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  2. Portal Scanner introduction

Portal Scanner introduction

The Magcam Portal Scanner is a motorized mechanical X-Y-Z stage with an integrated magnetic field camera for magnetic field mapping of larger permanent magnets and magnet assemblies.

The Portal Scanner is controlled by the MagScope measurement & analysis software, together with several plug-ins. The scanner uses a Beckhoff PLC controller to control the 3 axis. 

The controller can be initialized in two ways:

  • Creating a new Scanner Action on a network in MagScope
  • Loading a saved network (‘preset’)

To create a new network, select ‘Configure Actions’ from the network context menu.

 

Select ‘Xyz Scan’ and click ‘Add’. This initializes the controller. The initialization can take a few seconds. During initialization, the axes are enabled.

 

After initialization of the Xyz Scan action, the Xyz Scan window is displayed in MagScope.

 

The Xyz Scan window (on the left) is divided into a number of groups, each of which can be collapsed by clicking the small arrow at the top left of the group.

The following buttons / groups are available in the Scanner window. 

  • Stop: A movement can always be interrupted by clicking the ‘Stop’ button at the top of the Xyz Scan window. The same function is performed by the red ‘Stop’ button on the control button box.
  • Safe Position: Go to ‘Safe Position’, which is the position where the camera is farthest from the coordinate system origin. This means that the camera is at maximum X, Y and Z values. The Z axis is at its highest point, the X axes is moved fully to the left and the Y axis (sample plate) is moved fully towards the user. In this position, the camera is farthest from the magnet under test.
  • Reset Controller: This button reloads the controller and releases the motors.
  • Live Preview: Toggle button that switches on a live view of the MiniCube camera. This allows to e.g. find a magnet by moving the axes and finding a suitable starting position. Switch off the Live Preview mode for generating the measurement network.

Works with Portal Scanner

Includes

Magcam MiniCube1D

The Minicube1D is a compact Bz magnetic field camera containing a patented sensor chip with an integrated two-dimensional array of 16384 microscopic Hall magnetic field sensors.

Magcam MiniCube3D

The Minicube3D is a 3D magnetic field camera, providing quantitative (Bx,By,Bz) magnetic field mapping in a 12.7mm x 12.7mm 2D plane with a 0.1mm spatial resolution, measured at high speed.