New Positioning Stage from PI for High Precision with 500 mm Travel Range

For precise positioning tasks in precision fabrication and automation, PI (Physik Instrumente) now offers the M-417 stage with a repeatability of 0.5 µm over a 500 mm travel range.

The drive of the M-417 comprises an efficient ActiveDrive DC motor with integrated 24 V amplifier that acts on the ball screw. Thanks to this structure, the stage achieves a velocity of 100 mm/s and is at the same time designed for high duty cycles. The recirculating ball bearings allow for a very high guiding accuracy of 100 µrad over the entire travel range.

An incremental, motor-shaft-mounted rotary encoder controls the position with a unidirectional repeatability of 0.5 µm.

The M-417 stage is 120 mm wide and 56 mm high. Its stress-relieved aluminum base ensures the stage's high stability.

Efficient Drive Principle: DC Motors with ActiveDrive
By eliminating power losses between the amplifier and motor, the ActiveDrive System achieves an increased efficiency. The motor is controlled via pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signals. The operating voltage is obtained with an amplifier integrated in the motor case. Costs are reduced and the setup is more compact, because no external linear amplifier is needed. In addition, noise radiation is eliminated, since amplifier and motor are mounted together in a single shielded case.

PI in Brief
Well-known for the high quality of its products, PI (Physik Instru-mente) 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. With four sites in Germany and ten sales and service offices abroad, the PI Group is represented internationally.