Product category:
Positioning stages - linear, rotary, multi-axis
News Release from: Aerotech | Subject: Precision gantry style positioning stage systems
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 July 2007
Gantry positioning stages are directly
driven
An extensive range of long travel gantry positioning stages use brushless direct-drive linear servo motors and precision feedback systems to operate at sub-micron accuracies.
Aerotech's range of precision gantry style positioning stage systems provide a wide choice for high throughput manufacturing and inspection applications The stages use direct-drive brushless linear servo motors with alternative feedback technologies
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 11 Jul 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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Aerotech motion systems described for automation
Motion systems for automatic laser working, medical and life sciences manufacturing systems are described in Aerotech's Automation Solutions brochure, also available in German.
They also feature linear motion guide or air bearing technologies and provide the basis for wide choice of systems for long travel, high speed precision positioning.
Intended for high throughput, automated production and test applications, Aerotech's extensive range of long travel gantry positioning stages use brushless direct drive linear servo motors and precision feedback systems to deliver micron to sub-micron accuracies.
Positioning speeds are up to 3m/s speed and acceleration to 5G.
Further reading
Sealed gantry handling system avoids dirt ingress
A sealed version of a linear motor driven, X-Y gantry system is particularly suited to applications such as high throughput laser machining and welding.
Open frame air bearing stage has long life
An open frame air bearing stage provides the specification for through-aperture step and scan positioning and uses preloaded air bearings, direct-drive linear motors and high resolution encoders.
Low profile rotary stage offers high speed
A low profile, high speed, compact rotary stage provides a solution for compact positioning spindle applications and operates at up to 15,000 deg/s.
The complete range covers five models based around linear motion guide or air bearing technologies.
They are equipped with cable management systems for maximum life and minimal maintenance.
Feedback systems include non-contact linear encoders or dual axis interferometers to suit micron to nanometre level resolutions.
As with all Aerotech positioning systems, custom engineering is available to modify standard designs to add Z and rotary axes, parts handling adapters, special fixtures and complete machine base structures that can accommodate machine control electronics.
The low-cost, entry level AGS1000 is available for X-Y positioning of up to 500mm x 500mm with a calibrated accuracy of +/-5 micron/axis when used with Aerotech motion controllers.
Maximum load is 15kg and repeatability is just +/-2 micron.
The modular assembly features sealed linear motion guide bearings and e-chain cable management and is designed for use in the following applications.
* High-speed pick-and-place.
* Dispensing stations.
* High-accuracy inspection systems.
A dual linear motor arrangement on the lower X-axis can include a second encoder to improve control and accuracy.
The AGS1000 may be bolted directly to the customer's machine base or supplied on a sturdy aluminium base plate.
* Long travel - for longer travel range, heavier payload, improved accuracy and higher speed capability the AGS10000 and AGS20000 gantry systems use larger linear motion guide bearings systems with integral seals and cable management.
Both models can provide high-throughput X-Y precision positioning for up to 1000mm x 1000mm at speeds of up 3m/sec and acceleration to 3G depending upon system resolution ( from 0.005 micron to 1.0 micron, based upon a selection of encoders and multipliers).
With a single lower (X) axis linear drive motor the AGS1000 provides a load capability to 25kg, best calibrated accuracy +/-5 micron and repeatability to +/-2 micron.
The precision optimised AGS20000 uses a dual lower axis drive and encoders for a 30kg payload and can achieve a calibrated accuracy of +/-3 micron and +/-1 micron repeatability.
For the ultimate in long travel, ultra precise positioning, Aerotech offer two gantry based systems with magnetically pre-loaded air bearings to provide optimised stiffness and load distribution.
The ABG10000 and the ABL9000 series are supplied with dual X-axis linear direct drives in standard travel ranges up to 1000mm x 1000mm.
The ABG10000 uses dual axis, non-contact linear encoder feedback to extend the performance capability of the gantry range shaving accuracy to within +/-2 micron and repeatability to +/-0.5 micron using Aerotech's HALAR calibration.
Based upon a choice of 20 micron or 4 micron nominal encoders, final system resolution is between 0.005 micron and 1.0 micron.
A maximum Y-axis payload of up to 9kg allows adequate margin for customer fixtures.
Or, in Z-axis, theta positioners are used in high-speed pick-and-place, automated assembly or dispensing stations applications.
Speeds of up to 1m/s and acceleration to 0.5G are achievable depending upon the required system resolution.
Aerotech's magnetically preloaded air bearing design also provides excellent precision in pitch, yaw and roll making the gantry suitable for vision inspection and micro machining applications.
The ABG10000 series may be supplied as a modular system for direct fixing to the customer's machine or with a custom supplied granite or other types of machine base designed to accommodate the entire electronics subsystem.
* Volume production use - the ABL9000 series air bearing gantry positioning systems can meet and exceed the exacting demands of high throughput production and test applications in wafer, flat panel display, optical inspection and fabrication.
With pitch, yaw and roll to within 2 arc-sec and a maximum load to 100kg, this range is available to order with a choice of non-contact linear encoder (LN) or laser interferometer (LZR) feedback systems to provide positional accuracy below +/-1 micron for the 1000mm x 1000mm travel version.
X-Y position resolution with multi-axis interferometer feedback is between 0.3nm to -79nm and this system will also control Y-axis yaw to less than 1 arc-sec.
* Drives - these stages use cog-free direct-drive brushless linear servo motors driven with state-of-art linear amplifiers for micron level incremental moves.
They also provide the fine speed control necessary for velocity-critical scanning applications.
Advanced control features such as temperature compensation and orthogonality correction result in unsurpassed performance for long travel, high throughput precision systems.
To exactly match customer's requirements, ABL9000 gantry systems are available with modified travel lengths, different cable management schemes, customised granite assemblies and specialist fixtures as engineered solutions. Request a free brochure from Aerotech ...
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