With the escalator still and the exhibit hall at the world’s largest multidisciplinary photonics event empty this year, PI is displaying its latest state-of-the-art precision motion technologies online. Trusted knowledgeable PI engineers are on-hand to answer questions via live chat and can propose possible solutions for precision motion projects in industry, research, and science.
Image Credit: Physik Instrumente (PI) GmbH & Co KG
High-Speed Photonics Alignment Engines
PI’s SiP alignment product line addresses the requirement of aligning multiple parallel optical paths with multiple interacting inputs and outputs, each requiring optimization. The automated alignment engines include 3 to 12-axis mechanisms, controllers with firmware-based alignment algorithms, and the software tools to meet the high accuracy demands of different markets such as packing, planar testing, and inspection. Hexapod 6-axis parallel positioning systems are instrumental to fast SiP alignment due to their lower inertia, improved dynamics, smaller package size and higher stiffness, and programmable pivot point.
High-Speed Precision Automation: Hybrid Gantries / Linear Motors / Air Bearings / Piezo Flexures
PI’s new hybrid gantry has a unique, space saving guide design. The bridge axis is equipped with an air bearing guide that allows exact control of velocity as well as outstanding repeatability and straightness, while reducing particle emission over the work area considerably.
New linear motor stages, specifically developed for industrial automation, help photonics and laser processing engineers design better performing motion systems. New Piezo flexure-guided linear positioners offer excellent precision and responsiveness with step and settle typically in the millisecond range with billions of cycles of service life. Cost-effective and small footprint options are available for easy integration into applications such as image scanning, overlay, fast autofocus, interferometry, and super-resolution microscopy. Air bearings with linear motor drives provide another option when long travel vibration-free motion is required, highly constant velocity control is crucial, together with angular repeatability and geometric performance.
Life Sciences, Microscopy, Imaging and Bio-Nanotechnology Solutions
Researchers make use of the sub-atomic resolution and extreme responsiveness of piezo stages and nanopositioners to create images with finer details, faster. Piezo transducers and nanopositioning systems are used in genome sequencing and in many life science related applications, helping to fight Covid19. PI provides a large variety of fast and precise microscope stages and lens nano-positioners for 3D imaging, deconvolution, and fast auto-focusing applications. A line of ultra-stable long-travel microscope stages with self-locking piezo motors is also available.