Operating the Integrated Engine
Last updated
Last updated
© 2025 Excelitas Technologies
NOTE: The Axsun Integrated Engine will operate (in Force Trigger Mode) even if an Image_sync trigger connection is not yet established or before fiber optic connections are made.
You can follow the steps on this page to verify correct hardware & software installation and learn about the basic operational modes of your Axsun Integrated Engine by streaming unsynchronized image data consisting of only background noise, then return to the previous Making Connections section later when connecting your Image_sync trigger and OCT interferometer optical fibers.
NOTE: If errors are encountered during the execution of the steps on this page, see the DAQ Troubleshooting article for recommendations. Contact Axsun if you are unable to overcome your error using the instructions in this Knowledge Base.
To operate the Integrated Engine you will be using the Hardware Control Tool and the Image Capture Tool GUIs which were installed in a previous section.
Insure that the device hardware is connected to the host PC and powered-on as described in the previous Making Connections section.
Launch the Hardware Control Tool (AxsunHardwareControlTool.exe) and confirm that both Laser and DAQ devices are listed in the top left corner of the Hardware Control Tool main window (the order of the listed boards is inconsequential):
When connected successfully, the Hardware Control Tool (HWCT) will indicate a connected EDAQ (or DAQ) board with interface listed as "Ethernet" and a connected Laser Engine (or Light Source) listed with interface listed as "via DAQ". This is because the Laser Engine is communicating to the host PC over a RS-232 link between the two boards and then through the DAQ's Ethernet connection.
Launch the Image Capture Tool (AxsunImageCaptureTool.exe) and make the appropriate selection when prompted for either the Ethernet or PCIe capture interface:
The Image Capture Tool window will show a blank image and the selected session type will be indicated at the top of the window:
If installation errors were encountered when selecting the interface, the Image Capture Tool will provide relevant information in a pop-up dialog and then support review of previously-saved data files only (but not new data collection from a connected DAQ). See the DAQ Troubleshooting page to overcome the errors and then try again to select the desired interface by pressing either the Ethernet or PCIe button:
Press the LASER: ON button on the Hardware Control Tool. When the laser is emitting,
an indicator next to the LASER: buttons will turn bright green:
an infrared phosphor card will show light emitted from the laser output fiber:
and a LED on the long edge of the Laser Engine board will illuminate:
Press the EQAQ: LIVE button on the Hardware Control Tool:
The Image Capture Tool will immediately begin to update with live images and an indicator in the lower left region of the window will turn bright green to indicate Live Imaging. If you have not yet connected an Image_sync trigger, the Width (A-scans) indicator will show 256 (the default in Force Trigger mode) and an indicator in the lower left region of the window will turn bright red to indicate that Force Trigger mode is active:
If you have connected a valid Image_sync trigger, the Width (A-Scans) will correspond to the instantaneous period of incoming Image_sync trigger pulses and the Returned Image # will be counting up monotonically:
HINT: Change the frequency of your Image_sync trigger and observe how the Width (A-Scans) of the captured image changes automatically in response.
Press the EDAQ: OFF button on the Hardware Control Tool.
Press the LASER: OFF button on the Hardware Control Tool.
An Ethernet-connected Integrated Engine can be turned off at any time by simply unplugging the power supply cable from the AC/DC adapter.
When connected using the PCIe interface, we recommend shutting down and turning off the host PC prior to powering off the DAQ board, as PCIe devices are not "plug-and-play" and the Windows OS does not expect the DAQ device to disappear abruptly.
NOTE: If the PCIe DAQ is being used in a Thunderbolt-PCIe Expansion Chassis, the DAQ can be powered off (or unplugged at the Thunderbolt connector) without first powering off the host PC, because the Thunderbolt interface supports "plug-and-play" connectivity.
Congratulations! You have installed your Axsun Integrated Engine with its related Control and Capture software and successfully streamed images to your host PC in Live Imaging mode.
See the following pages for recommended further reading:
Interact with other Integrated Engine operational modes such as Burst Recording as discussed in the Ethernet/PCIe DAQ Board Reference Manual.
Understand some background information on the DAQ's Architecture & Interfaces.
Integrate the software functionality of the Integrated Engine into your custom application using the AxsunOCTCapture and AxsunOCTControl/AxsunOCTControl_LW application programming interfaces (APIs).
Learn about Advanced Laser Engine Features and Advanced DAQ Features to optimize your OCT image quality.
Operate the Variable Delay Line if your Integrated Engine included that optional component.
