Products Home / Optomechanical Components / Optical Cage Systems / 16 mm Cage Components / XY Translation Mounts for 16 mm Cage SystemsXY Translation Mounts for 16 mm Cage Systems
- ±1 mm of Manual Adjustment
- Mount Ø1/2" Optics
- Compatible with Ø1/2" Lens Tubes
SCP05
XY Translation Mount
SSP05
Slip Plate Positioner
Application Idea
SCP05T with Ø1/2" Lens Tubes for Light-Tight Applications
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| Alternative Size Options |
|---|
| 16 mm Cage XY Translators |
| 30 mm Cage XY Translators |
| 60 mm Cage XY Translators |
Features
- ±1 mm (±0.04") of Travel from Center of Fixed Counterbore
- Compatible with 16 mm Cage System and Ø1/2" Lens Tubes
Thorlabs offers three XY mounts for the 16 mm cage system. The SCP05 and SCP05T XY Translation Mounts each hold a Ø1/2" (Ø12.7 mm) optic using the included SM05RR retaining ring and offer fine XY adjustment. The SSP05 Slip Plate Positioner offers coarse XY adjustment of a Ø1/2" optic.
Cage System Compatibility: Thorlabs offers 16 mm, 30 mm, and 60 mm cage systems designed for Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2" optical components, respectively. The parts on this page are compatible with our 16 mm cage system and utilize Ø4 mm SR cage rods.
Cage System Overview
The Cage Assembly System provides a convenient way to construct large optomechanical systems with an established line of precision-machined building blocks designed for high flexibility and accurate alignment.
16 mm, 30 mm, and 60 mm Cage System Standards
Thorlabs offers three standards defined by the center-to-center spacing of the cage assembly rods (see image below). The 16 mm cage, 30 mm cage, and 60 mm cage standards are designed to accomodate Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2" optics, respectively. Specialized cage plates that allow smaller optics to be directly inserted into our larger cage systems are also available.
Standard Threads
The flexibility of our Cage Assembly System stems from well-defined mounting and thread standards designed to directly interface with a wide range of specialized products. The three most prevalent thread standards are our SM05 Series (0.535"-40 thread), SM1 Series (1.035"-40 thread), and SM2 Series (2.035"-40 thread), all of which were defined to house the industry's most common optic sizes. Essential building blocks, such as our popular lens tubes, directly interface to these standards.
An example of the standard cage plate measurements determining cage system compatibility.
| Standard Cage System Measurements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cage System | 16 mm | 30 mm | 60 mm |
| Thread Series | SM05 | SM1 | SM2 |
| Rod to Rod Spacing | 16 mm (0.63") | 30 mm (1.18") | 60 mm (2.36") |
| Total Length | 25 mm (0.98") | 41 mm (1.60") | 71.1 mm (2.8") |
| Cage Components | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cage Rods | 16 mm | These rods are used to connect cage plates, optic mounts, and other components in the cage system. The SR Series Cage Rods are compatible with our 16 mm cage systems, while the 30 mm and 60 mm cage systems use ER Series Cage Rods. |
| 30 mm | ||
| 60 mm | ||
| Cage Plates | 16 mm | These serve as the basic building blocks for a cage system. They may have SM-threaded central bores, smooth bores sized for industry standard optics or to accommodate the outer profile of our SM Series Lens Tubes, or specialized bores for other components such as our FiberPorts. |
| 30 mm | ||
| 60 mm | ||
| Optic Mounts | 16 mm | Thorlabs offers fixed, kinematic, rotation, and translation mounts specifically designed for our Cage Systems. |
| 30 mm | ||
| 60 mm | ||
| Cage Cubes | 16 mm | These cubes are useful for housing larger optical components, such as prisms or mirrors, or optics that need to sit at an angle to the beam path, such as beamsplitters. Our cage cubes are available empty or with pre-mounted optics. |
| 30 mm | ||
| 60 mm | ||
| Post and Breadboard Mounts and Adapters | Mounting options for cage systems can be found on our Cage System Construction pages. Cage Systems can be mounted either parallel or perpendicular to the table surface. | |
| Size Adapters | Cage System Size Adapters can be used to integrate components from different cage system and threading standards. | |
| Specialized Components | Thorlabs also produces specialized cage components, such as Filter Wheels, a HeNe Laser Mount, and a FiberPort Cage Plate Adapter, allowing a wide range of our products to be integrated into cage-mounted optical systems. Explore our Cage Systems Visual Navigation Guide to see the full range of Thorlabs' cage components. | |
| Posted Comments: | |
benalunda10
(posted 2018-04-23 23:44:41.307) Dear Sir/Madam,
Good morning. I am interested in incorporating the part SSP05 to my system but I have a question. How do I achieve the translation in each axis? Is it through the Hexagonal head screw? Please let me know. And how coarse is the motion? Thank you.
Best Regards llamb
(posted 2018-04-24 07:39:37.0) Hello, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. By loosening both of those button head cap screws with a 0.05" (1.3 mm) hex key, the SSP05 carriage can then be adjusted by hand. The motion will depend on the user's dexterity and can be locked back in place with those same two screws. kylejarnold
(posted 2016-04-29 05:28:38.017) It used to be the case that the knob for xy mount could be removed. Now it appears they can not be removed from the threaded rod (for ones I have recently purchased).
Can you either make the knob on the SCP05 removable or sell a model without knobs? besembeson
(posted 2016-05-04 08:47:12.0) Response from Bweh at Thorlabs USA: We can offer one to you without the knobs as a special item. During production, we apply some loctite to the adjuster knobs to prevent this from coming off. Thorlabs
(posted 2010-11-29 19:53:10.0) Response from Javier at Thorlabs to d.rafferty: It is possible to remove the knobs from the adjustment screws. However, the screws do not have sockets for adjusting them with a hex key. d.rafferty
(posted 2010-11-22 11:39:44.0) Hi,
Ive just bought one of these but is it possible to remove the xy-knobs, and to adjust using a hex key or screwdriver? In the picture titled application idea, there dont appear to be these knobs?
Dominic Thorlabs
(posted 2010-08-25 18:32:37.0) Response from Javier at Thorlabs to thomson: Thank you for your feedback. We can offer a modified version of the SCP05 for you. I will contact you directly to discuss the details. thomson
(posted 2010-08-18 16:47:04.0) Hello,
Can you provide a custom version of the SCP05 (16 mm cage xy positioner) where the somewhat bulky xy-knobs are replaced by compact hex socket head screws, extending only ca. 5 mm from the main body? |
ZoomUsage of the Light-Tight SCP05T Translation Mount
- ±1.0 mm (±0.04") of Travel with 250 μm/rev Adjusters
- Hold Ø1/2" Optics up to 0.23" (5.8 mm) Thick with Included SM05RR Retaining Ring
- Ø0.43" (Ø10.9 mm) Clear Aperture with Retaining Ring
- Rear of SCP05 Compatible with Ø1/2" Lens Tubes
- Front and Rear of SCP05T Compatible with Ø1/2" Lens Tubes for Light-Sensitive Applications
Thorlabs' SCP05 and SCP05T XY translating lens mounts provide ±1.0 mm (±0.04") of travel perpendicular to the optical axis of a 16 mm cage system. The adjusters feature 100 threads per inch and provide 250 μm of translation per revolution. The adjusters may be actuated by hand or using a 5/64" (2.0 mm) hex key or balldriver and the setscrews for mounting cage rods offer a 0.05" (1.3 mm) hex.
The SCP05 and SCP05T mounts both contain internal SM05 threads suitable for mounting Ø1/2" (12.7 mm) optics up to 0.23" (5.8 mm) thick using the included SM05RR retaining ring. The optic is held in place by the retaining ring and the retaining lip built into the SM05-threaded carriage. Additionally, the SCP05T mount contains internal SM05 threads on the front and rear faces of the housing (as illustrated in the diagram to the right), allowing light-tight connections to our Ø1/2" lens tubes. (The SCP05 is only threaded on the rear face.)
To remove/install the SM05RR retaining ring or an optic, the adapter retaining ring on the front of the mount must first be removed using an SPW801 Spanner Wrench. For reference, please see the animation to the upper right.
| Item # | Travel | Drive | Optics Mounting | SR Cage Rod Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCP05 SCP05T |
±0.04" (±1.0 mm) | M3 x 0.25 Fine Adjusters | SM05 (0.535"-40) Thread | 4 Through Holes with Side-Located Locking Screws |
Zoom- ±1.0 mm (±0.04") of Manual Adjustment
- SM05 (0.535"-40) Internal Thread
- Holds Ø1/2" Optics Mounted in Ø1/2" Lens Tubes
- 0.635" (16 mm) Clearance Hole
- Two 2-56 Adjustment Screws for Lockable Design
Thorlabs' SSP05 16 mm Slip Plate Positioner is designed to provide coarse XY positioning of optical components within our cage assembly system. The component that provides position adjustment is the movable carriage, which moves along the surface of the other plate for small XY adjustment. The movable carriage provides manual adjustment only and is best utilized in conjunction with an alignment laser to monitor centricity.
Adjustment is achieved by first loosening the two 2-56 button-head adjustment screws with a 0.05" (1.3 mm) hex key or balldriver, manually adjusting the movable carriage in the desired position, and then tightening the screws to lock the carriage in place. The movable carriage is internally SM05 threaded and compatible with our Ø1/2" lens tubes, which can be used to hold Ø1/2" optics. Each cage rod through hole is accompanied by a side-located locking 4-40 setscrew, which can be secured using a 0.05" (1.3 mm) hex key or balldriver.
For post mounting, the SSP05 features a 4-40 tapped hole on side and an M3 tapped hole on the other. Our Mini-Series posts and Mini-Series pedestal posts can be used to mount the SSP05.
| Item # | Travel | Slip Plate Thickness |
Back Plate Thickness |
Maximum Optic Thickness |
Optics Mounting | Post Mountinga | SR Cage Rod Attachment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSP05 | ±0.04" (±1 mm) |
0.20" (5.1 mm) | 0.25" (6.4 mm) | 0.15" (3.8 mm) | SM05 (0.535"-40) Threads | 4-40 and M3 Tapped Holes | 4 Through Holes with Side-Located Locking Screws |
XY Translation Mounts