When vibration-free motion, a high degree of velocity constancy, and the best possible angular repeatability are required, air bearing stages are used.
With air bearings, backlash, wear, and friction are all avoided. Precision PIglide linear, rotary, and spherical bearings can be motorized, integrated, and used in OEM, industrial, and research applications.
When very consistent velocity control, vibration-free motion, angular repeatability, and ideal geometric performance are required, air bearings outperform mechanical bearings. A thin air layer replaces mechanical contact in air bearing stages, preventing the effects of wear, friction, vibration, and hysteresis. XY air bearing tables, rotary tables and spindles, tip-tilt stages, and 3-degree-of-freedom spherical air bearings are among the products offered by PI. Solutions for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 axis air bearings are provided using combinations of linear and rotary stages.
The A-142 air bearing miniature linear stage is ideally suited for high-precision motion applications, such as metrology, photonics alignment systems, optics positioning, and scanning. The noncontact design is ideal for cleanroom applications.
A-311 PIglide IS Planar Scanner with Air Bearing
High-Performance, Compact XY Nanopositioning System