For Travel Ranges to 230 mm: Fast Linear Stage with Nanometer Resolution

PI (Physik Instrumente): Magnetic direct drives have advantages over the classical motorized, spindle-based solutions in particular with respect to wear and dynamics. Since direct drives largely dispense with mechanical components in the drivetrain, there is less friction and play and therefore more precision. At the same time, it lowers costs and increases energy efficiency. In addition, their outstanding features include relatively large travel ranges, high velocities as well as longer lifetimes of the drives.

The PIMag® V-551 is a new linear stage offered by PI (Physik Instrumente). Thanks to the force-guided crossed roller bearings (anti creep), it achieves a travel accuracy of 1 µm over a travel range of 100 mm. Care was taken during the design of the stage that no cables are moved as well. Therefore, it is especially suitable for scanning applications that require both high accelerations and high constant velocities. Possible fields of application include semiconductor or flat panel display manufacturing as well as medical technology, metrology and photonics or general use in industry and research.

The linear stage has a modular design and a width of only 160 mm. This makes it possible to customize different versions according to customer applications. Therefore, it is possible to use a motor with 100 N or 200 N peak force and make travel ranges of 50, 130 or 230 mm available. In addition, the working range can be adapted to the respective application using adjustable mechanical hard stops. The positioning accuracy can also be adjusted to the respective customer requirements by a variety of different measuring systems.

When operating with the appropriate C-891 motion controller from the same manufacturer, the standard version of the ironless magnetic direct offers a positioning resolution of 1.7 nm and a repeatability of <20 nm. The highest achievable velocity is 500 mm/s. An absolute encoder is integrated as standard which means that a reference move is not necessary during switch-on. In conjunction with motion controllers from PI, optional high-resolution incremental encoders make a design resolution of up to 0.03 nm possible.

PI in Brief

Well-known for the high quality of its products, PI (Physik Instrumente) has been one of the leading players in the global market for precision positioning technology for many years. PI has been developing and manufacturing standard and OEM products with piezo or motor drives for 40 years now. In addition to four sites in Germany, the PI Group is represented internationally with ten sales and service subsidiaries abroad.