Chapter 3 Setup; Unpacking; Mounting; Connecting The Air Bearing - THORLABS BLINK User Manual

BLINK High-Speed Focuser
Chapter 3 Setup
The instructions below serve as a quick guide. Before connecting the servo drives, please read Chapter 1 for
safety precautions and refer to the servo driver manual for additional information and instructions.

3.1 Unpacking

The air bearing ships with a nylon screw securing the voice coil in place against a rubber stop. This screw needs
to be removed before operation and should be re-installed any time the device is shipped.

3.2 Mounting

The BLINK should be mounted using all four of the provided M3 threaded mounting points. Mounting by only
the motor body or only the position detector bracket may result in reduced performance. Refer to the outline
drawing for mounting feature locations and details. The mounting surface should be reasonably flat (.001" per
inch of surface area) to prevent distortion of the motor body or position detector bracket.
The servo amplifier is attached to a black mounting bracket. This bracket is insufficient for normal operation.
The servo drive must be attached with at least two screws to a larger, thermally conductive surface, such as an
aluminum plate. The use of thermal paste is recommended.
The position detector shield should not be clamped for mounting, as this can cause distortion of the unit.
The mounting orientation of the system does not have a noticeable effect on performance.

3.3 Connecting the Air Bearing

The air bearing operates at an ~10 µm air gap, so reasonable precautions need to be taken to prevent foreign
debris from entering the bearing surface. Use a commercially available filter that meets the following standards:
•
Cleanliness Standard: ISO 8573-1:2010 [3:3:3], Class 3 or Better
•
Operating Pressure: 70 - 80 psi
•
Air Hoses: Non-Lubricated or Oil-Free
Steps:
1. Connect the air supply to the 1/8" hose barb on the BLINK focuser.
2. Open the valve on the air line.
3. Listen for any leaks within the unit. A small amount of air escaping is normal and necessary for the air
bearing to move freely. If the air escaping sounds excessive, check the flow rate. The flow must be
below 3.5 liters per minute.

3.4 Connecting the Servo Amplifier

Note: Make sure the power supply is turned off while connecting or disconnecting any cables.
The servo amplifier is designed to accept ±15 VDC. Power supply requirements may vary somewhat depending
on the application. Typically, a supply of 3 A is sufficient. The maximum operating voltage is ±18 VDC.
Thorlabs offers the CBLS2F cable kit, which includes power and command cables for easy connection to the
servo amplifier. For a customer wishing to make their own cable configuration, the BLINK ships with a set of the
connectors required for interfacing with the amplifier.
Rev. C, April 20, 2023
Chapter 3: Setup
Page 3