Adapter plates

→ to GitHub project folder These adapter plates were used to mount a metric micromanipulator to an imperically spaced breadboard.

The top and bottom laser cutting designs were used to adapt a 3-axis micromanipulator LD40-LM with metrical mounting hole distances to a breadboard with a 1 inch grid. The top one was used to mount a pole in the center of the manipulator.

LD40 Adapter

LD40_Adapter_Center.FCStd: A FreeCAD-designed mounting plate that adapts the metric M3 screw pattern of the LD40-LM three-axis stage to an optomechanical breadboard with a 1” hole grid and 1/4”-20 tapped holes (as found in Thorlabs, Newport, and similar product lines). Two variants are provided as STEP files in the production/ folder:

production/LD40_Adapter_Center.step: A plate that mounts on top of the LD40 and provides a single 1/4”-20 hole at the center of the manipulator’s top surface. This gives one standardized attachment point for accessories such as a pole or light holder.

production/LD40_Adapter_3in.step: An adapter plate that sits between the breadboard and the base of the LD40. It has three 1/4”-20 holes on the standard 1” grid: the center hole aligns the manipulator’s center to the breadboard grid, and the two flanking holes fall outside the manipulator footprint and can be used to clamp the assembly firmly to the breadboard.