Hardware Compatibility Matrix

This matrix covers every hardware category supported by Pychron as of the current main branch. It is derived from a direct audit of pychron/hardware/, pychron/spectrometer/, pychron/lasers/, pychron/furnace/, and related modules. Where limitations exist they are noted inline; see Known Issues at the bottom for items requiring attention before deployment.

Status Legend

Symbol	Meaning
✓	Production — fully implemented, in active use at one or more labs
⚠	Partial — functional for most operations but has documented gaps or workarounds
✗	Stub — class exists in the codebase but the body is `pass` or near-empty; not usable
★	Lab-specific — implemented for one institution; may require adaptation elsewhere

Mass Spectrometers

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Thermo Scientific	Argus VI	Ethernet TCP → Qtegra	✓	All commands proxied through Qtegra `RemoteControlServer`. Issues a `Reset` on connect. Class: `ArgusSpectrometer`
Thermo Scientific	Helix MC+	Ethernet TCP → Qtegra	✓	Same Qtegra proxy pattern as Argus. Class: `HelixSpectrometer`
Thermo Scientific	Helix SFT	Ethernet TCP → Qtegra	✓	Dedicated `HelixSFTSpectrometerManager`. Class: `HelixSFTSpectrometer`
Isotopx	NGX	Ethernet TCP (custom ASCII)	✓	Requires username/password authentication on connect. Command lock and retry logic present for valve-state queries; intermittent drop-outs are handled by retry but should be monitored. Class: `NGXSpectrometer`
Pfeiffer Vacuum	Quadera	Serial/Ethernet	⚠	Spectrometer logic (magnet, detector, source) implemented, but hardware controller class `QuaderaController` is a stub (`pass`). Communication layer not functional. Class: `QuaderaSpectrometer`
GV Instruments	MAP 215/216	Serial	✗	Only `channel_select` and `magnet` defined. No plugin registration. Appears to be legacy/incomplete. Class: `MapSpectrometer`

Laser Systems

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Photon Machines	Fusions CO₂	Serial or Ethernet	✓	Full power calibration via polynomial coefficients; ADC1 power reading. Class: `FusionsCO2LogicBoard`
Photon Machines	Fusions Diode	Serial or Ethernet	✓	Integrates Watlow temperature control and Kerr motor stage. Class: `FusionsDiodeLogicBoard`
Photon Machines	Fusions UV	Serial	✓	Adds Kerr-driven nitrogen flow control (`NitrogenFlower`). Class: `FusionsUVLogicBoard`
Synrad	CO₂	Serial (via Agilent)	✓	Power set via `AgilentDAC`; enable/disable via `AgilentGPActuator` on address 120. Class: `SynradCO2Manager`
UC2000	Nd:YAG (frequency-doubled)	Serial	✓	SCPI-like protocol. Class: `UC2000`
OsTech	Diode	Serial	★	NMGRL-specific. Class: `OsTechLaserController`
ATL	Laser Control Unit	Serial	★	Fusions UV accessory. Class: `ATLLaserControlUnit`
TAP	CO₂	—	✗	Class body is `pass`. No communication, power, or stage control implemented. Class: `TAPLaserManager`
TAP	Diode	Zaber (Ethernet)	⚠	Stage control via Zaber motion controller. Laser power control not implemented. Class: `TAPDiodeManager`

Furnace Systems

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
NMGRL (in-house)	Resistance furnace	USB (LabJack U3) + Serial (Eurotherm)	✓	Temperature via Eurotherm 818/3504 PID; sample feeder and funnel via stepper motors; camera and recorder integrated. Class: `NMGRLFurnaceManager`
LDEO (in-house)	LabJack U3 furnace	USB (LabJack U3, I2C DAC)	⚠	Setpoint write executes I2C calls but temperature control loop is not closed — `"Temperature control not implemented"` warning fires at runtime (`ldeo_furnace.py:159`). Calibration loaded from I2C EEPROM (address 0x50). Class: `LDEOFurnaceManager`
Thermo Scientific	Furnace	Qtegra RPC + Serial	⚠	Temperature control via Qtegra proxy; sample feeder (`ThermoFurnaceFeeder`) is minimal. Class: `ThermoFurnaceController`
USGS Reston	In-house furnace	—	★	Minimal implementation for USGS Reston lab only. Class: `RestonFurnaceManager`

Extraction Line Valve Actuators

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Agilent	34903A GP switch	GPIB or Ethernet	✓	Primary actuator for multi-valve extraction lines. Class: `AgilentGPActuator`
Arduino	GP actuator	Serial	⚠	First command after connect consistently times out (TODO at `arduino_gp_actuator.py:45`). Subsequent commands work normally.
Isotopx	NGX controller	Ethernet	✓	Valve control routed through NGX spectrometer controller. Class: `NGXGPActuator`
MCC	USB DAQ relay	USB	✓	Relay output via MCC USB hardware. Class: `MCCGPActuator`
NCD	ProXR relay	Ethernet	✓	HTTP-style commands to ProXR module. Class: `ProXRActuator`
NMGRL (in-house)	Furnace actuator	RPC	★	Controls NMGRL furnace sample loader remotely. Class: `NMGRLFurnaceActuator`
LabJack	T4 Pro	USB or Ethernet	✓	GPIO relay output. Class: `T4Actuator`
LabJack	U3	USB	✓	GPIO relay output. Class: `U3Actuator`
Thermo	Qtegra proxy	Ethernet → Qtegra	✓	Valve commands proxied through Qtegra. Class: `QtegraGPActuator`
PLC2000	Modbus relay	Modbus RTU	✓	Modbus coil writes for relay control. Class: `PLC2000GPActuator`
Pychron	Remote actuator	ZMQ/RPC	✓	Connects to a remote Pychron instance. Class: `PychronGPActuator`
WiscAr	In-house	RPC	★	University of Wisconsin–Madison lab specific. Class: `WiscArGPActuator`
—	Switch Controller	Serial	✓	Generic ASCII serial relay board. Class: `SwitchController`
—	Dummy actuator	—	✓	Simulation and testing only. Class: `DummyGPActuator`

Vacuum Gauges

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
MKS Instruments	Multi-Gauge controller	Serial	✓	ASCII command format `@dd command;FF`. Multi-channel; power on/off per channel. Class: `MKSController`
MKS Instruments	Spinning Rotor Gauge (SRG)	Serial	✓	Class: `MKSSRG`
Granville-Phillips	MicroIon controller	Serial	✓	Multiple variants: standard, headless, Qtegra proxy, Pychron remote. Class: `MicroIonController`
Pfeiffer Vacuum	MaxiGauge	Serial (Modbus RS-485)	✓	Class: `PfeifferMaxiGaugeController`
Varian	XGS-600	Serial SCPI	✓	Class: `XGS600GaugeController`
Inficon	IGC100	Serial SCPI	✓	Class: `IGC100GaugeController`
PLC2000	Modbus gauge/heater	Modbus RTU or TCP	✓	Combined heater and gauge controller. Class: `PLC2000GaugeController`
LabJack	U3 ADC gauge	USB	✓	Reads pressure via U3 analog input. Class: `U3GaugeController`
Thermo	Qtegra proxy	Ethernet → Qtegra	✓	Reads gauge values through Qtegra. Class: `QtegraGaugeController`
—	ADC gauge (generic)	Analog (MCC USB / ADC)	✓	Generic ADC-backed gauge reading. Class: `ADCGaugeController`

Ion Pumps and Turbomolecular Pumps

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
SPC	Ion pump controller	Serial	✓	On/off control; current/voltage monitoring. Class: `SPCIonPumpController`
TerraNova	Ion pump controller	Serial	✓	Class: `TerraNovaIonPumpController`
Pfeiffer Vacuum	HiPace turbomolecular pump	Serial (Modbus-like)	✓	On/off control; rotation speed monitoring. Class: `HiPace`

Temperature Controllers

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Watlow	EZZone PM / PM6 / F4	Modbus RTU or Standard ASCII	✓	Dual protocol (`StandardProtocol` and `ModbusProtocol`). Used in Fusions Diode and furnace systems. Class: `WatlowEZZone`
Eurotherm	818	Serial (Modbus RTU)	✓	Used in NMGRL furnace. Class: `Eurotherm818`
Eurotherm	2408 / 3504	Serial (Modbus RTU)	✓	Multi-zone controllers. Class: `Eurotherm`
Lakeshore	Model 325	Serial or GPIB	✓	Dual-zone cryogenic. Class: `Model325TemperatureController`
Lakeshore	Model 330	Serial or GPIB	✓	Class: `Model330TemperatureController`
Lakeshore	Model 331	Serial or GPIB	✓	Class: `Model331TemperatureController`
Lakeshore	Model 335	Serial	✓	Class: `Model335TemperatureController`
Lakeshore	Model 336	Serial	✓	Class: `Model336TemperatureController`
Scientific Instruments	SI9700	Serial	✓	Cryogenic/liquid helium controller. Class: `SI9700Controller`
Omega	DPi32 temperature monitor	Serial RS-232	✓	Read-only temperature monitor. Class: `DPi32TemperatureMonitor`
AQUA	Temperature controller	Serial	✓	Class: `AquaController`

Pyrometers

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Micro-Epsilon	IR thermometer	Serial	✓	Used in Fusions laser systems. Class: `MicroEpsilonPyrometer`
Mikron	GA140	Serial	✓	Infrared pyrometer for high-temperature measurement. Class: `MikronGA140Pyrometer`
—	ADC-based pyrometer	Analog (ADC)	✓	Generic pyrometer via analog voltage input. Class: `PyrometerTemperatureMonitor`

Motion Controllers

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Aerotech	—	Serial (proprietary)	✓	Multi-axis motion controller. Class: `AerotechMotionController`
Newport	ESP301 / ESP302	Serial ASCII	⚠	`use_hack_axis=True` workaround active: uses displacement-based positioning instead of native axis commands (`newport_motion_controller.py:306–319`). Class: `NewportMotionController`
Zaber Technologies	Linear stages	Serial (binary or ASCII)	✓	Legacy binary protocol and modern ASCII protocol both supported. Class: `ZaberMotionController`
Thorlabs	Kinesis	USB (Kinesis SDK)	✓	Class: `KinesisMotionController`
Schneider Electric	MDrive	Serial (MDrive ASCII)	✓	Stepper motor controllers. Headless variant available. Class: `MDriveMotor`
Photon Machines	Kerr microcontroller	Serial (proprietary)	✓	Internal stage controller for Fusions laser systems. Home move uses velocity-profile-mode workaround (`kerr_motor.py:716`). Classes: `KerrMotor`, `KerrMicrocontroller`

Data Acquisition

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
Agilent / Keysight	34970A multiplexer / DAC	GPIB or Ethernet	✓	Multi-channel with polynomial channel-mapping equations. Classes: `AgilentMultiplexer`, `AgilentDAC`, `AgilentDMM`
Agilent / Keysight	U2351A	GPIB or Ethernet	✓	Modular DAQ. Class: `U2351A`
LabJack	U3 / U3-LV	USB	✓	Multi-channel ADC, GPIO, I2C, SPI, timers. Classes: `U3LV`, `HeadlessU3LV`
LabJack	T4 Pro	USB or Ethernet	✓	Successor to U3; higher resolution ADC. Class: `T4`
Measurement Computing	USB DAQ (MCC)	USB	✓	DAQmx-compatible interface. Class: `MccCommunicator`
NCD	ProXR ADC	Ethernet	✓	ADC expansion for ProXR relay modules. Class: `ProXRADC`
Keithley	ADC	Serial or GPIB	✓	SCPI-based. Class: `KeithleyADC`
Omega	ADC	Serial	✓	Class: `OmegaADC`

Environmental and Lab Monitoring

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
—	TempHum MicroServer	Ethernet	✓	Standalone Ethernet sensor for lab temperature and humidity. Class: `TempHumMicroServer`
—	DHT11	GPIO (Raspberry Pi)	✓	Direct-read temperature and humidity via GPIO. Class: `DHT11`
—	Air transducer	Analog (ADC)	✓	Pressure transducer via ADC input. Class: `AirTransducer`
—	Thermocouple transducer	Analog (ADC)	✓	Thermocouple voltage via ADC. Class: `ThermocoupleTransducer`
—	Analog power meter	ADC	✓	Laser power monitoring via analog voltage. Class: `AnalogPowerMeter`
Eaton / Powerware	Ferrups UPS	Serial	✓	Uninterruptible power supply monitoring. Class: `FerrupsUPS`
—	Bakeout PLC	Modbus RTU	✓	Modbus-based bakeout heater controller. Class: `BakeoutPLC`
—	Pneumatics controller	Modbus	✓	Polynomial-mapped pressure/output control. Class: `Pneumatics`
SS Cooling	ThermoRack	Serial	✓	Rack-mount chiller controller. Class: `ThermoRack`
—	Pychron chiller	RPC	✓	Remote chiller connected via Pychron RPC. Class: `PychronChiller`
Raspberry Pi	GPIO	GPIO	✓	General-purpose digital I/O. Class: `RPiGPIO`

Sample Handling

Manufacturer	Model	Protocol	Status	Notes
NMGRL (in-house)	Furnace feeder / funnel	GPIO (motor) + Serial	★	Stepper motor-driven sample drop into NMGRL resistance furnace. Classes: `NMGRLFurnaceFeeder`, `NMGRLFurnaceFunnel`
—	Rotary dumper (Arduino)	Serial	★	Arduino-controlled rotary sample dumper. Class: `RotaryDumper`
—	Sample changer	RPC / Extraction line	✓	Integrates with the valve network and extraction line state machine. Class: `SampleChanger`
Photon Machines	Fiber light controller	GPIO / Serial / USB	✓	Illumination for stage camera. Variants: U3 (LabJack), Arduino. Class: `FiberLight`

Communication Protocols

This table summarises the protocols Pychron uses and the Python library that implements each one.

Protocol	Library	Typical Use
Serial RS-232 / RS-485	`pyserial`	Temperature controllers, gauges, laser logic boards, motion controllers
Ethernet TCP	`socket` / `requests`	Spectrometer proxy (Qtegra), NGX, Agilent DAQ, remote actuators
GPIB / IEEE-488	`PyVISA` + NI-VISA	Agilent instruments, LakeShore controllers
Modbus RTU (Serial)	`pymodbus`	Watlow, Eurotherm, PLC2000, Pfeiffer gauges
Modbus TCP	`pymodbus`	PLC2000 in networked configurations
USB (LabJack)	`LabJackPython`	LabJack U3 and T4 for ADC, GPIO, I2C
USB (MCC)	MCC Universal Library	MCC DAQ cards for relay and analog I/O
USB (Kinesis)	Thorlabs Kinesis SDK	Thorlabs motion stages (Windows only)
ZMQ PUB/SUB	`pyzmq`	Dashboard data stream; inter-process instrument broadcasts
Pychron RPC	Internal (ZMQ/socket)	Cross-node hardware commands (pyExperiment → pyValve / furPi)
I2C	LabJack U3 (bit-bang)	LDEO furnace DAC and EEPROM (LJTick-DAC)
GPIO	`RPi.GPIO`	Raspberry Pi direct I/O; DHT11 sensor

Known Issues

The following are documented defects or incomplete implementations in the main branch. Each entry includes the relevant file so issues can be tracked to source.

NGX command reliability — The NGX controller (pychron/hardware/isotopx_spectrometer_controller.py) uses a threading lock and retry logic for valve-state queries. Intermittent command drop-outs have been observed; they are handled silently by retry. Labs using NGX should monitor logs for repeated retry events, which may indicate a network or Ethernet adapter issue on the NGX instrument.
LDEO furnace temperature control not implemented — pychron/hardware/labjack/ldeo_furnace.py:159 emits a "Temperature control not implemented" warning at runtime. The I2C DAC setpoint path executes but there is no closed-loop control. The furnace can write setpoints but cannot regulate temperature autonomously.
Quadera spectrometer hardware controller is a stub — pychron/hardware/quadera_spectrometer_controller.py contains only pass. The higher-level spectrometer, magnet, source, and detector classes exist, but no communication with the instrument is possible. QuaderaSpectrometer cannot be used in production.
TAP CO₂ laser class body is pass — pychron/lasers/laser_managers/tap_laser_manager.py (TAPLaserManager). No power control, stage control, or communication implemented. Not deployable.
TAP Diode laser power control missing — TAPDiodeManager (same file) has Zaber stage motion wired up but no mechanism to set or read laser power. Stage positioning works; laser output control does not.
Arduino actuator first-command timeout — pychron/hardware/arduino/arduino_gp_actuator.py:45 has a TODO noting that the first command after connection reliably times out. A workaround (send a dummy command on connect) is noted but not implemented. Labs using Arduino actuators should expect the first valve command after startup to fail.
MAP spectrometer is a legacy stub — pychron/spectrometer/map/ contains channel selection and magnet movement but no acquisition, source control, or plugin registration. Not usable with pyExperiment.
Newport motion controller hack axis — pychron/hardware/newport/newport_motion_controller.py:306–319 enables use_hack_axis=True, substituting a displacement-based positioning workaround for native ESP axis commands. This works for laser stages but may break for other Newport ESP301/302 configurations.
APIS controller partial — pychron/hardware/apis_controller.py has multiple methods with pass bodies, including power and intensity control. Status is Partial; do not rely on power regulation through this class.
LDEO/Lamont furnace unit-conversion logic error — pychron/hardware/labjack/ldeo_furnace.py:124–126 contains if not units == "volts" or units == "temperature" which evaluates incorrectly due to operator precedence. Should be if not (units == "volts" or units == "temperature"). The bug may cause incorrect unit handling when reading temperature in some configurations.

Status Legend​

Mass Spectrometers​

Laser Systems​

Furnace Systems​

Extraction Line Valve Actuators​

Vacuum Gauges​

Ion Pumps and Turbomolecular Pumps​

Temperature Controllers​

Pyrometers​

Motion Controllers​

Data Acquisition​

Environmental and Lab Monitoring​

Sample Handling​

Communication Protocols​

Known Issues​