Re: Help with stage issues?

Posted by Jacqueline Ross on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Help-with-stage-issues-tp7592224p7592239.html

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Hi Ben,

I hesitate to send this reply but it might be helpful if not to you, to someone else on the listserv.

We had some issues recently with a Marzhauser XY stage connected to our Zeiss LSM 710. The main problem we had is that the stage kept moving in the X direction after release of the joystick and then we started also getting errors in ZEN with the stage not being detected. We cleaned the joystick by dismantling it and using contact cleaner and it didn’t help so Zeiss managed to find us a replacement controller, which solved the problem with the software but we were still getting additional drift when using the joystick. This issue was solved by cleaning the connections at the controller end (joystick and controller) with electronics contact cleaner, each time it happened. For a week or so, I was doing this every day (once/twice a day) but now it’s all good and the issue is rare now and easily fixed.

Kind regards,

Jacqui

From: Confocal Microscopy List <[hidden email]> On Behalf Of Wang, Jingsong
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 6:00 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: Help with stage issues?

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Hi Ben,

I experienced almost exactly the same problems with our 13 year old still heavily used Prior stage H101A and its controller PS2. We consulted with Prior, brought a new controller SP3, and sent the stage, controller and joystick back for a factory maintain/repair service. We have been using the repaired stage for 15 months without any problem since. Conclusion: The stage needs cleaned and lubricated. The old controller got circuit component failed and has to be replaced with an upgrade version. The joystick was wearied out and replaced with the same version.


Best regards,

Jingsong Wang (He, him, his), Ph.D
Imaging Facility Manager
BC Children's Hospital Research Institute


-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List <[hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>> On Behalf Of Ben Abrams
Sent: May 10, 2021 3:38 PM
To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]>
Subject: Help with stage issues?

[CAUTION: Non-UBC Email]

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Hi Everyone,

I am having some strange problems with the stage on one of my widefield scopes and I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions? Sometimes the stage seems to freeze and only wants to travel one direction in Y, but the opposite direction in Y is fine. Driving all the way in the possible direction in Y sometimes fixes this. Travel in the X direction is unaffected.
Other times the stage moves by itself in Y. Both problems are sporadic, but now seem to be happening more frequently. I am not sure if the problem is most likely from the controller, joystick or stage. I have also occasionally started to get time out warnings about the shutter when I try to snap an image, which makes me think it is the controller.

I have a Ludl Mac5000 controller running a Ludl 99S106 stage with a MAC2 XY joystick and am running it with ZEN 2.3.

Offline/online responses welcome.


Thanks,
Ben

--
Benjamin Abrams, Ph.D.
(He/Him)
Director, UCSC Life Sciences Microscopy Center https://ibsc.ucsc.edu/facilities/microscopy<https://ibsc.ucsc.edu/facilities/microscopy>
RRID: SCR_021135