Manual Filter Wheels

Features

• Filter Wheels
• FW1A Filter Station: Ø1" or Ø25 mm Filters, 6 Filter Capacity, One Wheel
• FW2A Filter Station: Ø1" or Ø25 mm Filters, 12 Filter Capacity, Two Wheels
• FW2B Filter Station: Ø1/2" or Ø12.5 mm Filters, 24 Filter Capacity, Two Wheels
• Retaining Rings Included for Mounting Optics
• Internal SM05 or SM1 Threads for Mounted Optics and Lens Tubes
• Maximum Filter Thickness: 4 mm
• Detent Mechanism for Accurate Filter Positioning

The FW series of filter wheel stations provide compact, convenient filter organizers that are available with either a single- or dual-wheel configuration. A filter wheel station consists of one or two (model dependent) filter wheels, a pedestal, and a base. These mechanical indexing stations are designed to provide precise alignment and high repeatability.

Each filter wheel can rotate independently and is designed to accommodate either six Ø1" (Ø25 mm) or twelve Ø1/2" (Ø12.5 mm) filters. Filters are held in place using the provided retaining rings, which maintain either a Ø0.43" (for Ø1/2" filters) or Ø0.90" (for Ø1" filters) clear aperture. Each filter port also uses either our SM05 (0.535"-40) or SM1 (1.035"-40) thread standard, which makes these filter wheels compatible with other SM-threaded components, such as lens tubes and mounted optics. The FW2A two-wheel filter station can hold six Ø1" (Ø25 mm) filters in each wheel, allowing for up to 36 filter combinations, while the FW2B two-wheel filter station can hold twelve Ø1/2" (Ø12.5 mm) filters in each wheel, allowing for up to 144 filter combinations.

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The base can be removed from these filter wheels, as shown above for the FW2A, revealing a set of three 8-32 taps to allow for mounting to posts or other bases.

To mount a filter up to 4 mm thick in the filter wheel, remove the SM-threaded retaining ring from a mounting hole, place the filter in the threaded hole so that it rests against the back lip of the hole, and then use the retaining ring to lock the filter into place. For filters thicker than 4 mm, such as our bandpass and laser line, edgepass, or fluorescence imaging filters, remove the retaining ring and thread the appropriate Ø1/2" or Ø1" lens tube into a filter wheel mounting hole. Then mount the filter in the lens tube. Alternatively, Thorlabs' premounted metallic (Ø1"), neutral density (ND) (Ø1/2" and Ø1"), colored glass (Ø1"), or dichroic (Ø1") filters can be threaded directly into each filter wheel mounting hole after the retaining rings have been removed.

The pedestal is universal in that it can be used to mount a filter wheel designed for Ø1/2" (Ø12.5 mm) or Ø1" (Ø25 mm) optics, and each pedestal can be used to mount up to two filter wheels. The filter wheels are secured to the pedestal using a central screw, which allows for easy removal and installation of a different filter wheel when entire sets of filters are replaced in an optical setup. Common filter configurations include progressive ND or chromatic filters, allowing for quick adjustment of optical intensity attenuation or wavelength range by simply indexing the wheel. In addition, the pedestal can be removed from the base (as seen in the image to the right) to allow for mounting to posts or other bases.

The base allows the filter station to be directly secured to an optical table or optical breadboard. Alternatively, if desired, the base can be removed and the pedestal can be mounted on a Ø1/2" TR series post.

These filter wheels can be purchased preloaded with sets of ND filters.

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FW1A Packaging

Smart Pack

• Reduce Weight of Packaging Materials
• Increase Usage of Recyclable Packing Materials
• Improve Packing Integrity
• Decrease Shipping Costs

Thorlabs' Smart Pack Initiative is aimed at waste minimization while still maintaining adequate protection for our products. By eliminating any unnecessary packaging, implementing packaging design changes, and utilizing eco-friendly packaging materials for our customers when possible, this initiative seeks to improve the environmental impact of our product packaging. Products listed above are now shipped in re-engineered packaging that minimizes the weight and the use of non-recyclable materials.^b As we move through our product line, we will indicate re-engineered packages with our Smart Pack logo.

• Travel-based emissions reduction calculations are estimated based on the total weight reduction of packaging materials used for all of 2013’s product sales, traveling 1,000 miles on an airplane, to provide general understanding of the impact of packaging material reduction. Calculations were made using the EPA’s shipping emissions values for different modes of transport.
• Some Smart Pack products may show a negative weight reduction percentage as the substitution of greener packaging materials, such as the Greenwrap, at times slightly increases the weight of the product packaging.