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30 April 2014

Integrated XY ball-screw stage for cost-sensitive planar performance from Aerotech

• Integrated, low-profile, XY, ball-screw stage
• Long-life linear motion guide bearing system
• Optional low thermal expansion glass linear encoder
• Cost-effective, high-precision planar performance

Aerotech’s PlanarSL mechanical bearing, ball-screw-driven XY stages offer exceptional performance in a cost-sensitive, low-profile package. Combining two axes of motion in a compact package, the PlanarSL is the perfect solution for applications ranging from surface metrology to general high-precision automation.

Robust, High-Precision Design
The PlanarSL comes standard with a precision-ground and preloaded ball screw. Unlike competitive designs where the ball screw is positioned on the side or off-centre, the PlanarSL ball screw is engineered to drive directly through the centres of friction and stiffness, resulting in superior geometric performance and accuracy.

High-precision linear motion guide bearings provide excellent straightness and flatness with optimal support of the moving carriage over the entire XY travel. The PlanarSL structural elements have been optimized for the highest possible planar performance.

Optional Low Thermal-Expansion Linear Encoder
Unlike competitive designs using steel (13 ppm/˚C) or glass scales with 8 ppm/˚C thermal expansion coefficients, the PlanarSL is available with low-thermal expansion (3.3 ppm/˚C) precision glass scales on both axes for high-accuracy and repeatable positioning over long periods of time. The linear encoder, available with amplified sine (1 Vpp) or 0.1 µm TTL digital outputs, is mounted near the centres of action, again providing an optimized stage design for high-accuracy positioning.

Configuration Options
The PlanarSL comes with a 24 VDC bipolar stepper motor. Aerotech can also provide brushless and brush DC motors with high-resolution rotary encoders preconfigured for use with Aerotech controls. A wide selection of state-of-the-art motion controllers is available, along with a suite of software and drive electronics, to provide cost and performance options to meet the needs of any application.
 


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