How to move XY linear stages to scan an image plan?

[Radioman00]

hi, i'm very new to LabView and am currently in the process of a research student placement which requires me to use labview to control two AG-LS25 (in XY configuration) and using the AG-UC2 controller (and its respective labview drivers) to scan an XY image plane. Could anyone please point me towards to helpful tutorial or guide to begin this process, or anything similar that could be of help. I was thinking a loop to scan in the X plane and then move 1 step up in the Y and repeat, does this seem possible? 

The LabView program will also ideally be in communication with an Optical Spectrum Analyser which processese the data for each XY point and stores it in the PC (later which i will need to recall). As i am a beginner to LabView will all this be possible within the program? or should i look to use other methods too to implement this?

I am using LabView 8.5 and have the necassary drivers for the Controller. 

thank you 

[RER · Accepted solution]

Hey RadioMan!!I stumbled across your this forum thread, and wanted to offer you a little assistance. I should mention that I do not have access to any of your Instruments, so there is only so much I will be able to help you with. However, I do want to point you in the right direction.Firtly, here is a couple of very useful links which explain the fundamentals of Instrument Control via LabVIEW.

Instrument Control Fundamentals: Main Page

USB Instrument Control Tutorial

Firstly, it seems that you are attempting to control 2 different instruments directly from your LabVIEW – the AG-UC2 and the Optical Spectrum Analyser. This is perfectly possible, but, to do so, you this you will need to either:-       Understand the commands and protocols required by each instrument, and code the communications yourself-       Find some prewritten LabVIEW driver VIsObviously, the later is preferable. It will reduce the amount of time you will need to spend on this, by reusing someone else’s hardwork!! It seems that the vendor has already supplied you the driver library for the AG-UC2.  If you would like to try to find the drivers for the spectral analyser, please navigate to the following link in the NI website…

Instrument Driver Network

Also, here is a link to another forum, which discusses communication to the AG-UC2 device. To be honest, it is unlikely that you will require the non-NI hardware to appear in MAX, but there may be some relevant snippets of information in here.

Measurments and automation explore does not see Agilis usb connection

Lastly, although I can find several drivers for Newport Instruments, I cannot locate the AG-UC2 drivers. However, most drivers that you download from the NI website not only come with a library of .vis built to control a specific instrument, but they also install some example VIs – which effectively show you how to write an application with the driver Vis. Assuming the example Vis are present and correct on your development PC, find them as follows-       Open the LabVIEW example finder (Help >> find examples)-       Hardware Input and Output >> Instrument Drivers >> LabVIEW Plug and Play (or IVI depending on the type of driver)As an example, here is an image of the list of Agilent 34401 examples, which install with that 34401’s LabVIEW drivers.

 

I hope this has been useful to you,
Best wishes, 

[Radioman00]

thanks a lot! i managed to find the drivers for the controller and the OSA 

😄