Heason Technology (http://www.heason.com) has introduced an all-new high throughput version of the Mini-MAG linear motor driven positioning stage from distribution partner Dover Inc. (www.dovercorporation.com).

While the new, ultra-compact MMG-AL still incorporates the main design and dimensional characteristics of the range, it replaces the stainless steel base and top plate with an optional single phase linear motor and simplified high grade aluminum construction. When combined, this results in minimized moving mass with the added benefit of lowered stage and drive amplifier costs, as well as higher bandwidth performance.

The small footprint stage comes in four travel options from 25mm to 150mm. It has a nominal width of 80mm and features Dover’s MAG moving magnet motor technology, which does away with the need for moving motor cables. It also features a durable side mounted tape style optical encoder, which comes in a selection of positional resolution from 0.1 microns to 0.005 microns. With stage flatness and straightness across the new MMG-AL range from 4 microns to 8 microns, and with specified bidirectional repeatability to within +/- 0.5 microns, the 25mm travel version’s positional accuracy is 3 microns with a 0.1 micron encoder.

The MMG-AL range has less than two-thirds of the mass of its stainless steel counterpart and 8kg nominal load capacity with an optional higher load capacity. The positioning stage can meet the dynamic performance needed for the most demanding high precision production systems, thanks to its maximum acceleration of 22m/sec2 and velocity of 0.5msec. The stage caters to the need of high throughput imaging industries, as well as ideal for any precision position application, where in-position stability and step-and-settle times are the main requirements.