This Thorlabs Power Meter can be controlled via USB communication.
Please download and install the Thorlabs Power Meter, which installs .dll files necessary to communicate with the power meter. This means you'll also need a computer running on Windows OS. Make sure to choose the right 32-bit or 64-bit version.
Below, we provide an example showing you how to communicate with your brushless motor controller. The API is implemented as a wrapper on top of Thorlabs .dll.
import time
from tlpm import TLPM
def main():
dll_path = "path/to/your/dll/file.dll" # Replace with the path to your DLL file. TLPM_64.dll for 64-bit system and TLPM_32.dll for 32-bit system.
resource_name = "USB0::0x1313::0x8072::P2000000::INSTR" # Replace with your power meter's resource name
tlpm = TLPM(dll_path)
# Initialize the power meter
instrument_handle = tlpm.init(resource_name, id_query=True, reset_device=True)
print(f"Initialized power meter with handle: {instrument_handle}")
# Identification query
manufacturer, device, serial, firmware = tlpm.identification_query(instrument_handle)
print(f"Manufacturer: {manufacturer}\nDevice: {device}\nSerial: {serial}\nFirmware: {firmware}")
# Set average time for measurement value generation
avg_time = 0.5
tlpm.set_avg_time(instrument_handle, avg_time)
print(f"Set average time to {avg_time} seconds")
# Set the wavelength
wavelength = 780
tlpm.set_wavelength(instrument_handle, wavelength)
print(f"Set wavelength to {wavelength} nm")
# Set power auto range
auto_range = True
tlpm.set_power_auto_range(instrument_handle, auto_range)
print(f"Set power auto range to {auto_range}")
# Measure power
power = tlpm.meas_power(instrument_handle)
print(f"Measured power: {power} W")
# Close the power meter
tlpm.close(instrument_handle)
print(f"Closed power meter with handle: {instrument_handle}")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
This example code does the following:
Make sure to replace the dll_path
variable with the correct path to your DLL file. Typically, TLDC4100_64.dll can be found inside C:\Program Files\IVI Foundation\VISA\Win64\Bin\TLPM_64.dll
in 64-bit windows system and C:\Program Files (x86)\IVI Foundation\VISA\WinNT\Bin\TLPM_32.dll
for 32-bit system. Replace resource_name
with your power meter's resource name.