According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), stiffness is: The capacity of a mechanical system to sustain external loads without excessive changes of its geometry (deformations). When we think of stiffness in traditional bearings with rolling elements, we’re typically considering the deflection of the carriage when a load is applied. For air bearings, […]
Stages + gantries
Direct-drive rotary servo tables feature large aperture
The ACR-490UT precision rotation stage from IntelLiDrives is a low-profile rotary table with high-speed direct-drive rotary servo motor that features a large 490-mm center aperture and lightweight construction. This makes it a suitable choice for a host of applications, from precision indexing to high-speed laser machining to handling large diameter silicon wafers for semiconductor processing. […]
Multi-axis motion sub-system boasts nanometer resolution
The new X-417 multi-axis motion sub-system from PI (Physik Instrumente) boasts nanometer resolution, absolute encoders, fast configuration, delivery, and set-up. It’s suitable for a broad range of industrial precision motion applications, including precision automation, laser processing, test and inspection, medical manufacturing, and semiconductor testing. Machine builders and system integrators can move faster and address new, […]
Motorized vertical lift stages feature high load capacity, high precision
OES (Optimal Engineering Systems, Inc.) has added 3 high precision vertical lift stages capable of elevating heavy loads by 30 mm (1.18 in.) in an ultra-low profile design. The rigid box construction of the moving component of the elevator stage travels on six slide rails assuring smooth vertical travel and parallelism of the table and […]
X-Y gantry with precision ball screw actuators
A new overhead XY gantry from IntelLiDrives is built with precision ball screw actuators. The gantry features travel lengths from 100 to 600 mm, with speeds to 100 mm/sec and resolution to 5 microns. The gantries can be motorized with stepper motors, brushless servo motor/encoders or integrated SMART motors. Contact-less end-of-travel limit sensors are also […]
High precision triple-axis stage from OES
The XAB-050-XX-01 from Optimal Engineering Systems, Inc. (OES) is a low-cost solution for the precise measurement of compound angles or the rotation of an object to precise angular positions. It integrates a two-axis Alpha-Beta goniometer on top of a single-axis linear actuator. The Beta-axis has a travel range of +/- 15° with a rotation height […]
New linear, rotary stages for high-precision positioning in vacuum applications
PI’s family of miniature micro and nanopositioning stages is expanding with the new RS-40 rotary stage and M-111 linear stages as engineers gave specific consideration to material selection, use of lubricants and coatings, and outbaking temperatures for high and ultra-high vacuum conditions. With 360-degree rotation range and 20-N load capacity, the RS-40 V7 stage boasts […]
Large variety of precise xyz axis stages now available
OES (Optimal Engineering Systems) has introduced a series of high precision, low cost XYZ positioning stages that can be easily integrated into new and existing applications. They are offered in 5 travel lengths for each axis, 50 mm (1.969 in.), 100 mm (3.937 in.), 150 mm (5.906 in.), 200 mm (7.874 in.), and 300 mm […]
New multi-axis stages: Driving dynamics in one plane for top performance
Having all of a stage’s driving dynamics in one plane can prevent problematic reaction torques on sensitive workpieces … and maximize machine performance for demanding motion applications. By Mathys te Wierik • Lead system engineer Jan Willem Ridderinkhof • Manager of R&D and engineering | PM B.V. High-end mechatronic motion solutions have proliferated as various […]
Hexapods precisely jostle cameras during image-stabilization testing
The six-axis parallel-kinematics systems known as hexapods excel in motion simulation and testing of mechanical and drive systems, multi-dimensional position sensors, and (the focus of this article) image-stabilization designs for cameras and video equipment. By Doris Knauer • Project Manager — Industrial Automation | Physik Instrumente (PI) Modern camera systems are capable of astounding feats, […]
