HDR50-M In Stock

The ThorLabs HDR50/M is a premium heavy-duty rotation stage designed to meet the demands of microstepping applications. When paired with a compatible stepper motor controller, this stage delivers arc-second resolution to provide precision control. Capable of supporting loads of up to 50 kg (110 lbs), the HDR50/M offers motorized continuous rotation that can be customized to meet specific user requirements.

The HDR50/M is distinguished by its low profile design, which measures only 44 mm in height. The advancement of two small but powerful precision bearings makes it possible to create a smooth, reliable and durable platform for rotational movement. The stage’s carriage is rotating which allows for continuous rotation of loads of up to 50 kg and features a 50 mm clear aperture, which permits the passage of the optical path directly through the stage. The main body of the HDR50/M is constructed from lightweight aluminum, which enhances portability, and it can be attached directly to an optical table or mounted in any orientation via the 10 mounting holes provided along four surfaces of the device.

The HDR50/M makes use of a worm gear arrangement in order to transfer the rotation created by the stepper motor into a circular movement of the carriage. This gear assembly features a mechanical reduction that provides one revolution of the carriage for every 66 turns of the stepper motor. The HDR50/M also features SM2-threaded central apertures on the rotating and non-rotating worlds, which allow for easy mounting. The threaded section of the rotating world is 0.27" (6.9 mm) deep, and the threaded section of the non-rotating world on the bottom side is 0.16" (4.0 mm) deep. The HDR50/M can be mounted directly to a breadboard using 1/4"-20 (M6) cap screws (not included) that are at least 1.5" (35 mm) long. It can also be mounted vertically using the holes on each side face.

The HDR50/M is equipped with an electrical limit switch that enables users to datum the stage. However, the limit switch is only active in the negative direction, meaning that the stage will run to infinity in the positive direction but will not pass zero in the negative direction. If a movement is programmed that takes the manipulator past its negative limit, the limit switch will trip and stop the motor. It is then only possible to execute moves in the positive direction until the limit switch is no longer tripped. Additionally, the HDR50/M is capable of microstepping, which provides increased resolution by increasing the steps per revolution from 200 to 409,600. This feature also ensures smoother low-speed motion by allowing the discrete 1.8º step size, which produces vibrational noise, to be reduced to much smaller steps with inherently lower resultant vibrational noise.