Output
Axis Limits Lim+, Lim-, Home Inputs
Alarm Drive Alarm Input
In Position Servo In Position Input
Encoder A, B, Z Quadrature Encoder Input
General Purpose I/O
Opto-Isolated Digital Outputs (24V) 2
Opto-Isolated Digital Inputs (24V) 8
High Speed Digital Outputs (TTL) 2
High Speed Digital Inputs (TTL) 1
Maximum Pulse Rate (MHz) 4
PulseWidth Range (ns) 50 to 31925
Maximum Encoder Pulse rate (MHz) 60
Encoder Dynamic range (Bits) 64
Optional Analog Input One 16-bit Analog input, 0-10V Single-
Ended or +/-10V Differential
Optional Analog Output One 16-bit Analog Output, 0-10V or +/-10V
Single-Ended
Weight (Kg) 0.9
Pulse Direction Module Specifications
4 Axis Pulse
Direction Module
21

22
Polaris Motion Controller
Ordering Code
A0 Intel Atom 1.60 GHz
A1 Intel i7 2.66 GHz
B0 Polaris Server / MotionTools/
DevelopmentTools
B1 B0 plus 3 Axis CNC Support
C0 Robotics Framework
C1 Robotics Framework plus Galvoscanner
Support
CNT-A□-B□-C□
4 Axis Pulse Direction Module
Ordering Code
F0 Analog Option Not Included
F1 Analog Option Included
PD4A-F□
Polaris Drives
Ordering Code
PWM-D06 400V / 15A
PWM-D07 200V / 15A
LIN-D00 1Phase-96W
LIN-D01 3Phase-400W
E00 ABZ QuadratureTTL Feedback
E01 Sin/Cos Feedback 1Vpp
E02 ENDAT 2.2 Feedback
E03 Resolute BiSS Feedback
E04 ENDAT 2.1 Feedback
E05 RFU
E06 Position Feedback Circuit Not Included
E07 Dual: 1Vpp Sin/Cos plus ABZ QuadratureTTL
Feedback
E08 Dual: BiSS + KVH Gyro
E09 Absolute Current
E10 Dual: Absolute Current plus 1Vpp Sin/Cos
Feedback
E11 Tamagawa Encoder
E12 Scanlabs Digital Encoder
E13 Dual: BiSS + ABZ QuadratureTTL Feedback
F0 Analog Option Not Included
F1 Analog Option Included
J0 Standard Fixed PIDVAFF SPU
J1 Customizable SPU
J2 Galvo Motor SPU
LIN-D□□-E□□-F□-J□-K□
PWM-D□□-E□□-F□-J□-K□
Product Ordering Codes
Digital I/O, Analog I/O and Power Supplies
Ordering Code
GP-01 Digital IO, 24 Digital Inputs / 8 Digital Outputs
GP-03 Digital IO, 32 Digital Inputs / 32 Digital Outputs
GP-02 Analog IO, 4 Analog Inputs / 4 Analog Outputs
PS-120 AC/DC Power Supply 120VAC
PS-240 AC/DC Power Supply 240VAC
Signal Conditioner for Sin/Cos Encoder Signals
Ordering Code
PSC-01 Single Ended to Differential Converter with Gain /
Offset Adjustment

23




  


Safe Operating Area (SOA) for Polaris ±48V Single Phase Linear Drive
Safe Operating Areas for Polaris Linear Drives


  
  

 
 
  


  



 

  
  


 
 
  
Safe Operating Area (SOA) for Polaris ±75VThree Phase Linear Drive

24
10.29
.75
.20
10.798.66
2.43
5.76
Schematic for Polaris Motion Controller
Dimensions in Inches

25
9.25
1.23
.22 TYP
9.759.25
3.491.03
.22 TYP
2.23 6.00
Schematic for 200VDC PWM and ±48VDC Linear Drives

26
6.02
2.41
9.759.25
1.03 3.49
.22 TYP
1.23
9.25
Schematic for 400VDC PWM Drive

27
.75
10.29 10.798.66
3.00
5.76
Schematic for 4 Axis Pulse Direction Module

28
9.25
.20
.33
8.60
9.75
1.51
6.0
Schematic for 24 Input / 8 Output Digital IO Module

29
9.26
.20
8.60 9.75
1.5
6.0
Schematic for 32 Input / 32 Output Digital IO Module

30
9.25
.20
.33
.22
8.60
9.75
6.0
1.5
Schematic for 4 Input / 4 Output Analog IO Module

31
1.39
9.25
.22 TYP
1.03 3.49
9.25 9.75
.22 TYP
2.39
6.00
Schematic for 120VAC/DC and 240VAC/DC Power Supplies

Precision MicroDynamics Inc. (PMDi)
3 – 512 Frances Avenue
Victoria, BC V8Z 1A1
Canada
250 382 7249 TEL
250 382 1830 FAX
866 548 5639 TOLL-FREE
sales@pmdi.com
www.pmdi.com
@PolarisMotion
www.pmdi.com
Local Distributor:
TM
Committed to Advanced Motion Control

PolarisMotionControlCatalog

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