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Aerotech Adds Vertical Translation Stage To ANT
Aerotech has added a vertical translation stage to its ANT range of nanotranslation linear position stages. This provides 500mm/s speed, 1g acceleration and a positioning resolution between 2.5nm and 1.0um over a 25mm or 50mm travel range. The ANT-LXV vertical translation stage combines Aerotech's latest direct-drive linear servo motor, encoder feedback and bearing technology with advanced axis calibration in a design that includes an integral pneumatic counterbalance to ensure smooth vertical motion.
The ANT-LXV provides the vertical positioning component to compatible ANT-LX stages, and brings X, Y and Z positioning in a compact form factor for high-throughput production and test applications in fibre-optic and MEMS device alignment, optical delay element actuation and nanometre-level scanning. The range utilises ultra-high precision cross-roller bearings and 40MHz linear encoder processing for an improved production throughput performance. The 2.5nm resolution is maintained even at 500 mm/s speeds. The compact unit is just under 93mm wide and 124mm deep with overall height for the 25mm travel version at just under 167mm and under 230mm for the 50mm travel version.
The vertical moving carriage and all mounting surfaces include a matrix of fixing holes for customer equipment - directly interfacing with Aerotech's ANT linear and goniometric stages as well compatible rotary positioning tables. Direct load carrying capacity is 5 kg. The specification for both 25mm and 50mm travel versions includes a calibrated positional accuracy of +/- 0.3um, repeatability within +/- 0.05um and differential straightness and flatness specifications to +/- 0.75um per 25mm of travel, with a maximum deviation of +/- 3.0um. The ANT-LXV is typically used as a part of a multi-axis positioning system, controlled with Aerotech's A3200 automation platform to realise high levels of performance. The A3200 is a PC-based, software-only controller that is especially suited to extreme levels of axis and machine control synchronisation.
The controller uses the IEEE-1394 Firewire protocol for fully deterministic high-speed networking with Aerotech's Ndrive HL series linear servo amplifiers maintaining the performance required for nanometre-level resolution positioning. Up to 32 axes may be controlled using position, velocity and time commands that are processed at 20kHz update rate by the Ndrives. The A3200 range includes additional 'soft' machine control modules for HMI, vision and PLC, which may be integrated into customers' applications. Dedicated commands such as Position Synchronised Output (PSO) may be used to time the precise synchronisation of external events such as data capture or laser firing with real-time multi-axis interpolated positions.
The A3200 may be programmed in Aerotech's own Aerobasic or in C, C++, and Visual Basic. Furthermore, the optional Ncontrol SDK software development kit may be used to program the unit with Windows-based ActiveX components, C++, VB and .NET class libraries to help to reduce programming time and simplify system integration. Aerotech ANT-LX and ANT-LXV systems include complete cable management and can be mounted and fully tested on anti-vibration tables or granite machine beds. To help machine builders and integrators reduce system commissioning time and cost, Aerotech typically includes all motor parameter set-up data, performance documents, test certificates, assembly information and full product training.
