Six-Axis Postioner for Small Vacuum Chambers

PI (Physik Instrumente), a manufacturer of precision parallel kinematics motion control systems, has released the M-811.STV, a miniature hexapod for vacuum applications. A non-vacuum version is also available. The M-811.STV miniature vacuum-compatible hexapod measures 130mm in diameter and 115mm in height, yet provides precision motion in all six degrees of freedom. Its small size allows it to be easily integrated into vacuum chambers.

The easy-to-use design allows a user to randomly set the centre of rotation by a simple software command. Despite its size, it has a high load capacity of 11lb (5kg). Its actuator resolution is 0.04um and repeatability +/-0.5um. It has six degrees of freedom, a randomised centre of rotation and velocity to 10mm/sec. XYZ-Travel is 35/35/13mm and rotations are XYZ 20deg/20deg/40deg, respectively. Like all PI parallel kinematic Hexapod positioners, the miniature vacuum Hexapod comes bundled with software and a digital controller with high-speed Ethernet connectivity.

Programming and commanding the Hexapod is straight-forward, as all positions are given in Cartesian coordinates (XYZ, Theta X, Theta Y, Theta Z). Parallel-kinematics positioning systems have several advantages over conventional stacked multi-axis positioners. All six actuators directly affect one common platform, significantly reducing mass and inertia. Moreover, there is no accumulation of the lateral and angular run-out errors of the individual axes.

Unlike rotation stages and goniometers, which come with a fixed centre of rotation, the PI Hexapod lets the user set and change the pivot any time via software. Hexapod applications are found in technology fields including high-energy physics, medical engineering, X-ray microscopy, photonics alignment, semiconductor test and metrology, astronomy, precision machining and aeronautics.

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